Field End Infant School

FIELD END INFANT SCHOOL

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

p.1

FIELD END INFANT SCHOOL

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

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant school with nursery School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 – 7 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 371

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Field End Road Eastcote Ruislip Middlesex Postcode: HA4 9PQ

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 020 8866 6163 Fax number: 020 8426 2034 E-mail: dchappell@hillingdongrid.org Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Paul Loxton

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 2 March 1998

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Field End Infant School is of larger than average size, with 371 girls and boys on roll between the ages of three and seven. Children in the nursery attend on a part-time basis. It is joined to the building housing a junior school but the two schools have separate governing bodies. The school serves a local area of mixed residential housing, although some pupils come from further afield. Most pupils come from homes with average social and economic conditions although the range is wide. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is broadly average. The proportion of pupils who are learning English as an additional language is high compared with schools nationally, and this proportion is increasing. A significant number of children at the Foundation Stage are at an early stage of English acquisition. They speak a wide range of languages at home; the largest group come from the Indian sub-continent. The attainment of most children when they join the nursery is

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

broadly average. The number of pupils identified as having special educational needs is above average. The current headteacher has been in post for two years. Field End Infant School - 4

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

12487 John Lilly Lead inspector The Foundation Stage Religious education History Personal, social and health education Special educational needs English as an additional language 9835 Glenda Spencer Lay inspector 22180 Shree Lekha Mistry Team inspector Mathematics Science Design and technology Geography Physical education 10053 Janet Simms Team inspector English Art and design Information and communication technology Music

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

6 East Point High Street Seal Sevenoaks Kent TN15 0EG

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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). Field End Infant School - 5

p.4

PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

p.5

PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

p.5

PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10-16

p.5

PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

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

p.5

SUBJECTS IN KEY STAGE ONE

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 33 Field End Infant School - 6

p.5

OVERALL EVALUATION

Field End Infants is a good school that is already very good in many ways . Standards and provision are improving rapidly under the very good leadership of the headteacher. This improvement is supported by a very strong governing body, and a strong and dynamic school management team who are eager to achieve excellence. Staff are highly committed to helping all pupils to achieve. Children join the school with average attainment and leave Year 2 with above average standards of attainment; the school is determined to improve these standards further. The very good provision in the nursery and reception classes gives children a very good start, and good teaching throughout the school enables all pupils to make good progress and achieve their potential. Pupils develop very well as young people and, consequently, relationships and behaviour are very good. The pupils are keen to learn, are happy and feel safe and cared for. The school is a very good

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

place in which to begin learning at school and offers good value for money.

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

• The strong and clear leadership of the headteacher is fully backed by staff. Together they are rapidly raising standards. • Provision in the nursery and reception classes is very good. • Teaching and learning are almost always good or very good. • Pupils are keen to learn and they behave very well. • More use could be made of the school’s good assessment information to show pupils how to improve their work. • Standards in spelling are not high enough. • The learning of some pupils slows when they do not have teaching assistants to help them. This is because the range of learning needs in Years 1 and 2 is wide and varied. • The school does not give enough prominence to the various faiths that are important parts of British society and the school community.

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

Improvement since the last inspection has been good, and especially within the last two years. Weaknesses are usually identified and quickly rectified. The school is good at predicting areas that will require future improvement due to changes in the cohort of pupils; for example, staff are already planning for when more pupils will be learning English as an additional language and when pupils with higher attainment reach Year 2 following improved provision lower down the school.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils achieve well . Children join the nursery with broadly average attainment. Most are on course to meet the early learning goals set for the end of the reception year and a significant proportion to exceed them. By the end of Year 2, attainment is above average in English, mathematics and science. Standards in information and communication technology are average. They are above average in art and design and physical education, and broadly average in other subjects. Girls and boys, including those special educational needs, make equally good progress Field End Infant School - 7 throughout the school. Pupils learning English as an additional language acquire English very quickly in the nursery and reception classes and quickly gain the language they need to achieve as well as, and often better than, their English speaking peers. Standards in reading have improved since 2003. There is an upward trend in standards, and this inspection finds evidence that improvement is

p.6

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

development is good . The pupils’ very good behaviour and attitudes to their work and others play a significant part in their learning. This reflects the good provision for personal development and high standards of care and welfare. Strong partnership with parents, other schools and the wider community are supporting the improving standards of provision and attainment. Attendance is good.

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality of education . Overall, teaching is good; it is very good in the nursery and reception classes and good in Years 1 and 2. Skilful and well planned teaching based upon a good curriculum produces good learning. Pupils are keen to learn and do their best, as groups and independently.

p.7

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall, leadership and management are good . The very good leadership of the headteacher is supported by the effective management by other teachers in their leadership and management roles. Governance is very good and the governing body works effectively and efficiently.

p.7

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Most parents value the school highly and work hard to support its success and their children’s learning. The pupils are very proud of their school and value the way adults help and care for them.

p.7

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are:

p.7

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Make greater use of assessment to help teachers and pupils improve. • Improve standards in spelling, especially in day-to-day writing. • Increase the number of teaching assistants available to support the wide range of learning needs in Years 1 and 2. • Give greater prominence to learning about the faiths and cultures present within British society and the school community. Field End Infant School - 8

p.7

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Attainment is above average in English, mathematics and science in Year 2. Pupils make a very good start in the nursery and reception classes and continue to make good progress in Years 1 and 2. Most pupils reach their potential and achieve well.

p.8

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are rising and are already above average. • Progress slows when pupils do not have the one-to-one support they need.

p.8

Commentary

1. There is a strong upward improvement in standards due to the clearer emphasis on high standards by the headteacher, improved teaching and better management of the learning. Assessment in literacy and numeracy highlights weaknesses and effective action is taken but not all subjects use assessment as thoroughly. To some extent, the characteristics of the pupils have changed since the last inspection and, therefore, comparisons with standards at the time of the last inspection are difficult. Children currently join the nursery with lower attainment, although still broadly average. A much higher proportion of them are now learning English as an additional language. They make good progress in the nursery and reception, and most are on course to meet the early learning goals set for the end of the reception year; a significant number are likely to exceed them. If the current good provision in Years 1 and 2 is

p.8

Commentary

maintained or, as is likely, improves, current pupils in reception will be likely to achieve very high standards by the end of Year 2.

p.8

Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003 Standards in: School results National results Reading 16.0 (16.3) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 15.7 (15.3) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 17.2 (17.9) 16.3 (16.5) There were 94 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

p.8

Commentary

2. Pupils in Year 2 have had less time to benefit from the improvements in provision achieved in the last two years. In national tests and assessments in 2003 at the end of Year 2, pupils reached average standards in reading and above average standards in writing, mathematics and science. Compared with similar schools, standards were average in reading, above average in science and well above average in writing and mathematics. On the evidence of this inspection, attainment is continuing to rise, especially in reading. Improvement is slower in other subjects as current pupils in Year 2 have had less time to benefit from improvements in teaching. Standards are average in ICT by the end of Year 2, and standards in other subjects are broadly average although close to above average. Standards are high in physical education.

p.8

Commentary

3. The above analysis shows that pupils make good progress throughout the school and most achieve their potential. This is because teachers work perceptively to meet the learning needs of each pupil, including those with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language. Pupils who have difficulties with their behaviour have very effective help outside the classroom and benefit from the high expectations of teachers in lessons. Throughout the school, the range of learning needs is wide. Teachers do not have Field End Infant School - 9 the support of teaching assistants in most Year 1 and 2 lessons, other than for literacy. Learning tends to be slower in lessons where this support is not available because, when the teacher is concentrating on pupils who need most help, able pupils sometimes begin to ‘cruise’ and not reach their potential.

p.8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils have very good attitudes to their learning and relationships are very good. They develop well as young people. Attendance is good.

p.9

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ are interested in school life and the range of activities provided. • The pupils do not gain sufficient appreciation of the rich variety of cultures and faiths within the school and wider society. • Pupils relate very well to each other and to adults. • Pupils grow considerably in confidence and self-esteem. • The school deals effectively with all forms of harassment. • Pupils gain a secure understanding of right from wrong and why this is so.

p.9

Commentary

4. The very good attitudes and positive relationships reported at the time of the last inspection have been maintained. Pupils are confident and play happily together. They work willingly, concentrate on their learning and behave consistently well. The very good relationships help to promote a willingness to please and to help others. Pupils develop well spiritually, morally and socially but their cultural development is only satisfactory. This is because they are not helped sufficiently to understand and value the rich cultural diversity present within the school and wider British society.

p.9

Commentary

5. Behaviour, including that of pupils with special educational needs is very good. The school has established an orderly community and a purposeful teaching and learning environment. All pupils are treated with equal fairness and respect. They are highly motivated, keen to learn and this significantly contributes to the progress they make. Parents recognise and appreciate that the school has improved the behaviour and maturity of their children.

p.9

Commentary

6. Children join the nursery with limited experience of the world around them and many have less developed social and speaking skills. The caring, but firm staff, however, quickly develop the children’s independence. Children soon adjust to school routines and manage well without the direct support of their parents. As their enthusiasm for school develops, they join in activities and participate well in the classroom and this independence flowers in reception classes. These young children are sensible and very few show any signs of poor behaviour.

p.9

Commentary

7. Pupils’ in Years 1 and 2 are very happy to attend school and they wear their school uniform with pride. They have very good attitudes to school. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and with English as an additional language, enjoy their lessons and feel valued. Even when needing to listen for a long time, pupils rarely become restless and they sustain their concentration. They confidently participate in discussions by Year 2, and this contributes significantly to their learning and personal development. They enjoy the wide range of activities available. Pupils value the many opportunities for spiritual, moral and social and development in lessons and assemblies, and in the very good personal, social and health education lessons they show their secure moral awareness. Their very good attitudes ensure that they undertake responsibilities eagerly and help the school to operate smoothly, valuing the way in which their

p.9

Commentary

views are listened to and taken into account. Field End Infant School - 10 8. The behaviour of pupils improves as they move up the school. In a few lessons, however, there were isolated incidents of unsatisfactory behaviour that threatened the pace of learning; this held back the achievement of others. Older children in particular are gaining an awareness of self-discipline, which has a good influence on the few pupils who display some inappropriate behaviour. Behaviour around the school is orderly and calm, particularly when pupils enjoy their sandwiches at lunchtime. No incidents of bullying, harassments or racial disharmony were observed during the inspection.

p.9

Commentary

9. The quality of relationships is very good and a strength of the school. Staff provide very good role models and pupils value the trust and care that they are given. Teachers encourage pupils to work together in pairs or groups and, consequently, they listen to each other’s opinions. Pupils form good friendships, irrespective of gender and racial differences. Boys and girls eat and play amicably together. Pupils are welcoming and polite to visitors.

p.10

Commentary

10. Pupils’ personal development is good. They make rapid strides in personal development in the nursery and reception classes, and this is maintained throughout their time in the school. Staff work successfully and consistently to increase pupils’ confidence and maturity. Opportunities for independent learning are good and effective, but in discussion with inspectors only some pupils had full understanding of personal targets for improvement. This relates to teachers’ use of assessment information described elsewhere. Pupils help in and around the school, and some take on special responsibilities willingly. Pupils gain an awareness of people less fortunate than themselves through charity work, although awareness of the special nature of different cultures and beliefs is not so well developed. Pupils look after the classroom resources well and they tidy their classroom conscientiously.

p.10

Commentary

11. Attendance and punctuality are good. Many pupils achieve 100 per cent attendance; this is celebrated in assembly and their names are displayed on the wall for all to see. The school has made good attendance a priority; a member of staff is responsible for contacting parents at an early stage of suspected poor attendance. The school has been successful in discouraging parents from taking their children away on holiday during term time and has been successful in keeping absences that result from holidays within reasonable levels. Punctuality throughout the school is good. There have been no exclusions.

p.10

Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.7 School data 0.4 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

p.10

Commentary

12. Since the last reporting year, attendance has improved. The inspection identified that the software for recording attendance was producing incorrect information. This was corrected during the inspection but places some doubt on previous data. The judgements on current attendance are based upon correct data.

p.10

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

Overall the school provides a good quality of education. In Years 1 and 2 the quality of education is good and in the nursery and reception years it is very good. Field End Infant School - 11

p.10

Teaching and learning

Overall, teaching is good. Teaching is good in Years 1 and 2, and very good in the nursery and reception classes. The key reason why teaching is more effective in the nursery and reception classes is that these pupils always have the support when needed of a teaching assistant or nursery nurse. Learning is good throughout the school and most pupils achieve their potential Learning in nursery and reception lessons was consistently very good.

p.11

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons and activities have very clear objectives that are well understood by pupils. • Teachers plan lessons very effectively. • Pupils are keen to learn and they gain in independence. • There is very good teamwork between teachers and teaching assistants. • Teachers do not always give pupils enough feedback on how to improve.

p.11

Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 39 lessons or parts of lessons

p.11

Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.11

Commentary

1 (3%) 13 (33%) 18 (46%) 7 (18%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

p.11

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.

p.11

Commentary

12. Teaching in very good lessons was so effective and learning so rapid because:

p.11

Commentary

• Teachers planned very carefully, ensuring that the learning opportunities matched the learning needs of each pupil. • Lessons and each activity within a lesson had clear objectives to meet that were well understood by the pupils. • Pupils had the support of skilled teaching assistants. • Teachers gave pupils clear opportunities to talk through their learning and so increase their understanding. • Teachers managed the lessons with pace, challenge and high expectations, with set times for the completion of each stage in the lesson.

p.11

Commentary

Most good lessons showed many of these characteristics.

p.11

Commentary

13. Teachers use a dog called ‘WILF’ to show pupils what they need to learn in each lesson and for each activity. WILF stands for ‘What I will Look For’. It helped the pupils to see the purpose of their learning and the quality of the work they should achieve. This approach encouraged pupils to work hard, and with care and good concentration. It helped them want to talk through with others the possible solutions to problems and better ways of working. In the best lessons, pupils showed considerable independence.

p.11

Commentary

14. When teaching was satisfactory but not as good as the above, the pupils’ learning slowed considerably. This less effective teaching had several causes, which often occurred in combination:

p.11

Commentary

• The challenging behaviour of a few pupils took time and effort to manage, especially when the teacher did not have the support of a teaching assistant. In these lessons all pupils achieved less well because the teacher’s attention was on a minority of pupils. Field End Infant School - 12 • The teacher lacked subject expertise and this lowered their confidence. • The teacher drove the work forward but gave too little time to feeding back to pupils on how to improve and develop their speaking and listening skills.

p.11

Commentary

15. The strongest teaching overall was of literacy and this is already raising standards in all subjects. Information and communication technology is well taught, not least because teachers give pupils many opportunities to use computers in lessons. Teaching of pupils with special educational needs in lessons and in withdrawn groups is highly focused and effective. These pupils are well supported within lessons, but their learning slows when they do not have a teaching assistant to help them. Pupils learning English as an additional language are very well supported, especially in nursery and reception classes.

p.12

Commentary

16. Assessment of pupils’ attainment in core subjects is good but could usefully be extended to all subjects of the curriculum. In the main, it is used effectively. Throughout the school, pupils’ attainment and progress is well assessed, recorded and analysed in literacy and numeracy, and this leads to improvements in teaching. Records of pupils with special educational needs are especially good and lead to very high quality individual education plans. Even so, further development of assessment procedures would be helpful because pupils’ learning needs are so wide and varied. Currently, assessment is mainly of literacy and numeracy, and could now be extended to other subjects. More significantly, assessment of speaking and listening could highlight the reason why pupils cannot always order their thoughts, express their ideas and understand what they hear. The school already use a very useful test to track the progress of

p.12

Commentary

pupils learning English as a spoken additional language. Currently, assessment records are paper-based and then transferred onto a central computer. The software program used does not make it easy to interpret the information and class teachers do not have sufficiently easy and continual access to the information recorded.

p.12

Commentary

17. Marking is conscientious but does not always make clear to pupils why they have succeeded, why they meet problems and what they need to learn next. Similarly, the pace and drive of most lessons leaves too little space to find out and then discuss with pupils how they can improve. This is sometimes called ‘assessment for (rather than of) learning’.

p.12

The curriculum

The curriculum is very good at the Foundation Stage and good in Years 1 and 2. All pupils have good access to what it offers.

p.12

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children in nursery and reception make a very good start because of the high quality curriculum they receive. • The provision and support for pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language are good, allowing full access to the curriculum. • The range of cultures and faiths within the school and British society are not given a sufficiently high priority in the planning of the curriculum. • The teachers and support staff are well qualified to teach the curriculum. • Pupils are well prepared for junior school. • Provision for extra-curricular activities is good.

p.12

Commentary

18. The curriculum meets the requirements of the National Curriculum and for religious education and it is effectively managed, monitored and reviewed. Careful planning ensures that it is very well balanced, broad, and relevant to the needs of different ages, personalities and abilities. Subjects are given appropriate weight. Planning and provision in all subjects is good and soundly based on national guidelines. Field End Infant School - 13 19. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is very good with varied and interesting activities, incorporating all areas of learning successfully. It is very well planned and carefully monitored, and makes a significant contribution to the children’s good achievement and their good start to school.

p.12

Commentary

20. Provision is good for pupils with special educational needs and for those who are at an early stage of English language acquisition. As a result, these pupils have full access to the curriculum and are very well supported in their learning by the teachers and teaching assistants. Some pupils are withdrawn for special educational needs support; this strategy is effective, allowing better access to the curriculum when back in class. Staff ensure that these pupils do not miss the same lesson every time.

p.13

Commentary

21. The curriculum provides well for spiritual, moral and social development and satisfactorily for the cultural development of the pupils. Assemblies are important events but could offer the pupils more opportunities for quiet reflection.

p.13

Commentary

22. Pupils are well prepared for the junior school, and leave with a very positive attitude to learning. A strength of the curriculum is the good provision for extra-curricular activities, including French, gymnastics, dance and singing. Football and tennis clubs are run by a male coach who provides a positive and different gender role-model. Homework plays an important part in the pupils’ learning, extending the scope of their learning through good partnership with parents.

p.13

Commentary

23. The school has enough qualified staff to meet the demands of the curriculum. The team of teaching assistants is highly skilled and makes a significant contribution to the pupils’ learning within classes and through groups withdrawn for special support. There are, however, not enough of them to support the wide range of needs in all lessons in Years 1 and 2. Staff are well deployed. There is now a stable staff following a period of high turnover.

p.13

Commentary

24. The buildings provide a bright and stimulating place in which to learn, with good outside grass and hard play areas. The buildings are kept in very good state of repair by a skilled and highly committed site-manager, who is also a governor. His work ensures the accommodation poses no risk to health and safety.

p.13

Commentary

25. Resources are good and very good in the nursery. They are of good range and quality. Recent investment in computers is making a significant contribution to raising standards in all subjects.

p.13

Care, guidance and support

Staff have a thorough knowledge of all their pupils and provide a supportive, safe and caring environment.

p.13

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff know pupils and their families well. • The school provides a very caring and safe environment. • Child protection procedures are very secure – everyone is trained, including the site manager. • Health and safety are taken very seriously. • There is a very good and trusting relationship between pupils and staff. Home visits provide good understanding of pupils’ needs.

p.13

Commentary

26. The school has maintained good provision since the last inspection and has strengthened some aspects, such as child protection, behaviour and welfare procedures. Health and safety Field End Infant School - 14 procedures and the monitoring of the personal development of pupils are very good and the procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ academic progress are good.

p.13

Commentary

27. The headteacher and staff are mindful of the community that the school serves, and conscientiously try to satisfy the concerns of parents. The staff are committed and dedicated to the welfare of the pupils and they provide a stable and supportive learning environment. The headteacher and staff show a quiet determination to promote the welfare of the children. The headteacher has gained parents’ confidence, through her sensitive pastoral work, which can involve the whole family. Teachers have a thorough knowledge of the individual children and their families, and this greatly contributes to children’s learning, personal development and maturity; this is greatly appreciated by parents.

p.14

Commentary

28. Nursery and the reception staff monitor pupils’ progress from the time they join the school, and this allows them to act swiftly and perceptively if problems arise. These processes continue throughout the school. The school has a good range of support, guidance and welfare policies which inform staff practice; they are monitored by the governing body and implemented consistently. The school nurse and the educational welfare officer give valuable help to the school and pupils.

p.14

Commentary

29. Child protection procedures are detailed in an updated policy and are very good. The school is vigilant and is well supported by a number of outside agencies. All staff including the site manager are aware of the school’s procedures and have undertaken training.

p.14

Commentary

30. The procedures for monitoring and promoting behaviour are good. The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and teachers control pupils’ behaviour well while raising their self-esteem. The school rules are displayed clearly in the classrooms and around the school. There is a good definition of rewards and sanctions, which staff apply fairly and pupils understand well. There has been little need for sanctions. Any problems between individuals are anticipated and managed well by staff. There are, however, a few pupils that have challenging behaviour. They receive carefully considered and effective support, but still, on occasion, disrupt the learning of others, especially when the teacher does not have the support of a teaching assistant.

p.14

Commentary

31. The procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are good. Parents are informed of statutory obligations. The majority of parents respond well; the school is aware of the few who find it difficult to maintain the regular commitment required to achieve good attendance. The school gives attendance certificates and extra incentives to recognise good attendance and this approach is successful. Similarly effective are the late book and a book for medical appointments, because both are checked regularly and parents are consulted if the school has any concerns.

p.14

Commentary

32. Health and safety procedures are very good. The school provides a safe and secure environment for all children and staff. Fire arrangements are very good and regular checks are carried out to ensure health and safety. There is a sufficient number of first-aiders. Pupils learn about health and safety at home and at school through the school’s very good personal health and social development provision and during other lessons where necessary. The careful handover of pupils to parents at the end of the day is a distinctive feature of the school, building a bond between home and school. Procedures for dispersing medication are thorough and controlled well.

p.14

Commentary

33. Pupils with special educational needs receive a good standard of care. Individual education plans are very good, and parents are productively involved in their implementation. Similarly, the progress and welfare of pupils learning English as an additional language are carefully monitored and guidance given if necessary. The teaching assistants are given good information about the pupils in their care and are involved in assessments to inform planning. Procedures to introduce new children to the school are very good and informative. Staff undertake home visits, as well as welcoming parents and pupils to the nursery and reception Field End Infant School - 15 class before children start school officially. The school has a very good relationship with the junior school and guides parents and pupils carefully through the transfer.

p.14

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has good links with parents. Most parents have considerable confidence in the headteacher and value the school highly. Links with the community are good and these have a positive effect on standards and enhance pupils’ learning.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents contribute very well to their children’s learning at home and at school. • Educational links with other schools, including the junior school to which most pupils progress, are very good. • The school, despite staff’s best efforts, has yet to form effective partnership with a small minority of parents.

p.15

Commentary

34. The last inspection report indicated that the partnership with parents was good, and this remains the case. Parents’ views of the school are positive. Most parents support the school well. Many parents answered the pre-inspection questionnaire, and the meeting held for parents was well attended. It is clear from this evidence that most parents are very happy with the school and the standard of education the school provides for their children. Although very supportive, some parents who cannot deliver or collect their pupils because of work pressures feel they miss out on some communication. Some parents who have not experienced English education would like more information on, for example, how pupils may work in different ability groups.

p.15

Commentary

35. The school’s partnership with parents is effective in helping the pupils learn and develop. This reflects the aims of the school, which make parents’ involvement in their child’s learning a priority. The headteacher has established good links with the majority of parents but she recognises that there are a few parents who are still not working in full partnership with the school. At either end of the day, the headteacher and staff frequently talk to parents, and this is much appreciated. Parents are invited into the school for informal discussions and, therefore, they feel that the school is approachable and that the school listens effectively. Experienced support staff have considerable knowledge of some families and this helps break down any barriers. Even so, the school could usefully consider better ways of communicating with parents who cannot collect their pupils from school, and informing parents who have little

p.15

Commentary

experience of British education systems.

p.15

Commentary

36. Parents are interested in all the school has on offer for their children, and are willing to help when asked to do so. Many parents help in the school, and this makes a particularly positive contribution in nursery and reception classes. The hard working ‘Friends of Field End’ are enthusiastic and receive support from the majority of parents.

p.15

Commentary

37. The quality of information for parents is good. Both the school prospectus and the annual governors’ report to parents meet statutory requirements. Written communication to parents, including newsletters, are sufficient. The annual reports to parents on their children’s progress are informative; a letter that goes with reports asks for feedback from parents. Notice boards give enough information to parents, for example on topics of interest.

p.15

Commentary

38. The improvement in this educational partnership is very good. Parents have signed a home- school agreement and the majority comply in helping the school to improve attendance and punctuality. The school uses pupils’ reading diaries well to inform parents of homework – usually spellings or reading – and to act as a means of dialogue with parents as and when Field End Infant School - 16 necessary. Information evenings on pupils’ progress are well attended. There are good links with the community and the school is used well by a variety of clubs for the benefit of the pupils.

p.15

Commentary

39. The partnership with the junior school is very good. Transfers are well organised and positive. There is a good collaboration with the parents of pupils with special educational needs. Further links with the community, for example, local primary schools that work in effective partnership and agencies that provide an ‘after-school club’ and courses for parents, make a significant contribution to the pupils’ feelings that education is important and that they are being cared for.

p.16

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

As a result of the very good leadership of the headteacher, standards are rising. Staff give their full support to this leadership and, consequently, leadership and management overall, are good. Governance is very effective and governors are very well led.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides very clear and dynamic leadership. • The leadership of the chair of governors has created a very effective governing body. • Staff lead and manage their various areas of responsibility well and very well at the nursery and reception stages. • Staff and governors do not as yet have a full understanding of what is needed to make a school very good and then excellent. This is in part because insufficient use is made of data provided by the government that details standards in other schools and, in part, by an imprecise awareness of the levels of quality specified by the Ofsted quality framework.

p.16

Commentary

40. The headteacher provides very strong and clear leadership. Her leadership has created a determined, committed and ambitious staff team who work very hard to achieve excellence. Consequently, standards are rising, and pupils and parents are increasingly proud of their school. She shares this leadership with others, including a strong school management team, subject leaders, teaching assistants and other support staff. Everyone plays their part in creating the school improvement plan and, therefore, they are fully committed to its success because they see it as their own and understand the part they need to play. This creates a well managed school. The school is considering ways to restructure the school management team; it could usefully consider responsibilities that reflect the Ofsted quality framework when assigning responsibilities, alongside leadership of year teams. The leadership and

p.16

Commentary

management of the nursery and reception sections of the school and support for pupils with special educational needs are especially good.

p.16

Commentary

41. The school’s improvement is supported by a very well led and managed governing body. Governors are fully committed and involved, and are gaining an increasingly clear, but as yet incomplete, view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as of the opportunities available and the challenges that must be addressed. One reason for this is that, currently, governors do not make enough use of the data provided by the government for comparing schools. They work through well run committees with specific tasks and remits, ensuring that the school meets statutory requirements. With the whole staff, they make certain the school has clear direction and challenging aims to meet.

p.16

Commentary

42. Finances are well controlled and the budget is carefully managed to support the improvement plan. Managers work to the principles by which schools gain best value, but there is room for even better use of the available information. Staff and governors do not make enough use of this information to compare the performance and practices of Field End with that in other schools nationally and, therefore, do not always see when current practice needs changing. Field End Infant School - 17 43. The school’s improvement is under-pinned by strong performance management and carefully considered staff training and development. The school supports trainee teachers very well and also benefits from the new ideas that come from working closely with training organisations. The school has now recruited a stable and highly committed staff, overcoming previous problems with recruitment.

p.16

Commentary

44. Finance is carefully controlled by governors and the school. Even so, the school had a very large balance at the end of 2003-4, and this had grown rapidly. Ofsted expects inspectors to investigate thoroughly when balances are more or less than five per cent of revenue. The governors have used this balance in 2004-5 to maintain staffing while revenues have dropped and have planned future use of these surpluses to maintain provision caused by changes in the number of pupils. Even so, the balance would higher than expected, considering, for example, that there are insufficient teaching assistants. An element of Best Value principles is comparing a school’s budget with what may be the case in other schools. Governors do not make enough use of this information when checking that they gain best value. Even so, the school currently offers good value for money.

p.17

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.17

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 974869 Balance from previous year 82447 Total expenditure 878535 Balance carried forward to the next 178781 Expenditure per pupil 2318 Field End Infant School - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision overall in the Foundation Stage is very good and is very well led and managed. Teaching is very good as is learning.

p.18

Commentary

45. The nursery and reception classes give children a very good start to their schooling and provision is much improved since the last inspection. Most children join the nursery before their fourth birthday with broadly average attainment but the range is wide. Careful assessment upon entry and subsequently, helps staff understand this wide range of attainment and learning needs, and to plan accordingly. This process shows that a significant proportion of the children join the school with lower than average attainment, especially in their spoken language and social skills, and a smaller than average proportion have above average attainment. Identifying that a higher than average proportion of children are learning English as an additional language and that this proportion is increasing, staff have put in place good provision to meet the needs of these children.

p.18

Commentary

46. The nursery classes are in a separate building with an adjacent outside play area. Together these provide an excellent setting for learning. The three reception classes are in the main school and have immediate access to a large and well used outside area. The accommodation is good. The nursery and reception accommodation is very well resourced and lively displays make them exciting places to be. The very dynamic, inspiring and ambitious leadership of the key managers of each area creates very effective teaching teams. In the nursery, a single teacher leads a skilled team of nursery nurses, with one being a senior team leader. This is a very effective way of making full use of the teaching team available. Arrangements for reception classes are more standard with the teachers led by a senior manager and learning from each other as the team together strives towards higher and higher standards. Strong and clear management ensures that everyone, including volunteer parents

p.18

Commentary

who are present throughout most sessions, knows what they need to do and achieve.

p.18

Commentary

47. Teaching is consistently very good in all classes and sometimes excellent. It is very well planned not only to cover all six areas of required learning but also to meet precisely the needs of each child. Every activity has a clear purpose and target to meet; these are well understood by staff, volunteer parents and children. Support for children with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language is expert and very good. Lessons and activities are a good mix of group sessions led by an adult and less structured sessions when children learn through play or guided investigation. Adults carefully balance intervention that moves learning forward with allowing children to gain in independence. Staff expectations are very high and children are keen to meet them. Consequently, the children are eager to learn and proud of what they achieve. Learning is fun but adults show by their example that it

p.18

Commentary

48. Underpinning the very good teaching is good, and in the case of literacy and numeracy very good, assessment of children’s attainment and progress. Teachers use this information to evaluate progress and adapt their teaching when necessary. As yet, however, areas of learning other than literacy and numeracy are not assessed with the same detail, and the staff could usefully assess the development of speaking and listening as the essential tools of learning and thinking. This information is needed to enable teachers to focus even more closely on these essential skills. This development could reflect the excellent systems already used to track the acquisition of spoken English by children learning English as an additional language. Field End Infant School - 19 49. Almost all children make good progress and achieve their potential. Their progress is slower in the first two terms while they become familiar with the work and behaviour routines, and even

p.18

Commentary

more significantly, learn the more structured language needed to think through and express their ideas. The pace of learning then increases and continues at this pitch throughout the reception year. Most children are on course to achieve the goals set for the end of the reception year and a significant proportion is on course to exceed them. They are likely to join Year 1 as keen, independent and able learners, most children in reception have already gained these attitudes and skills.

p.19

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children quickly gain independence and routines because staff manage their learning very well.

p.19

Commentary

50. Teaching is very good. Expectations are high and children quickly learn the work routines and how to manage their own behaviour. They gain independence early in the nursery and, consequently, not only co-operate but also collaborate with other children in structured activities and in play. All are on course to meet the goals set for the end of the reception year and most are likely to exceed them.

p.19

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good overall and in most aspects very good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good teaching enables children to make a very good start with their reading and writing. • Pupils do not develop their speaking and listening skills quickly enough. (These skills are referred to in national guidance as ‘the language of thinking’).

p.19

Commentary

51. Reading and writing are taught very well, and the teaching of spoken communication is good. Children of all levels of ability make good progress with reading and writing. They enjoy and value books and are excited by learning to write. Most children, by this stage in the reception year, know the sounds of letters and are beginning to read simple words. A few can already read simple sentences. Most can write well formed letters as complete words, and a small but significant minority can write their own simple sentences. Speaking and listening, however, are not so well developed. This reflects the low attainment of many children when they join the nursery but is still a problem for many in the reception year. The sheer pace and drive in some lessons tends to restrict the opportunity for children to develop structured talk; consequently, they tend to give one word answers rather than think about and construct full sentences.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good teaching helps children to gain secure understanding.

p.20

Commentary

52. Teaching is very good. Children quickly learn to enjoy numbers and the other aspects of mathematics. This is because staff not only teach such skills as counting but ensure that structured play activities include many opportunities to use mathematics to solve real problems such as weighing, estimating volume, recognising shapes and grouping things in categories. Children do not learn simply by rote but with real understanding. Most will meet the goals for the end of the reception year and the majority will exceed them.

p.20

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Overall provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good and in most aspects very good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff provide a very good range of learning opportunities. • The curriculum provides too few opportunities to celebrate the rich variety of heritages the children bring from home.

p.20

Commentary

53. Teaching is very good. Children do not join the nursery with a good understanding of the world around them but gain a rich and wide understanding by the time they leave reception. Through well planned activities and skilled help from adults, they become confident users of computers, young scientists with good observation skills and an ability to form sensible hypotheses, young engineers and designers who construct models that work, and gain an increasing sense of time and difference between locations. Most are on course to meet the goals set for the end of the reception year and many are likely to exceed them. Even so, considering the range of cultures and faiths among the children, these cultural heritages are not celebrated enough or given sufficient priority.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is very good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• This area of learning has high and productive priority in all activities.

p.20

Commentary

54. Teaching is very good and all children make good progress. Staff provide many opportunities for children to learn how to control their bodies, making excellent use in reception classes of the well resourced school hall. Especially good is the way the well planned activities in lessons develop the children’s ability to manipulate pens, pencils, brushes and simple tools, such as Field End Infant School - 21 scissors, with great accuracy and control. Most children are on course to exceed the goals set for the end of the reception year.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is very good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff weave this aspect of children’s development into all learning.

p.21

Commentary

55. Teaching is very good and children achieve well. Most are on course to exceed the goals set for the end of the reception year. They have many and varied opportunities to be creative and use their imagination. These include role-play, painting, singing and making music, and modelling with clay. There are many instances of staff using one area of learning to support another, for example when pupils used play-dough to make food for the hungry caterpillar, a topic covered in a simple science lesson and a literacy lesson. This area of learning provides the best example of how very good teaching creates an excitement and cohesion in learning. Two reception children in the outside area talked animatedly while making a colourful collage by threading textile materials through the fence. Their efforts used everything they had learned from all their areas of learning – and they were doing this independently yet collaboratively.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are well above average by Year 2 in most aspects of the subject. • Year 2 pupils have made particularly good progress from their entry levels. • Teaching and learning are very good, enabling pupils of all abilities to make better progress than expected. • Pupils’ spelling is not good enough in their everyday written work. • The subject is well managed and recent initiatives have been very successful in raising standards, first in writing and now in reading.

p.21

Commentary

56. In 2003, Year 2 pupils’ standards in national reading tests for seven-year-olds were average. They were above average in writing. Compared with similar schools, pupils’ standards were also average in reading and above average in writing. The trend in pupils’ attainment in writing has been upwards in recent years, reflecting the school’s attention to achievement in this aspect of English. Recognising that reading was falling behind pupils’ attainment in writing, and behind their standards in mathematics, the school has lately placed strong emphasis on improving reading. Current standards demonstrate the success of these recent initiatives.

p.21

Commentary

57. Pupils currently enter Year 1 with above average attainment in most aspects of oral and written communication, but this was not so for older pupils. The current Year 2 had average attainment average when they joined Year 1. These pupils’ standards are now well above those expected nationally and also well above those in similar schools, both in reading and, this year, in writing. This represents very good progress and good achievement. Very few pupils Field End Infant School - 22 fall below the expected standard in either aspect. Not all abler pupils are yet reaching the higher reading levels, but the school is aware of this and has plans to provide greater challenge for higher-attaining pupils to ensure that the standard of their reading matches that in writing. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are also very good across the school. By Year 2, pupils can communicate confidently with adults and with their peers, using a good range of

p.21

Commentary

vocabulary. Pronunciation is usually clear and accurate. Compared with relatively low standards when they entered Year 1, current achievement for Year 2 has been very good for pupils of all abilities. Improvements to reading schemes and materials, and in the overall teaching of reading, have been highly successful in raising attainment.

p.22

Commentary

58. Improvements in resources, especially books that appeal more to boys, has resulted in much more even achievement between boys and girls. Pupils’ spelling, however, does not match these standards. This is partly because of success in teaching reading through sounds, where the emphasis on phonics has led to pupils writing words as they hear them in their heads. Pupils are very confident to write, often at length, but spelling in all subjects of the curriculum now requires significant improvement.

p.22

Commentary

59. Teaching and learning in English are very good overall. The English and literacy lessons seen were good or very good and teachers are highly skilled at integrating aspects of English into all the other subjects they teach. Teachers use all elements of the literacy hour very effectively. ‘Morning jobs’ sessions early in the day also provide very good opportunities for pupils to consolidate their English skills. Teaching assistants are used very well during these and other times of the day, to focus on individuals and small groups of pupils who need specific help. Assessment accurately identifies pupils who need additional help, for example through the ‘reading recovery’, and lately pre-reading recovery initiatives, and these interventions are rapidly and effectively implemented. Pupils with special educational needs are, therefore, supported very effectively and achieve as well as their peers, with all but a few reaching the standards

p.22

Commentary

expected for their ages. The changing nature of the school’s intake means that most pupils whose mother-tongue is other than English are in the nursery or reception. The few pupils who have English as an additional language in Years 1 and 2 have reached a stage where they have no identifiable difficulties in understanding their lessons. These pupils also learn very well and achieve as well as others.

p.22

Commentary

60. Pupils enjoy their literacy lessons and respond very well to all opportunities to use language. They try hard in handwriting, for example, and presentation of their work is good in all but spelling. Pupils like using the school library, which is a pleasant, airy space with plenty of room to browse and sit to enjoy books. Parents are very supportive of the English homework their children receive, which is often reading-related. Pupils are therefore developing very good habits of taking work-bags home to extend their learning. Computers are often used productively in English work, especially for word-processing of text. Although keyboarding skills could be better, pupils are learning effectively that computers are a useful way of recording ideas. Assessment of all aspects of English is regular and the outcomes generally used well. Targets are set for individual pupils, so older pupils in particular know how to improve their

p.22

Commentary

standards. Methods of teaching spelling result in most pupils being able to spell words accurately when they learn them as a list and they are tested in writing the words out of context. Pupils do not transfer this accuracy when they write them in ordinary texts. This is so for pupils of all abilities, showing that this aspect requires a more specific focus in improving all pupils’ learning.

p.22

Commentary

61. English is led and managed well, as the success of recent initiatives demonstrates. Standards have risen and are still rising. The challenge posed by younger pupils’ much higher entry standards is an appropriately high priority in planning for the future. The differences between the achievement of boys and of girls in English have been resolved, so boys are now achieving as they should be. The school has made significant improvement in the reading scheme and other books, in the library for instance, so that they appeal more to boys. This has led to greater interest in books generally amongst boys and to consequent improvement in the standards of their reading. Resources for English are good, with an extensive range of support Field End Infant School - 23 materials available to help lower-attaining pupils achieve better standards. The availability of small rooms is also very useful in providing good spaces for short withdrawal sessions with

p.22

Commentary

additional support staff. The school has improved provision for English well since the last inspection, particularly in the quality of teaching.

p.23

Language and literacy across the curriculum

62. Standards are high and improving because teachers and teaching assistants take every opportunity to develop literacy skills, as well as speaking and listening, in all subjects. This, in turn, supports good learning in other subjects.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average by Year 2 and have improved since the last inspection. • Planning is good, and teachers place great emphasis on developing numeracy skills. • Occasionally pupils do not make sufficient progress when there is not an adult to support their learning • Mathematics is very well led by the subject manager.

p.23

Commentary

63. In Year 2 standards in mathematics are above average. These high standards have been consistent in recent years. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language, achieve well throughout the school. Standards have improved since the last inspection when they were reported to be average by the end of Year 2.

p.23

Commentary

64. The quality of teaching and learning is sound, with some good features – strengths include:

p.23

Commentary

• Teachers plan their lessons well with clear learning objectives, which they share with pupils at the start of each lesson. This improves pupils’ learning and achievement. • Teachers emphasise what pupils need to learn through clear introduction to lessons and check understanding through probing questions. • Very good management based on strong relationships results in good behaviour and very positive attitudes to learning. • Pupils are encouraged to discuss their strategies in pairs for brief sessions, and this helps them to remain focused on the task in hand.

p.23

Commentary

65. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed during the inspection. However, on occasions when the work was not so well matched to pupils’ ability and there was not enough individual support, learning was slow and insecure. In some of the lessons seen, tasks were not practically orientated enough to deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding further.

p.23

Commentary

66. Teachers circulate around the class and ask probing questions to check understanding. Whiteboards are used well to support learning. Pupils record their answers in mental work, and teachers quickly check how many pupils have the correct answer before moving on to the next task. Teachers mark pupils work with them and give them immediate feedback. The challenging and motivating leadership of the subject manager is a key reason why standards are above average and improving. She is very keen and enthusiastic and has a very good overview of standards throughout the school, despite being in charge of a large, four class nursery. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

Field End Infant School - 24 67. Numeracy has been developed well in other subjects and pupils know that mathematics is everywhere. For example, in science they compare and record their results in charts and tables, and they draw and paint symmetrical pictures in art. Good use of computers is made to support learning in the subject.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The planning is detailed with clear objectives and varied and interesting activities for all groups. • Teaching and learning are good. • Teachers have high expectations of the pupils’ learning and behaviour. • The subject manager is new to the post and, as yet, has had no opportunities to monitor teaching and learning.

p.24

Commentary

68. Standards are above average in Year 2 and have improved since the last inspection. All pupils make good progress, including those with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language.

p.24

Commentary

69. Teaching and learning are good in Years 1 and 2. Lessons are characterised by a lively approach, good planning and clear learning objectives. Teachers organise lessons well and use a good variety of methods and resources effectively. Staff circulate around the groups giving them support and encouragement to do well, asking probing questions to check understanding and to push learning forward. Pupils have good opportunities to acquire and develop investigative skills. Pupils are managed well and relationships are good. The pace of lessons is usually brisk, which maintains pupils’ interest and increases their work rate. Sufficient time is given to enable pupils to complete set tasks. Most find the subject interesting, get very involved in practical activities, and are able to talk about what they are doing in a sensible way. They share and handle materials and equipment safely. Pupils work well in

p.24

Commentary

70. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The subject manager is keen and enthusiastic, and offers good advice to colleagues. She is new to the post and has not yet had the opportunity to monitor teaching and learning. A science week has been planned for the near future. Accommodation and resources for science are satisfactory. Computers and the local environment are used well to support teaching and learning. Field End Infant School - 25

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• ICT is used well across the curriculum. • Pupils learn the separate and specific ICT skills well. • Teaching and learning are good and the effects of the theft of laptop computers have been minimised. • Pupils’ keyboarding skills are not as strong as they could be.

p.25

Commentary

71. Standards in the use of ICT across the school are average for pupils’ ages. In Year 1, most can manipulate the mouse successfully, for example to move objects around a screen simulation of Goldilocks’ house. Pupils also use an appropriate range of other programs such as word-processing and digital images with average competence. The theft of the school’s laptop computers last year meant that Year 1 did not have as much access to ICT as pupils in reception have now, but they have mostly caught up and are achieving well. Incoming standards will be higher when the present reception classes enter Year 1, because the full range of desktop and laptop computers are now available to all pupils. By Year 2, pupils are accustomed to using ICT across a good range of other subjects. Year 1 work in geography, for example, shows pupils using the computers to log the results of traffic surveys and displaying

p.25

Commentary

these findings as various types of graphs. Year 2 pupils use ICT to access the Internet for a good range research, for example about subjects as diverse as beavers, Christopher Columbus or galaxies. Year 2 were also affected by the lack of laptops last year, but standards are still as expected overall and pupils have made good progress in their knowledge and understanding of ICT and its use across the curriculum. The majority of pupils also understand most of the separate ICT functions expected by Year 2, but keyboarding skills are relatively weak. No pupils seen used two hands, and only a few use more than one finger to press keys, and by Year 2, even abler pupils are very unsure of the location of high frequency letters on the keyboard. Given that Year 2 pupils lacked sufficient hardware to have enough access to ICT last year, and that their standards were not as good as those pupils coming from reception

p.25

Commentary

now, pupils of all abilities have made good progress in their use of ICT across the school.

p.25

Commentary

72. Teaching and learning of ICT are good. Teachers plan effectively to cover the proper programmes of study for ICT and assess pupils’ competences regularly as they achieve different objectives. Direct teaching of ICT seen in Year 1 was good. Here, pupils were learning well how to program a small robot so that it would follow a pathway across the carpet which they had programmed in. Good links with mathematics reinforce pupils’ skills in estimating distance and converting this estimate so that the robot would move as they wanted. In an art-linked ICT project in Year 2, pupils have learned well how to produce self-portraits using lines and shapes in an appropriate program. Teachers are confident in their own use of ICT, with the result that pupils come to understand how computers can be used as a tool for learning in many contexts.

p.25

Commentary

73. ICT is well managed by an enthusiastic co-ordinator who leads with high aspirations for the subject. In the absence of any technician help, the co-ordinator helps with technical crises commendably, despite a very tight teaching schedule. Teachers appreciate this, but technical assistance would be very valuable and is planned for the future. Useful initiatives are in place to link teachers’ current assessments of pupils’ competences with National Curriculum levels. Consideration is also being given to developing closer contacts with the junior school, so that liaison over continuity and progression in pupils’ learning of ICT is firmer. Field End Infant School - 26

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

74. A considerable strength of all teaching is the use of ICT in almost all subjects. This gives pupils extensive opportunities to develop ICT skills as well as to support their general learning.

p.26

HUMANITIES

History and geography were sampled. Wherever possible, sufficient evidence was collected to make judgements, using a wide range of evidence. Even so, in some cases there was insufficient evidence to make the full range of judgements.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Leadership and management are good. • Pupils enjoy history and have average historical knowledge and understanding.

p.26

Commentary

75. History was not taught during the inspection. Discussion with Year 2 pupils, however, shows that they have a good understanding of what history is, and explained how much they enjoyed the lessons. As one said, ‘We learned a lot of interesting things.’ They talked animatedly about the Fire of London, were able to retell the story in considerable detail, and explained clearly how and why life was different then. Similarly, they could say what it was like to live in Victorian times, making sensible comparisons with life today. They could explain how historians use evidence to create an understanding of the past. Previous work in books shows that pupils cover a good balance of topics in some depth and with average understanding for their age. Teaching is supported by good schemes of work and a good range of appropriate resources. There was insufficient evidence to provide a judgement on teaching. Assessment is at an early

p.26

Commentary

76. The subject is well led and managed. The subject manager has secure expertise and a clear view as to where and how the subject needs to improve further. There has been good improvement since the last inspection and standards are higher.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject is taught well in Year 2. • Lessons are planned well with varied and interesting activities. • Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good.

p.26

Commentary

77. Standard are average by Year 2. Standards have been maintained and to some extent improved since the last inspection when it was reported that some skills were not sufficiently developed. Field End Infant School - 27 78. Pupils work very hard and achieve well in Year 2. In the two lessons seen in Year 2, the quality of teaching and learning was good. This good teaching was characterised by:

p.26

Commentary

• Detailed planning with clear objectives. • Very effective use of resources, for example, photographs taken earlier on their visit to a local area, a wide variety of flowers and plants, and holiday brochures. • Good exposition and brisk pace to lessons. • Very high expectations of pupils’ attitudes and behaviour.

p.27

Commentary

79. Pupils in Year 2 produced an attractive page for a holiday brochure including the price and in another class they designed successfully a garden full of flowers to improve an unattractive area outside the class and, therefore, their environment. Pupils work very well collaboratively, sharing materials and space sensibly.

p.27

Commentary

80. The management and leadership of the subject are already satisfactory and the subject manager has clear and ambitious plans for improvement. Resources are adequate and easily available. Assessment is at early stage of development.

p.27

Religious education

Provision in religious education is good .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject is well led and managed and this is leading to improvement. • Teachers make good use of story to make the learning interesting. • Topics are sometimes beyond the understanding of the pupils. • The religions studied do not reflect the range of faiths present in the school.

p.27

Commentary

81. Teachers and pupils see religious education as important and interesting and, consequently, pupils gain real value from their lessons. Few pupils have deep understanding and awareness of lives based upon faith when they join the school, but by the end of Year 2 they have an adequate knowledge of Christianity and Judaism, why having beliefs are important and how they change people’s lives. They are aware of why festivals are important days and why religious places and books are special. Most pupils’ attainment meets the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus, but few pupils exceed this standard.

p.27

Commentary

82. The quality of teaching varies. Of the lessons seen, one was taught well, one very well and one satisfactorily. Pupils’ previous work in books taken with the teaching seen suggests that teaching and learning are good overall. Strengths are the way teachers use story to help pupils reflect on meaning and purpose in human lives, and how the most effective teachers enable pupils to apply that understanding to their own lives.

p.27

Commentary

83. Under the enthusiastic and clear leadership of the subject manager, the quality of provision is improving. She has ensured that teachers have a helpful and structured syllabus to work to and well organised resources. She is available for advice and guidance, and has a clear idea as to how the subject needs to develop further. When teaching is less effective and learning lacking in depth, this relates to the following factors:

p.27

Commentary

• The teacher understood the content of the lesson but not the central meaning and purpose. • The topic covered, even though drawn from the agreed syllabus was beyond the maturity and understanding of the pupils, for example miracles. Field End Infant School - 28 • The teachers gave pupils insufficient opportunity for quiet reflection. Although the scheme of work complies with the locally agreed syllabus, the choice of Christianity and Judaism as religions to study does not reflect the range of faiths represented in the school and wider local and British society.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Art and design, design and technology, music and physical education were sampled. Wherever possible, sufficient evidence was collected to make judgements, using a wide range of evidence. Even so, in some cases there was insufficient evidence to make the full range of judgements.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are high and pupils’ artwork provides stimulating displays around the school. • Pupils control media such as charcoal and paint well. • Teaching and learning are good, leading to good achievement in pupils’ understanding of artists’ work and how their own artwork can be based on different styles. • Teachers make good cross-curricular links to other subjects, which contextualise learning well.

p.28

Commentary

84. Standards are high, a judgement based upon extensive previous work completed by pupils. Pupils enjoy their artwork and the school’s displays are very effective in celebrating the work of pupils of all abilities. This is particularly so for two-dimensional work, with class-work, group- work and pictures by individual pupils in many different media producing a lively, interesting environment for pupils’ learning in classrooms and in general spaces such as the school hall. Three-dimensional work is often suitably linked into design and technology projects, and is also of good quality. When pupils use drawing to illustrate other subjects, this too shows good standards. In Years 1 and 2, pupils investigate portraiture work and understand the aspects of proportion and scale averagely well for their ages, as seen in their self-portraits. They show good control over media such as charcoal when they draw. Year 1’s links to the work of Paul

p.28

Commentary

Klee show secure understanding of the contextual and historical aspects of the subject. In Year 2, projects related to artists such as Lowry show this linkage developing well. Pupils continue to improve skills in their control of media, for example, using poster paint effectively in a project on colour. Links with other subjects are good. For example in a project about art in the natural environment, similar to that of Andy Goldsworthy, pupils explore aspects of science well. Photographs show the good quality of pupils’ natural-form sculptures. Pupils of all abilities make good progress in art and achieve well in a good range of media and scale.

p.28

Commentary

85. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers are confident and understand the subject well. Planning is good and the subject is well managed, with good schemes of work covering all expected areas of study. The benefits of pupils using ICT are well recognised and teachers use computers effectively to teach pupils about drawing and painting programs. Pupils, therefore, come to understand these applications well. Teachers also enable pupils to develop the same high standards in their artwork when illustrating other subjects. Where appropriate, teachers make other very useful cross-curricular links, for example using literacy themes from pupils’ ‘book of the week’ as the project for their art. This occurred in a good Year 2 art lesson about primitive cave drawings.

p.28

Design and technology

No judgement overall was possible because of insufficient evidence. Field End Infant School - 29

p.28

Main Strengths and Weaknesses

• The curriculum is rich, varied and relevant.

p.29

Commentary

86. There is not sufficient evidence to make judgements on standards, because no lessons were observed during the inspection, and there was only a limited amount of work on display along with some photographs. Even so, on the evidence of the good planning, it is clear that pupils study a balanced and relevant curriculum with appropriate development of skills and understanding. For example, pupils in Year 2 design and make simple vehicles with wheels and in Year 1 pupils carefully consider how to make fruit salad.

p.29

Commentary

87. The quality of the leadership and management is good. The co-ordinator works hard to raise the standards and status of the subject. She monitors planning, and evaluates pupils’ work, but has had no opportunity to monitor teaching as yet. Resources are updated in the light of new schemes of work. They are of sufficient quality and range, and easily available to both teachers and pupils.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ singing is good and they respond well to all opportunities to use their voices through music. • Resources for music are good and pupils add to these by making their own ‘sound-makers’ linked to other subjects such as design and technology and science. • Pupils sometimes respond to music lessons less well than usual, particularly at the end of the day. • Opportunities for pupils to note simple musical ideas such as the rhythm of clapping are sometimes missed.

p.29

Commentary

88. Pupils’ attainment in music is average overall and standards in singing are good. The required programmes of study are covered properly through a published scheme of work. This ensures that pupils experience an appropriate range of composition, performance and appraisal elements across the years. In lessons in Year 2, pupils were using their own self-made ‘sound-maker’ instruments to accompany recorded music and attainment was average. In Year 1, pupils chose ordinary instruments to explore and interpret various moods based on their listening to recorded music, and again standards were average. Pupils generally listen well, but occasionally, particularly in the late afternoons when most music lessons occur, they are tired or distracted. Attention therefore declines and pupils do not always learn as well as they might. Teachers often use ‘talk-partners’ very effectively for pupils to share ideas about

p.29

Commentary

music. This is a good way for all pupils to express their feelings and responses in appraising what they hear. Although satisfactory, the aspects of composition and recording of sounds heard could usefully be incorporated into more lessons. Teachers often use clapping, for instance, to get pupils’ attention in lessons, not only in music lessons, but little opportunity is taken to use this as a chance for pupils to record these rhythms as simple notation.

p.29

Commentary

89. Opportunities for singing are exploited frequently and well. In assemblies, for example, pupils sing in tune and with enthusiasm. A lunchtime singing club for Year 2 gives pupils an opportunity to practice for performances in assembly and attendance is good, particularly Field End Infant School - 30 amongst girls. The subject is managed effectively with the subject manager’s leadership providing a useful role model for instrumentalists. Resources are good and pupils are introduced to a range of genres in music, including those from other cultures such as Australian didgeridoo music for their projects.

p.29

Physical education

Provision in physical education is good .

p.30

Main Strengths and Weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good in Year 2. • Teachers plan lessons well; the clear objectives are well understood by pupils. • There is a good range of extra curricular activities. • Pupils have good attitudes and their behaviour is good. • Equipment has to be carried a long way to the playground and this wastes time.

p.30

Commentary

90. During the inspection, one lesson was observed in Year 2 and another in the reception year. These observations were backed-up by other general but shorter observations, including extra- curricular activities. The teaching and learning in Year 2 was good, and in reception they were excellent. On this evidence as a whole, attainment in Year 2 is above that expected nationally and standards have been maintained since the last inspection.

p.30

Commentary

91. Pupils make good progress in their learning and in the development of their skills because teachers plan effective lessons, teach with pace and challenge and follow an appropriate scheme of work.

p.30

Commentary

92. The quality of learning and teaching is good in Year 2. The lesson began with warming-up activities, followed by a clear explanation of the objectives to meet; consequently, pupils knew what was expected of them and did their best. Pupils are good at playing ball games and devising different ways of scoring points. School provides a good range of extra curricular activities – such as football, tennis and dance.

p.30

Commentary

93. The subject is well led by a newly qualified teacher. Overall the school’s accommodation and resources support teaching and learning well. However, a little time is lost when the equipment has to be carried away from the hall to the playground, which is a fair distance.

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons are planned with imagination and a clear sense of purpose. • Pupils treat the topics and the views of others seriously.

p.30

Commentary

94. Four lessons were observed. In three of these, learning and teaching were very good and in the other good. The personal, social and health education programme creates a core to the curriculum and makes a considerable contribution to the personal development of the pupils. It is very well taught and this is matched by the mature and thinking attitudes of the pupils. Field End Infant School - 31 Lessons are based upon a sensible scheme of work and planned with clear objectives. Teachers use imaginative means to stimulate the interest and thinking of the pupils, and they respond willingly, listening carefully to the views of others. Both teachers and pupils see the subject and the topics covered as important. The subject is well managed and led, and this helps the subject manager’s colleagues to teach confidently. The pupils’ learning is enriched by visits and visitors; for example, volunteers who help with reading. It is supported by the rules

p.30

Commentary

and expectations of an orderly and purposeful community. Field End Infant School - 32

p.31

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.32

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.32

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 3 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

p.32

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.32

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.32

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.32