Hurst Green Infant School

HURST GREEN SCHOOL (3-7 YEARS)

Headteachers: Mrs L Higgins & Mrs J Atkins

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HURST GREEN SCHOOL (3-7 YEARS)

Dates of inspection: 10 & 11 November 2003

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HURST GREEN SCHOOL (3-7 YEARS)

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Hurst Green Infants’ School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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HURST GREEN SCHOOL (3-7 YEARS)

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. Hurst Green Infants’ School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3-7 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 135

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Wolfs Wood Hurst Green Oxted Surrey Postcode: RH8 0HJ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01883-712171 Fax number: 01883-723749

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs E Stoughton-Harris

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has received three School Achievement Awards and has been awarded the Quality Mark by the Basic Skills Agency. It is smaller than most schools, with 135 pupils, only 84 of whom are full- time in the current term. It is also smaller than it was at the time of the last inspection because the standard admission number has recently been reduced to 40. Even so, the school is under- subscribed, because there are fewer families with children in the area than in the past. Overall, children’s attainment on entry to the school is below average.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Most pupils come from the local estate, which largely contains council housing, and many pupils come from single parent families. Overall, most pupils’ socio-economic circumstances are below the national average, although the proportion of pupils entitled to receive a free school meal is lower than average. Four per cent of pupils come from ethnic minority backgrounds, which is a little higher than most schools (though it represents only five pupils); most of these are the early stages of learning English. Turkish, Spanish and Polish are these children’s home languages. The proportion of pupils on the special needs register is well above average; the percentage with statements is below average, but this is partly because the length of time the statementing process takes means that pupils have left (at age seven) before it is completed. Pupils’ needs include moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and behavioural problems and language impairment. The percentage of

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

pupils who join the school at times other than the start of the year is much higher than national averages. This is mostly because of temporary accommodation close to the school. However, the proportion of pupils who leave the school at other than the usual time is average, since families who live in the area only temporarily often keep their children at the school. Hurst Green Infants’ School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

21037 Christopher Gray Lead inspector Mathematics Science Information technology Music 9646 Geraldine Osment Lay inspector 23054 Graham Johnson Team inspector English Art Design and technology Physical education Special educational needs English as an additional language 32475 Nick Butt Team inspector Foundation Stage Geography History Religious education

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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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). Hurst Green Infants’ School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good school which gives good value for money. Pupils achieve well in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 2. The overall quality of teaching is good. The school has just introduced a job-share between two headteachers; the overall effectiveness of management is good.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Pupils achieve well overall, reaching average standards from a below average starting point • Pupils have very good attitudes to school, they behave very well and their personal development is very good • Teaching is good • The school is well led and managed • Standards of writing could be higher and this is a current focus of the school’s improvement plan • Though the school is good at analysing its own strength and weaknesses, it could be sharper in gauging the success of planned improvements • The school’s attendance figures are marred by a few parents who do not recognise the importance to their children’s education of full attendance

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The effectiveness of the school has improved well since the last inspection. Standards are now higher in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology (ICT) than they were at that time. The overall picture of teaching is now better.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has dealt well with the key issues of the last report. As well as the improvement in standards noted above - the first of the issues - the school now has better systems of assessment which teachers use well in their planning. The budget is very well planned and governors do their best to obtain value for money.

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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 D C C C writing D D D D mathematics E C C 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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils achieve well. Children enter the Foundation Stage with overall skills that are below average, especially in speaking. They achieve well, so that most pupils are likely to attain the early learning goals - the targets children are expected to reach by the end of reception. In their personal development, children are on course to exceed them.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The results in the table above are part of a well-established upward trend over the last six years, evidenced by the receipt of three Achievement Awards. Current standards by the end of Year 2 are average in mathematics and science. In English, pupils’ skills taken as a whole are average, but standards in writing are below average, while those in listening are above. Hurst Green Infants’ School - 7 Pupils’ personal qualities are very good , including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development . They quickly learn to be sociable and form very good relationships with adults and with one another. Pupils have very good attitudes to school and their behaviour is very good. However, pupils’ attendance is unsatisfactory because too many holidays are taken in term-time.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The overall quality of education provided by the school is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Teaching is good. Teachers plan interesting lessons and help the pupils learn well by explaining simply what they expect them to learn. The lessons are challenging because the pupils frequently monitor their own learning, summing up at the end what and how well they have learnt. Teachers have effective support assistants who are closely involved in children’s learning. There are times when teachers could expect pupils to write at greater length in many subjects.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is good and pupils’ personal development is a high priority. Links with the community and other schools are used well. Pupils are offered very good care and welfare and the school has established a very good partnership with parents - a number give very valuable help in the classroom.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The effectiveness of leadership and management is good. The headteachers lead the school well and share a clear vision for the school’s development. Management is efficient and the governors’ work is challenging and of good quality.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have very good opinions about the work of the school. The response to the questionnaires and the pre-inspection meeting were very positive and reflect parents’ confidence in the school.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils also speak very highly of their school and enjoy what it offers them. They are confident of receiving help whenever they need it.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Continue the work to raise pupils’ standards in writing • Work with all parents and the local education authority so as to convince more of those who take their children off school of the importance of an uninterrupted education • Wherever possible, use measurable indicators of success for targets in the school improvement plan so as to sharpen the school’s understanding of its effectiveness, and consider establishing such indicators to gauge the effectiveness of the shared headship and class teaching Hurst Green Infants’ School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement in Years 1 and 2 is good overall. Pupils of all abilities, from all backgrounds and of both sexes achieve at similar rates. Standards in core subjects by Year 2 are similar to national averages.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is good because pupils enter the school with below average skills and leave with skills that have risen to average levels • Standards in physical education are above expectations • Pupils in the Foundation Stage exceed the expected levels in their personal and social development • Standards of pupils’ written work could be higher

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Commentary

1. Pupils’ results in the 2003 National Curriculum tests were average in reading at Level 2 and above and above average at Level 3. In writing, results were below average at both levels. Mathematics results were above average at the expected level (Level 2) and average at the higher level (Level 3). Teacher assessments in science show average performance at both levels.

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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 16.2 (16.2) 15.7 (15.8) writing 14.2 (13.6) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 16.5 (16.4) 16.3 (16.5) There were 45 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. The table above shows that these results are an overall improvement on those of last year, and this is part of a well-established upward trend over the years, evidenced by the receipt of three Achievement Awards from HM Government in successive years. Results in reading and mathematics have improved steadily since 1998 - the year of the last inspection; those in writing have fluctuated a little, but standards now are much higher than they were in 1998. The overall trend of improvement has been above the national trend. There are no mandatory targets for the Year 2 tests.

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Commentary

3. When children enter the Foundation Stage in the nursery, their overall skills are below average, especially in speaking. They make good progress and achieve well, so that most pupils are on line to reach the early learning goals - the targets children are expected to reach by the end of reception. Quite a number still have lower skills, however, as is evident in the current Year 1. In their personal development, children are on course to exceed what is expected.

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Commentary

4. Current standards are similar to those shown in the National Curriculum tests, and are average in mathematics and science. Pupils’ investigational skills are developing well. In English, their skills taken as a whole are average, but standards in writing are below average, while those in listening are above. Pupils need more opportunities to write at greater length throughout the curriculum, though the work of this type is mostly good in science. Hurst Green Infants’ School - 9 5. Standards in physical education are good. Pupils achieve well because teachers have a good understanding of the subject and communicate clearly to pupils what is expected of them. They interpret dance music sensitively, and are equally confident and controlled in jumping and balancing when practising gymnastic activities.

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Commentary

6. Pupils with special educational needs are offered a curriculum similar to that of other pupils, but the work they are set is appropriately modified. Teachers and ancillary staff provide good support, asking thought-provoking questions or offering simplified explanations that aid understanding. As a result, these pupils progress at the same rate as others. There are four pupils learning English as an additional language, all of whom are in the early stages of its acquisition. Their progress is good. Pupils are offered the right level of relevant support, and their language development is closely monitored by ancillary staff trained to promote pupils’ confidence in speaking and listening.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and their personal development is very good. The attendance rate is unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The pupils have a love of learning • The school expects very high levels of behaviour and the pupils’ response to this is very good • Relationships between pupils and adults and with each other are very good • The rate of attendance is well below the national average

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Commentary

7. All of the pupils have very good attitudes to school and, because of the challenging and varied activities that the school provides, they develop a high love of learning. In response to the pre- inspection questionnaire many pupils said that their lessons are fun and that they work hard. This was evident in a good Year 2 mathematics lesson when the pupils were learning that multiplication is also repeated addition. The very strong and positive school ethos successfully emphasises the importance of raising pupils’ self-esteem. This is given a very high priority and is a major contributory factor to pupils’ high levels of enthusiasm and confidence.

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Commentary

8. The teachers and pupils devise the playground rules and school rules together. As a consequence, the pupils have an interest in them and their behaviour is very good both in lessons and around the school. The pupils are willing to help their teachers and take care of each other. For example, they all know how to use the ‘Buddy Stop’ at break and lunch times and are always checking to see if anyone feels unhappy or needs someone to play with.

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Commentary

9. Relationships are very good and are reinforced consistently by the way pupils’ personal skills are developed in lessons and in the playground. Pupils are strongly influenced by the adults who work with them. All adults are consistently kind, considerate and caring, showing respect to pupils and each other. Pupils feel that their teachers are fair and this helps them to respect themselves and to develop a sense of empathy with others.

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Commentary

10. All adults work very hard to develop positive values in the children and enhance their feelings of self-worth. This begins in the nursery and continues throughout the school. Children are given clear boundaries about acceptable behaviour, and rules are consistently applied. Well-planned lessons give children the opportunity to consider moral issues and their place in the community. For example, during a literacy lesson, Year 1 and Year 2 children considered the issue of woodland clearance from the point of view of a squirrel and a building contractor. A very sensitively handled Remembrance assembly stressed the importance of remembering those who have given their lives for others. The school promotes Christian values through its ethos, Hurst Green Infants’ School - 10 and has close links with the local church. Resources in other cultures have been built up since the time of the last inspection. At present, there are limited opportunities for children to find out

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Commentary

about other cultures, although a recent workshop of Indian dancing was very successful. The provision of personal, social and emotional development of children in the nursery and reception classes is very good. This prepares children very well for their next stage of education.

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Attendance

11. As reported at the previous inspection, the attendance rate is unsatisfactory. A new initiative for raising attendance was introduced at the beginning of term but its impact has yet to be evaluated. Staff monitor absence appropriately and receive support from the education welfare service, who visit families when necessary. Pupils whose attendance is unsatisfactory are identified and the school works hard to ensure they attend more regularly. However there are some parents who take their children out of school for term time holidays. The majority of the pupils arrive at school on time and lessons start promptly.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 7.1 School data 0 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 135 0 0 White – any other White background 5 0 0

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good. Teaching and learning are good, the curriculum is interesting, pupils are well looked after and they enjoy being at school.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are very good in the Foundation Stage, where classes are small, and good in Key Stage 1, where both classes are full. Teaching is supported by good assessment procedures which teachers use well in their planning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers make lessons interesting so that pupils are much involved and behave very well • Classrooms have a very positive learning ethos • Support staff make a very good contribution because they are well prepared by teachers • Teachers could expect pupils to write more in many subjects as well as in English lessons Hurst Green Infants’ School - 11

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 19 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Commentary

12. Pupils are keen to talk about their work because it interests them. Teachers structure lessons for children to understand the purpose of what they are doing, so that, at the end, the pupils can assess how well they have learnt. This is an important part of pupils’ good learning. Teachers have planned lesson objectives for some time, but a recent initiative has been to express the objective in a child’s language, in a nutshell. A good example of this was seen in a Year 1 and 2 mathematics lesson and is described in the mathematics section below, at paragraph 57.

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Commentary

13. Another aspect of involving pupils in their own learning is the ‘traffic light’ system. In the lesson just mentioned, pupils were able to gauge their understanding against the criterion the teacher gave them. At the end, she asked them for their verdict on how well they had learnt; this is expressed via the colour of an imaginary light - green for well, red for still not got it and yellow for getting there, but some difficulties. Most pupils were on green and a small number chose red, whom the teacher and her assistant had been supporting. The few who selected yellow were praised for their honesty and the teacher briefly rehearsed their problems, to strengthen their grasp of the topic. This is a good strategy and helps develop pupils’ independent learning.

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Commentary

14. The strength of the relationships between children and adults ensures good learning and is also at the base of the good teaching in all classes. Pupils trust their teachers and know that they will be treated fairly. Teachers are firm when they need to be and children generally respond well, so the ethos in all classrooms promotes interest and good learning. An example of relationships which contributed well to excitement and very good learning was seen in a very good science lesson, which is described at paragraph 62.

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Commentary

15. Budgetary restrictions forced the school to cut one of its teaching assistants this year, much against their wishes. Current assistants are experienced and good at their jobs. Teachers make their contribution clear and they are fully involved in supporting pupils and the class ethos. Parents also offer good and valued support.

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Commentary

16. Teaching is good in English. Reading is taught systematically so that pupils have a good knowledge of sounds. In writing, there are occasions in many subjects when pupils could be expected to write more, though this aspect is good in science. The large, unruled paper which children have does not aid the development of a fluent, cursive script. Mathematics and science teaching are good, with plenty of opportunities for pupils to conduct investigations. Marking in these two subjects varies in quality between classes and terms. In ICT, good teaching allows pupils to use their computer skills in a range of subjects and show clearly what pupils can do unaided. Teachers’ good knowledge of physical education enables pupils to reach standards that are above expectations.

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Commentary

17. Pupils with special educational needs are well taught. Teachers have a good understanding of where they need to pitch the level of work for these pupils because assessment procedures are thorough. The school provides a high degree of learning support. Ancillary staff are well briefed, and offer the right level of intervention and assistance. Pupils remain confident and positive about their work because teachers foster an ethos for learning in which even the smallest achievements are recognised and celebrated. Pupils for whom English is an additional language are given good support, and the school has sought advice from outside agencies on how best to support these pupils; however, a detailed assessment of their particular learning needs has yet to be undertaken. Hurst Green Infants’ School - 12 18. The school employs very good procedures for assessing the performance of its pupils as they move through the school. As a result, teachers know their pupils well and set them tasks that

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Commentary

closely match their learning needs. For example, pupils are given books to read that offer the right level of difficulty. Teachers gather and analyse information on a range of pupils’ achievements in English, mathematics and science, using it to identify trends and areas for development that help to determine policies for future teaching. For example, the school is rightly addressing shortcomings in the teaching of writing, and has initiated programmes designed to stimulate boys’ confidence in developing their literacy skills. Assessment procedures are used very effectively to identify pupils requiring particular support, but are also employed to gauge progress towards national targets in subjects such as information technology and physical education.

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Commentary

19. Good arrangements are made for the identification of pupils over five with special educational needs; these include a range of assessment procedures that assist teachers to pinpoint any concerns they have. The school enlists the support of external agencies where appropriate and consults parents promptly to ensure that they are fully aware of the teacher’s concerns. Individual Education Plans are devised for those who might benefit from additional support. These identify realistic targets towards which pupils may work. They are regularly reviewed and progress is recorded.

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Commentary

20. The school sets targets for the learning groups in each class. Pupils are encouraged to evaluate their level of understanding of new work by marking it with a coloured dot. This is a helpful ploy that assists teachers to determine the degree of support a pupil may need. Pupils are set challenging numerical targets for their performance in English, mathematics and science and are offered good support to enable them to make progress towards them; these include reading recovery and early literacy support programmes.

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Commentary

21. The quality of marking varies. For example, it is more useful in helping pupils improve in one of the Key Stage 1 classes than the other. Some lively marking includes questions that engage pupils’ interest and prompt them to reply, indicating that the teacher has taken a real interest in their efforts, but a significant amount of written work attracts no particular comment. In contrast, teachers, support staff and parents often make helpful remarks in reading records that both chart the pupil’s progress and encourage sustained effort. Pupils are proud to show these to visitors, and well-maintained records play an important role in conveying to pupils the importance of learning to read.

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The curriculum

The provision for the curriculum is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The shared commitment of staff gives curriculum development a high profile • The school’s embracing of new ideas has helped children to achieve well • Budget cuts have reduced support in the nursery and reception classes

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Commentary

22. There has been good improvement since the last inspection, when aspects of provision were judged unsatisfactory. The school now provides a fully balanced curriculum with appropriate breadth. The number and variety of visits have increased, and resources have improved. The curriculum has been adapted to meet the needs of the children, with an emphasis on basic skills and social skills. This recognises that many children enter the school below expectations in these areas. All statutory requirements are met for the National Curriculum and religious education. Recent developments include the introduction of a phonics-based scheme into the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, the award of the Basic Skills Quality Mark, and piloting a ‘Talk for Writing’ initiative. Hurst Green Infants’ School - 13 23. Children in the reception year are very well prepared for transfer to Year1. There are close links

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Commentary

with the receiving junior school, whose teachers work alongside Year 2 teachers to smoothe the transition between schools. Children visit local centres and theatres to enrich their learning. A club runs after school to develop ball-skills, which both boys and girls attend, but there are no other extra-curricular activities. The school puts on musical performances and hosts an annual music festival for schools in the area.

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Commentary

24. The school has a higher than average proportion of pupils with special educational needs and makes good provision for them. It has good procedures for identifying the particular needs of those over five. Pupils in the Foundation Stage are not formally assessed to determine whether they have particular learning needs, although teachers have a good understanding of the nature of any difficulties they encounter. The curriculum for pupils for whom English is an additional language is appropriately tailored to suite their needs.

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Commentary

25. Staffing is appropriate, but a difficult budget has led to reduced support in the nursery and reception classes. Staff rely on parent volunteers for extra help. The school’s accommodation is well used, but some classrooms are too small. It is meticulously maintained by the caretaker and has colourful and stimulating displays of children’s work. These help to give children a sense of pride. Resources are good throughout the school, and imaginatively used to support children’s learning. Governors have a subject area each to monitor, and take their responsibilities seriously.

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Care, guidance and support

Procedures to ensure the care, welfare, health and safety of the pupils are very effective. Achievement and personal development are monitored well. The involvement of the pupils in the school’s work and development is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The pupils are very well cared for and they feel secure in school • Induction procedures for the youngest children are very good • The use of assessment in lessons is well used to respond to individual needs

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Commentary

26. All adults who work in the school form close and trusting relationships with the pupils. These enable staff to monitor pupils’ personal development very well. Responses to the pre-inspection questionnaire showed pupils feel there is someone to go to if they are worried at school. Health and safety and child protection procedures, first aid and other medical support are very thorough and ensure that pupils and staff work in a safe environment.

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Commentary

27. There are very good induction arrangements for the youngest children. Procedures include home visits and meetings for parents and the children are invited to spend time in the nursery or the reception classes and to stay for lunch prior to starting. The very good procedures help the children to settle quickly and their parents to have confidence in the school.

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Commentary

28. Teachers assess pupils’ academic needs well during lessons. They know the pupils in their classes very well and adjust their teaching methods to keep them all interested and involved in set tasks. However, there is a weakness in the marking of pupils’ work. It does not always give pupils a clear picture of how well they are doing or what they need to do to improve.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a very effective partnership with the parents. Links with the community and other schools are good. Hurst Green Infants’ School - 14

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are happy with all that the school offers • Information for parents, including the annual reports, is good • The pupils are well prepared for junior school

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Commentary

29. Responses to the pre-inspection questionnaire and meeting were very positive and reflect parents’ confidence in the school. Most parents are happy that the headteachers’ job share is not affecting the education of their children. The school works hard to involve parents and carers as partners in the education of their children; for example, a number of parents took part in the ‘Keeping up with your Children’ and ‘Fun with Phonics’ workshops. Parents are invited to family assemblies, to help in classrooms, sharing skills with the pupils, Book Week and St. John’s Church to celebrate harvest festival and Christmas. Events are well attended and many parents support the school with fund raising through the Schoolink committee.

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Commentary

30. Parents are very well informed about the progress their children are making. There are regular parent/teacher consultations and teachers are very willing to meet parents at other times. Annual reports provide good information for parents: they show children’s progress and share targets with parents so that they can help their children to improve. The school brochure, newsletters, details about the curriculum children will be studying and meetings about the transition between reception and Year 1 are all keeping parents up to date with what is happening in school. Their views on aspects of school life are canvassed through questionnaires and the suggestion box and the school keeps parents well informed about how concerns are being dealt with.

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Commentary

31. The school has a good partnership with other schools including for an infant music festival that is held on the premises. There are also very good links with the main receiving junior school that help to prepare the pupils well for the next stage of their education.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

As at the time of the last inspection, the leadership and management of the school are good. The headteachers provide clear direction for the school’s development. Management is good because the implications of changes are discussed thoroughly before they are introduced. Governors support the school well and monitor its developments conscientiously.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are happy with all that the school offers • The headteachers collaborate closely in evolving the direction and management of the school • Changes to the school’s leadership structure have been carefully planned and managed • Governors provide strong support and carefully monitor developments and changes • The success criteria identified in the school’s improvement plan are not specific enough • Indicators to gauge the impact of changes in leadership and management are not defined with sufficient precision

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Commentary

32. The headteachers lead the school well. They share a vision for the school’s development, and are thoroughly familiar with each other’s perceptions and priorities. Together with the manager of the Foundation Stage, they form a strong senior management team that ensures that the right priorities for the school’s development are identified and addressed. For example, they have embarked on a programme to raise standards in writing so that they match the school’s performance in other aspects of English. Overall, pupils achieve well and develop very good Hurst Green Infants’ School - 15 attitudes to learning as they move through the school, and standards are rising. The school functions well as a unit; members of staff feel valued because they are closely consulted on important decisions, and each has a good understanding of the strengths and limitations of others. As a result, leaders recognise how to support each other and how effective

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Commentary

improvements may be made. Because of its success in evaluating its own performance and in assessing the particular needs of its pupils, the school promotes an ethos in which the pupils themselves feel well supported and enjoy their learning, and parents have a clear understanding of its aims and values.

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Commentary

33. The school is well managed. A clear illustration of this is the way in which the headteachers have successfully managed the recent transition from a single headteacher to joint leadership. Although this inspection occurred too soon after the introduction of these new arrangements to evaluate their impact, staff, governors and the local authority have examined very carefully the implications of the changes involved and have taken steps to counter any disadvantage to pupils that they may entail. However, indicators devised to measure the success of these changes are not yet precise enough to produce hard evidence for their effectiveness. For example, they do not evaluate the implications of shared teaching in one of the classes nor attempt to quantify the impact on the management of special educational needs. Generally, the deployment of staff reflects pupils’ needs very well; a well-established reading recovery programme offers good

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Commentary

support, and pupils with special educational needs receive the right level of help in the classroom. The headteachers’ policy of close consultation promotes a climate in which all feel involved in the management of the school, and this facilitates change and development.

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Commentary

34. New arrangements for the management of special needs provision have been introduced as the result of the changes in the school’s leadership structure. Although it is too early to evaluate their effect, the appointment of a new part-time co-ordinator affords opportunities to include pupils in the Foundation Stage in the school’s formal assessment procedures and to review existing successful practices.

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Commentary

35. Although a number of members of the governing body are newly appointed, they approach their obligations with enthusiasm and commitment, and make a significant contribution to the direction of the school. Currently, they have crucial roles in monitoring the impact of the changes in leadership and in supervising a reducing budget, and have made the right enquiries to ensure that each is properly managed. The governing body is conscientious in ensuring that the school meets all its statutory obligations. A number of governors have close connections with the school community, and their local knowledge considerably enhances their effectiveness. Many are closely informed about the various aspects of school life and seek to gain first-hand information through conversations with parents, pupils and staff.

p.15

Commentary

36. The school produces a detailed annual improvement plan that adequately specifies planned developments. These are now closely linked to their budgetary implications, a measure that has improved considerably since the last inspection. However, the success criteria identified in the improvement plan are not precise enough and sometimes re-define a projected development rather than focusing on how its outcomes may be measured. Governors are closely consulted on the contents of the plan, and receive sufficient information to ensure that they can monitor the school’s progress towards the targets it identifies.

p.15

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.15

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 346,461 Balance from previous year 11,351 Total expenditure 352,875 Balance carried forward to the next 4,937 Expenditure per pupil 2,941 Hurst Green Infants’ School - 16 37. The school’s budget is set in accordance with required procedures. Its administrative officer effectively supervises the school’s day-to-day financial arrangements and regularly provides the finance committee with information sufficiently detailed to guide the governing body in the decisions it takes. Judgements about spending are much more closely evaluated than at the time of the last inspection; governors are managing effectively a reducing budget, and proposed expenses are subject to close scrutiny. Nevertheless, spending patterns closely reflect the school’s aim to ‘enable all children to fulfil their academic potential’. For example, the school spends a higher than average proportion of its budget on supporting pupils with

p.15

Financial information

special educational needs, and overall offers good value for money. The imposed constraints on class size prevent the school from re-arranging its two mixed-age classes into single-age groups, and the school sees this as a barrier to more efficient teaching. Hurst Green Infants’ School - 17

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

38. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good and has improved since the last inspection. In the nursery, children attend either morning or afternoon sessions. Most reception children attend full-time, but some of the younger ones attend for mornings only. Most children enter the nursery with skills below those expected, but, by the time they transfer to Year 1, standards are at the expected level. Children thus achieve well. This is because teaching is very good overall. The curriculum is well planned to provide exciting and challenging activities, and all adults have an excellent, shared understanding of the needs of young children. They set very good role models for the children, and are constantly encouraging and praising them. This boosts children’s self-confidence, so that they are willing to take on new tasks with enthusiasm. There is an adequate ratio of adults to children,

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

enhanced by a willing group of parent volunteers. Recently, financial constraints have led to the loss of one member of staff, which is increasing pressure especially on the nursery. Accommodation in the nursery is spacious, but the reception classes are too small. There are good outdoor play areas to which children have constant access. Resources are good and well used.

p.17

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well from a starting point below expectations • The care and encouragement of all adults boost children’s self-esteem • Very good teaching sets clear routines and supports growing independence

p.17

Commentary

39. The personal, social and emotional development of all children is a high priority for staff, as they know most children enter the nursery with underdeveloped skills. They make rapid progress because work is well planned to be interesting, and clear routines are set from the start. Children are given early responsibility, and encouraged to take an active part in their own learning. Often they are free to choose the order in which they do activities. In one reception class, children were asked to nominate an activity they would enjoy. Children show consideration for others, and work with concentration and purpose. They know where things go and clear up sensibly. All classes make good use of time, and lessons have a vibrant pace. Children are on course to exceed the early learning goals in this area by the time they enter Year 1.

p.17

Commentary

40. Teaching is very good. Adults provide excellent role models for children, giving them plenty of encouragement and praise. This builds strong, caring relationships, and children are happy and secure. Adults challenge children’s thinking and question them carefully, so that learning is always taking place. Opportunities are seized, as when some nursery children noticed their reflections in a metal spoon, and the nursery nurse asked them to turn it round to see what happened: now their reflections were upside down. Where boundaries are tested, adults are quick to reinforce expectations in a firm but fair way. As a result children’s self-confidence blossoms. For example a nursery child sorting the teacher’s washing said “I’m good at this!” when praised. Hurst Green Infants’ School - 18

p.17

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers and support staff use language sensitively to develop children’s speaking and listening skills • The introduction of “Jolly Phonics” has led to rapid improvement in reading skills • Teachers create innovative opportunities to develop writing skills

p.18

Commentary

41. Children are on course to meet the expectations in this area of learning by the end of the reception year. They achieve well because of very good teaching overall. Tasks are carefully planned to meet their individual needs. All adults take every opportunity to use language in a stimulating way, and to ask probing questions. When a child took his picture of fireworks to the nursery nurse, she said, “I can see that exploding on the page.” Children listen very well, especially on the carpet. They follow instructions carefully, and observe classroom routines.

p.18

Commentary

42. The introduction of “Jolly Phonics” on a daily basis has brought about rapid improvement in reading. Children take home a phonics sheet each day to follow up the sounds they have learnt in class. Both nursery and reception children take books home to read. All classes are well supplied with stimulating story books. Children enjoy listening to stories and joining in. In the reception classes, much exciting work has been prompted by the stories of “The Gingerbread Man” and “Goldilocks”. This includes role-play and compiling a teddy bear alphabet book. Children work at a productive pace, concentrating well on their tasks. Each child has a “message pot” with their photograph on, in which messages can be posted by their friends. In the role-play area, children write and post-up shopping lists. Such innovative ideas make early writing fun, and give children a genuine audience. Raising standards in literacy is

p.18

Commentary

one of the Foundation Stage leader’s priorities. Her very strong leadership ensures a focus on improvement, and a very good shared understanding among staff of what is required.

p.18

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Interesting activities motivate children to achieve well • Adults take every opportunity to reinforce children’s learning • Monitoring is only informal at present

p.18

Commentary

43. Teachers plan well to promote mathematical understanding using a range of interesting activities. Teaching is good. Children in the nursery count together to ten, and enjoy joining in with number songs and rhymes. They recognise rectangles in everyday objects. Reception children are already makings sets of objects to five and recording them. Adults use questioning effectively to probe children’s understanding. During a sorting activity in the nursery, the teacher asked children to justify their choices for putting certain items together. There is a good range of mathematical resources, which are used to design stimulating, practical activities. Staff make good use of computers to practise skills, such as a matching activity in the reception class. Children work with sustained concentration, and are on course Hurst Green Infants’ School - 19 to meet expected standards by the end of the reception year. Monitoring of teaching and

p.18

Commentary

learning at present is informal. More objective systems are needed to ensure the quality of provision is maintained and improved, especially if staffing changes.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s natural curiosity is fired through exposure to exciting, first-hand experiences • Very good teaching fosters new understanding and rapid progress • Sensitive questioning makes children think intelligently

p.19

Commentary

44. This area of learning is a real strength in a very strong department and children are on course to exceed the early learning goals. All adults have an intuitive understanding of what inspires young children, and how to channel their natural enthusiasm into reliable learning. Activities are well planned to be stimulating and fun. Staff make excellent use of resources, and seize opportunities for learning as they arise. Sensitive questioning challenges children to express their ideas coherently. During a very good reception lesson on how to make objects move, the teacher asked children to describe how they could move well-chosen toys. They identified groups of toys that needed to be pushed or pulled, and a child suggested a third category of wind-up toys. The teacher asked what happens to a toy if it is pushed harder (‘It goes faster’). Children were absorbed in this activity, and only actually moved the toy after they had

p.19

Commentary

described what needed to be done. The surprise action of a pop-up toy delighted them. Sensitive questioning by the teacher, and a very good knowledge of the children’s individual abilities, led to rapid progress.

p.19

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is very good .

p.19

Mains strengths and weaknesses

• Very good teaching provides children with a wide range of stimulating activities • Children’s creativity is encouraged through praise and probing questioning • Opportunities for role-play are restricted in the small reception classrooms

p.19

Commentary

45. Children enter the nursery below expectations overall, but leave the reception class at the expected standard. They achieve well because they receive very good teaching in creative skills, and are given many rich opportunities to develop their personal creativity. For example, in the nursery class, children made musical shakers by filling different-sized containers with various ingredients. The nursery nurse posed challenges to make them consider how full the container needed to be, and how to shake it quietly or loudly. A wide range of activities is planned to give children different experiences using all their senses. Reception children make close observational drawings of an apple using coloured pencils, and then use a ‘paint’ program to repeat the process on the computer. Role-play is restricted in the small reception classrooms, but another room is being provided for this. During the inspection, good

p.19

Commentary

examples of role-play around the tale of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” were seen. Hurst Green Infants’ School - 20

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

46. It was not possible to make an overall judgement on provision or standards, but the practical activities observed suggest children’s manipulative skills are developing in line with expectations. The outside play areas are spacious and available at all times. Hurst Green Infants’ School - 21

p.20

ENGLISH

The quality of provision for English is good

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well, reaching average standards from a below average starting point • Standards in speaking and listening have improved considerably since the last inspection • The quality of teaching and learning is good overall • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in reading because they are well supported • Pupils are not given sufficient practice in writing at length • The quality of marking varies, and does not always show pupils how they can improve

p.21

Commentary

47. Standards have improved since the last inspection. Although many enter the school with below average language skills, pupils attain average standards in speaking and reading and above average standards in listening by the end of Year 2. This is because pupils are taught thoroughly and systematically, so that they achieve well. Standards in writing are below average. Pupils’ progress here is satisfactory, but is not so rapid as in other aspects of English because they are not encouraged to write at length often enough.

p.21

Commentary

48. Pupils achieve well in acquiring speaking skills. While many pupils, especially boys, enter Year 1 still lacking in the confidence and fluency to express their thoughts and ideas coherently, they make good progress because teachers establish a climate for learning in which all feel valued and are encouraged to contribute. Questioning is used sensitively to stimulate thought and encourage conversation. As a result, Year 2 pupils discuss ideas sensibly in pairs, and most volunteer information or make suggestions without embarrassment. They concentrate well during class discussions and generally listen considerately when others are speaking. Pupils develop good listening skills because they learn that the views of others are worthy of consideration and respect.

p.21

Commentary

49. The school accords a very high priority to the teaching of reading. As a result, pupils make good progress because basic skills are taught thoroughly and well. Even those with special educational needs, for example, have some knowledge of most of the common groups of letters that suggest particular sounds; their difficulties often lie in recognising them when they are used in combination to form whole words. By Year 2, pupils begin to develop a degree of fluency in their reading and to enjoy different texts. Pupils are heard to read routinely and frequent practice is expected at home. Parents support their children’s efforts well, and teachers and parents regularly record and comment on pupils’ progress in home-school contact books. A well-organised reading recovery programme offers strong support to pupils who encounter particular difficulty, and most benefiting from it make good progress. Support

p.21

Commentary

staff are well trained to assist the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs, with the result that a number attain standards close to average levels by the end of Year 2.

p.21

Commentary

50. Pupils’ achievement in writing is satisfactory, although their progress is not as rapid as in reading because the school has only more recently focused on improving standards. Teachers have introduced a ‘Talk for Writing’ scheme that promotes wide discussion before writing and stimulates the imagination through role-play and drama. Pupils are also urged to record ideas and thoughts in personal journals. Both of these are good innovations that promote confidence in writing. However, the school does not yet routinely challenge pupils to record their ideas or experiences at length, nor set targets on what they are expected to achieve within a given time. Pupils use plain A4 pages that reluctant writers find difficult to fill, Hurst Green Infants’ School - 22 with the result that they often either seek security by writing their words very closely together or by spreading them liberally across the page. Those with special educational needs make good

p.21

Commentary

progress because they are well supported in their efforts.

p.22

Commentary

51. Pupils achieve well in learning to spell because they receive the same methodical teaching for this aspect of English as they do for reading. As a result, many achieve average standards by Year 2. Pupils make a good attempt at spelling words with which they are unfamiliar because they have had such a good grounding in learning how sounds are written; for example, one six- year-old wrote ‘dinesos’ when her teacher asked what had seen at the Natural History Museum. Pupils achieve the expected standards in handwriting by the end of Year 2. They are taught to join their handwriting from Year 1. Although some find this difficult and revert to printing for their everyday work, many use a joined script confidently by the time they leave.

p.22

Commentary

52. The quality of teaching and learning is good in all aspects of the subject except for writing, where it is satisfactory. Teachers use very good procedures for teaching reading and spelling, building progressively on previously learned skills so that pupils acquire a secure understanding of the sounds suggested by the different combinations of letters. Methods employed for the successful teaching of writing are less firmly established, although the school has introduced the innovative measures described above to ensure that boys in particular gain more confidence. However, teachers sometimes expect too little from their pupils. For example, Year 2 pupils are not routinely encouraged to write straightforward, accurately- punctuated accounts of their experiences, but sometimes work on grammatical exercises or write for different purposes without necessarily having a firm grasp of basic principles. Some

p.22

Commentary

work is very well marked, the teacher writing helpful messages to pupils about how they can improve. However, its quality is not consistent across both classes. Teachers and ancillary staff support learning well. Lessons are well planned, affording pupils ample opportunities to learn from the teacher, discuss their work together, and to practise skills independently.

p.22

Commentary

53. Although the subject manager was not interviewed because of absence, senior staff have a clear view of what needs to be improved in the subject and how this may be achieved. Teachers know pupils well and analyse their achievements thoroughly. Despite the high mobility rate among pupils, they achieve well because their needs are identified quickly and provision is promptly arranged to meet them.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

54. Pupils use their literacy skills well in some subjects, for example in science, but there are occasions in other subjects when pupils could be expected to write more. Older pupils occasionally use computers to sequence ideas for a story or to present their work neatly for display. Drama and role-play are sometimes employed to reinforce pupils’ understanding of moral or social issues.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching • Pupils are helped to gauge their own success in learning • Teachers’ marking is not of a consistent quality Hurst Green Infants’ School - 23

p.22

Commentary

55. When children enter Year 1, most of them broadly meet the early learning goals for mathematical development, but many pupils still have quite low skills in number - for example, many are still at the stage of reversing their digits. A good number of Year 1 pupils are not fully secure on the order of days of the week, particularly when asked to begin the list at some day other than Monday.

p.23

Commentary

56. By Year 2, standards are similar to the national average and pupils achieve well. Pupils of all abilities understand place value beyond 100 and higher attaining pupils manipulate larger numbers. Most pupils’ knowledge enables them to decompose a number into hundreds, tens and units and they are learning to count in fives and tens. Pupils have a sound knowledge of the names of two- and three-dimensional shapes, and work from last year shows that higher attaining pupils compared their properties and worked with symmetry in the summer term.

p.23

Commentary

57. The quality of teaching is good overall. One lesson in each class was observed and pupils’ past work spanning over a year was examined. All aspects of the subject are covered well, including early work in data handling, especially using ICT. Plenary sessions are used well. At the start of the lesson, teachers encapsulate their lesson objective in a simple phrase which pupils can remember; for example, in one lesson, the criterion was ‘At the end of the lesson, you should be able to use words such as groups of or lots of to describe multiplication.’ In this lesson, the children clearly grasped this idea and nearly all were using the phrase by the end. When the teacher returned to the objective at the end, pupils were able to judge the effectiveness of their own learning. The use of the ‘traffic light system’ (described in paragraph 13) also meant that pupils were much involved in their own development. Teachers’ marking

p.23

Commentary

of pupils’ work is not of a consistent standard in pupils’ books; some of it contains helpful points for improvement while other examples contain little apart from ticks. Marking in last year’s work was not as good as in the current term.

p.23

Commentary

58. Leadership and management are good and have enabled the subject to make good improvement since the last inspection, when standards were well below average. The numeracy strategy is working well and good use has been made of monitoring to develop the teaching. For example, the idea of encapsulating lesson objectives as a success criterion came from the findings that teachers were not all using the plenary part of the lesson as effectively. The good effects of this initiative are now clear.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

59. Pupils use their number skills in most registration sessions to calculate how many pupils are present that day. In ICT, pupils use their knowledge of tally charts when they collect data and they make computer-generated graphs to display the data. Higher attaining pupils interpret the graphs in answer to questions. In the same subject, they use their knowledge of a right-angle in programming a floor robot. Pupils’ measuring skills are used in science, as when they measured the amount of suds using centimetres. Timelines in history develop their understanding of chronology.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well and enjoy science • There is plenty of investigational work • Teachers’ marking is not of a consistent quality Hurst Green Infants’ School - 24

p.23

Commentary

60. Standards of attainment are average by the end of Year 2. Pupils produce a book of work for each topic and the care they take and interesting experiments they perform show they enjoy the subject very much.

p.24

Commentary

61. Pupils achieve well. In the present term, they are learning about healthy living and how humans grow. They explain the human life-cycle, compare it with that of familiar animals and they begin to appreciate that humans are animals. They learn about food types and suggest balanced meals for a week. In design and technology, they design, prepare and evaluate a fresh fruit salad, and higher attaining pupils make good use of their literacy skills when they explain in their own words the whole process. Last year’s topic books show that pupils also study materials, forces, electricity and light.

p.24

Commentary

62. Pupils are gaining a good understanding of the experimental process. In a very good lesson, the class received a letter from ‘The Boss’, asking them to devise a way of determining which of three liquid soaps - blue, green and purple - was the most effective. They decided, with appropriate support from the teacher, that they would do this by measuring the amount of suds each produced when shaken with water. They made initial predictions, though most of these were based on favourite colour - a factor which prevented one group from testing the green soap. Pupils explained what had to be constant in the experiment - size of bottles, amounts of soap and water and the number of shakes. They then used rulers to measure the height of the resulting column of suds and recorded their results in a simple table. One higher attaining pupil realised that the experiment was affected because some children shook more vigorously

p.24

Commentary

than others, which led the class at the end to decide that, next time, they would make the size of shake a constant.

p.24

Commentary

63. Teaching is good overall. One lesson was seen in each class and pupils’ topic books from over twelve months were scrutinised. Good emphasis is placed on investigations and on recording predictions and outcomes in pupils’ own words. The large size of the blank books which pupils are given somewhat restricts the appearance, however. Pupils of different abilities record their work in degrees of complexity, according to their literacy skills. All aspects of the subject are treated well and teachers obviously enjoy science as much as pupils do. As in mathematics, marking is not consistent between classes and terms and does not often contain developmental comments.

p.24

Commentary

64. The subject is led and managed well. The strong focus on experimenting is a result of the co- ordinator’s good lead - indeed, the lesson described above was taught by her. This aspect of the subject has developed very well since the last inspection, when standards were below average, and overall improvement has been good.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good standards in control technology • Good use of ICT in a range of subjects • Good use of portfolios of pupils’ unaided work, though they would be clearer still if the work were given a National Curriculum level

p.24

Commentary

65. Pupils’ overall standards of attainment are in line with expectations; in the area of control technology, there is evidence of higher attainment in the work of pupils of all abilities. Hurst Green Infants’ School - 25 66. Pupils’ achievement is good. Year 2 pupils know how to open a program and produce a clean page. In word processing, their familiarity with the keyboard is developing well and many pupils remember how to use the cursor keys in editing. Most pupils know how to save their work and print it. Pupils produce pictures of themselves in graphics software and they make graphs from a simple spreadsheet. Pupils collect information about themselves and enter it into a simple database. Higher attaining pupils frame questions which they want to use the database in answering. Pupils of all abilities learn to program the Roamer (a floor robot). Pupils’ ICT folders show that pupils understood how to program it to follow a prescribed route. They

p.24

Commentary

recorded their program and executed it, working unaided.

p.25

Commentary

67. Only one ICT lesson was observed, in which the teaching was good. Folders demonstrate that teaching across the school is also good. Pupils work for half a term towards a particular objective; for example, in the current half-term (just begun in the week of inspection), pupils were practising typing sentences, with the aim of producing a whole story by the end of term. At the end of the half-term, pupils work unaided on the project and the result is pasted into their ICT folders. This gives a clear view of pupils’ skills. The work is annotated by the teacher, though they do not yet give a National Curriculum level; it is part of the current work of the co- ordinator to assist teachers with the skills necessary to do this.

p.25

Commentary

68. The subject is well led and managed. At the last inspection, standards were below expectations and equipment was out of date. Good leadership has enabled all teachers to build up good ICT skills - for example, they now all use computers for their planning - and careful management has replaced old machines. All classes now have two computers and good use is made of them. The co-ordinator has plans for a suite of either laptops or full-size machines, if future budgets permit.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

69. ICT is used well in most subjects of the curriculum. Word processing is used in English, to write sentences and to correct the punctuation of a piece of work written by the teacher. A graphics program is used in art to produce geometric pictures in the style of Mondrian. In geography, pupils collect data on the types of house which members of the class live in and, using numeracy skills, they tally the results and produce a graph on the computer. In science, pupils study healthy eating and, in this context, they prepare simple databases of the class’s favourite food, which they use to answer questions. In mathematics, pupils use relevant software to explore the relationship between multiplication and repeated addition.

p.25

Geography and history

70. No lessons were observed in these subjects as they were not being taught at the time of the inspection. It is not possible to make judgements about overall provision. In geography a stimulating display in the entrance hall features the travels of Barnaby Bear, a teddy bear which children (and staff) take on holiday with them to exotic places such as the Grand Canyon and Turkey. This helps to develop their understanding of the world in an exciting way, which the whole school can share.

p.25

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory . Hurst Green Infants’ School - 26

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The new agreed syllabus supports learning well • Children’s attitudes to religious education are good • There is an over-reliance on commercial worksheets • Little of the written work is marked • Monitoring of teaching and learning is rare

p.26

Commentary

71. Standards of attainment seen during the inspection are in line with expectations of the locally agreed syllabus, as they were at the time of the last inspection. Only one lesson was observed, but work was scrutinised, and discussions took place with teachers and pupils. There is a new agreed syllabus which the school values highly. It has enabled teachers to devote more time to religious faith and belief, something considered insufficient at the last inspection.

p.26

Commentary

72. In the lesson observed teaching was satisfactory, and children were gaining an appropriate understanding of prayer. Children’s attitudes to learning were good. They participated enthusiastically in discussion. Children with special educational needs achieved in line with their abilities because tasks were well-chosen. Teaching overall is satisfactory, though, in recorded work, too much reliance is generally placed on commercial worksheets, and not enough thought is given to children’s different needs. This work is mostly unmarked, which is a weakness, as children do not know how well they are doing, nor that their work is valued.

p.26

Commentary

73. The school makes good use of religious artefacts and visits and visitors to develop religious understanding, including those of other faiths. Management is satisfactory, but monitoring of teaching and learning rarely happens.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

74. No judgement may be made about the quality of teaching in art, music or design and technology, because no lessons were seen. However, enough evidence was gained for a judgement on standards in art and design and technology, but not in music. Physical education was observed in both classes for five- to seven-year-olds, enabling a judgement here to be made on both standards and teaching.

p.26

Art and Design

Curricular provision in art and design is satisfactory .

p.26

Art and Design

75. It is evident from an analysis of pupils’ work and that recorded in the co-ordinator’s file that standards in art are average, and are similar to those seen at the last inspection. The work planned is varied and interesting. Pupils achieve well in the acquisition of certain skills; for example, in colour mixing and shading. They experiment with blending varying proportions of different colours to achieve a particular tone, and sometimes attempt to create the effect of shade by merging progressively darker colours. Pupils have the opportunity to experiment with a range of media and to practise different skills, although there is little evidence that they are shown how to refine these or to improve upon their work. They paint self-portraits, achieving good proportion to features of the face and hairline.

p.26

Art and Design

76. Art is used well to support learning in other areas of the curriculum. For example, pupils examine carefully natural objects such as leaves, berries and twigs before attempting to represent them in paint or collage. In connection with their work on healthy eating, they draw and paint plates of fruit or make collages to contrast healthy food with those containing high proportions of fat and sugar. Pupils paint figures to represent people at different stages of Hurst Green Infants’ School - 27 growth, or use crayons and paint to record the visit of an Indian dancer. Pupils sometimes imitate the work of established artists, such as William Morris. These are chosen carefully to ensure that young pupils will appreciate and understand the style they are trying to imitate, and because of this, pupils achieve well.

p.26

Design and technology

Curricular provision in design and technology is satisfactory .

p.27

Design and technology

77. The range of evidence available for work in design and technology, similar to that seen for art, indicates that standards are average by the end of Year 2. All aspects of the subject are taught in sufficient depth, although pupils in one of the Year 1/2 classes appear to carry out more detailed work than in the other.

p.27

Design and technology

78. Pupils create designs for the envelopes of hot air balloons, using regular geometric patterns and ideas derived from those seen on wallpaper. They use kitchen tools to change the appearance of fruit, preparing it for presentation and evaluating objectively how they could have improved their efforts. Work in design and technology is often closely linked to that in art and science. For example, pupils investigate the properties of different materials and become acquainted with their advantages and limitations. They understand how best to decorate and join common classroom materials, and begin to use the textures of certain textiles to suggest a particular effect when composing a collage.

p.27

Design and technology

79. Design and technology is also used imaginatively to support learning in history. For example, pupils are taught to design and make bathing huts, houses and pull-along toys to support their understanding of Victorian history. Some of these are thoughtfully finished and give evidence of the careful use of tools and materials. Pupils sometimes write about how they have made their models, although higher-achieving pupils could attempt this in greater detail. The subject also supports social and moral teaching; pupils design clear posters warning others of the dangers of running in the corridor or climbing trees, and the school exploits well the practical nature of the subject to make pupils’ learning in other areas of the curriculum more relevant and interesting.

p.27

Design and technology

80. In music , the co-ordinator’s file shows that curricular provision is satisfactory. National guidance for lesson planning has been adapted to suit the school’s two-year cycle and covers all aspects of the subject. There are plans for the monitoring of teaching and for professional development. Photographs show that the pupils perform to the elderly and visually impaired in one term, sing carols in St John’s church in another and participate in the annual Tandridge School’s Music Festival, which is held in the school’s hall. Professional musicians visit the school annually to demonstrate their expertise.

p.27

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Provision for physical education is good .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils continue to achieve the above average standards seen at the last inspection • The quality of teaching and learning is good

p.27

Commentary

81. Pupils achieve well because teachers have good knowledge of the subject and communicate clearly to pupils what is expected of them. They encourage pupils to try hard, and they respond well because teachers create a good climate for learning in their lessons. In one, for example, pupils warmed up to lively, rhythmical music that encouraged their receptiveness and promoted an increasingly vigorous movement that was further exploited and developed as the Hurst Green Infants’ School - 28 lesson progressed. Pupils interpret dance music sensitively, adjusting their movements well to its dynamic and pace, yet they are equally confident and controlled in jumping and balancing when practising gymnastic activities. They discuss and practise movement sensibly in pairs, but also use space well when working independently. Pupils collaborate sensibly when moving apparatus and have a good understanding of the need for safety and care. Although they are

p.27

Commentary

sometimes rather noisy when practising movement, they listen carefully to instructions when the activity is changed and generally heed teachers’ suggestions or instructions.

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Commentary

82. Two lessons were observed in the course of the inspection. One of these was of good quality, and the other, taken by a teacher unfamiliar with the work of the class, was satisfactory. However, it is evident from the standards pupils achieve that the subject is taught well and that teachers possess good knowledge of the subject.. In both dance and gymnastics, pupils are encouraged to practise confident, controlled movements, and to link these into smooth sequences. Lessons move at the right pace, and activities are so developed that pupils progress from simple to more complex movements. Teachers regularly call on pupils to demonstrate their achievements to others, although they do not always encourage them sufficiently to refine the movements they have practised. Pupils clearly enjoy their lessons because teachers create an atmosphere in which all are eager to try new skills.

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Commentary

83. The school attaches great importance to pupils’ physical education, and each class has three weekly lessons of sufficient length to ensure that pupils build soundly on previously acquired skills. The subject is well managed, and all staff have received relevant training that has increased their understanding of how to teach the subject successfully. Pupils’ progress is assessed against National Curriculum targets, and their experience of dance is sometimes enriched by visiting troupes who demonstrate their expertise.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education and citizenship (PSHE) is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• All adults, including lunchtime supervisors, are involved in the programme • Children feel confident to share their feelings during circle times

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Commentary

84. The school treats the personal and social development of the children as a priority. All adults are involved. The lunchtime supervisors run a weekly circle time to ensure lunch periods are a positive experience for the children. Teachers treat PSHE lessons with sensitivity and children are happy to share their feelings. The school takes advantage of outside support such as a visiting ‘Life-bus’ that helps children understand their bodies. Little monitoring of circle times takes place. The subject leader is incorporating citizenship into the curriculum this year. Hurst Green Infants’ School - 29

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The overall effectiveness of the school 3

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

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2

Attendance 5 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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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 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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The leadership and management of the school 3

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

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The leadership and management of the school 3

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

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