The Minster Nursery and Infant School

PARISH CHURCH CE NURSERY AND INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 1 – 3 December 2003

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PARISH CHURCH CE NURSERY AND INFANT SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School 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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PARISH CHURCH CE NURSERY AND 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. Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Nursery and Infant School category: Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils: 3 – 7 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 344

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Warrington Road Croydon Surrey

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0208 688 5844 Fax number: 0208 686 8091

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr A Elliott

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Parish Church CE Nursery and Infant School in Croydon is a larger than average school, sharing a site with the adjacent junior school, and having very close links with this. This is a popular school and there is only a small percentage of mobility amongst the pupils. The school has gained Investors in People, Artsmark Silver, Basic Skills Quality Mark and the School Achievement Award over the past three years. Pupils come from a wide range of social and cultural backgrounds, and the school celebrates its cultural diversity extensively. Twenty-one per cent of pupils are learning English as an additional language, which is a high proportion of the school. Sixteen per cent of pupils are identified as having special educational needs, which is broadly average, and two have statements of special educational need. Around 19 per cent of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals, which is average. Pupils’ attainment on entry to school is average overall, although the school has noted a

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

decline in social and communication skills over the past few years. Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

21079 Mrs L Woods Lead inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Music Physical education 9614 Mrs C Webb Lay inspector 21121 Mr D Houghton Team inspector The Foundation Stage Science Art and design Design and technology 25925 Mrs E Pacey Team inspector English Geography History Religious education Personal, social, health and citizenship Special educational needs 21234 Mr D Hayward Team inspector English as an additional language

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Altecq Education 102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 7JX

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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). Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 26

Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a very good school. As a result of very good assessment and good and very good teaching, pupils attain well above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the time they leave at the age of seven. The school provides a very good curriculum, with excellent opportunities for enrichment, and cares very well for all its pupils. Leadership and management by the headteacher, governors and staff are very good, inspired by the excellent vision of the headteacher, which is shared by all who work in the school. Together, all staff are deeply committed to ensuring each child is valued and included in the life and work of the school and achieves to the best of their abilities. The school provides very good value for money .

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The sense of teamwork, expectations, enthusiasm and dedication of teachers and teaching assistants is a significant strength. • Good and very good teaching is instrumental in pupils’ high achievement and the good and very good standards pupils attain. • The breadth of the curriculum is very good and opportunities for inclusion and enrichment are excellent. • Very good assessment is used to develop very good intervention strategies. • Leadership and management are very good, with excellent vision by the headteacher. • Governors have a very good understanding of, and involvement in, the work of the school. • The use of information and communication technology (ICT) across the curriculum is not fully developed.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has maintained its strengths and addressed the few minor issues from the last report well. On-going professional development ensures teachers’ knowledge and expertise is maintained, and attendance is closely monitored. The accommodation is very good, and movement through the hall has very little impact on lessons, because pupils are so engrossed in their activities.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is good , and pupils attain high standards by the time they leave school.

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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 C A A A writing B A B A mathematics C A B B Key: A - well above average; B - above average; C - average; D - below average; E - well below average Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The table shows that standards in reading were well above average, and in writing and mathematics were above average in the 2003 national tests at the end of Year 2. Compared with similar schools, standards were well above average in reading and writing, and above average in mathematics. Variations year-on-year are the result of differences in pupils’ ability levels within each year group, but comprehensive assessment and monitoring of each pupil enable the school to demonstrate very clearly the progress each individual makes, the value added, and to set challenging targets for attainment in these tests. Inspection findings confirm the good progress which pupils make, and their high levels of achievement. Current standards in English, mathematics and science are above average, and are on course to be well above average by the end of the year. Standards in ICT meet Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

expectations, and in religious education are above expectations. In art and design, pupils achieve very well and the quality of work on display is impressive.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Children join the school with average levels of attainment, although the school has noted a decline in their social and communication skills over the years. As a result of very good teaching, children make good progress, and in most of the recommended areas of learning for this age group are exceeding expectations for their age in the nursery and reception classes.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is very good . Teaching is good overall and frequently very good . Teachers and teaching assistants work as highly effective teams to provide lively and stimulating lessons and work closely together to support pupils as they work and to assess pupils’ standards and achievement. As a result, all pupils are included fully in lessons and achieve well. Assessment is very good , and teachers use the information very effectively to group pupils in their classes and provide work which is challenging and matched well to their individual needs.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is very good , and significantly enriched through excellent themed events and weeks, which are organised in an exemplary fashion. Links with other schools and with the community are very good and play a significant part in the high quality of education provided in the school. Care for the child is at the heart of the school’s philosophy, and this is very good overall.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management by all with specific responsibilities are very good . The excellent vision of the headteacher is encompassed in the school’s aims, which form the foundation stone for all its work. These are shared fully by all who work in the school, creating a warm, inclusive ethos in which all feel valued and supported. Governance is very good . Governors fulfil their responsibilities very well, provide very effective challenge and support, and are closely involved in the leadership and management of the school.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are overwhelmingly positive in their support for the school and all it does for their children. A very small number have specific concerns, and should take these up directly with the school. Pupils are very proud of their school and appreciate the many opportunities it provides. They feel confident that their views are valued and that adults will care for them if they have any problems or difficulties.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important thing the school should do to improve is:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• further develop the use of ICT across the curriculum. Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils’ achievement, and the standards they attain, are good throughout the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very high standards in art and design. • Standards in English and mathematics are above average, and on course to be well above average by the end of the year. • Pupils learning English as an additional language make good progress and achieve standards in line with other pupils. • Very effective assessment leads to very focused target setting and results in all groups of pupils achieving well in relation to their abilities. • Children in the nursery and reception classes achieve well and make good progress as a result of very good teaching.

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Commentary

1. Children join the Foundation Stage with average levels of attainment, although the school has noted a decline over recent years, particularly in relation to their personal, social and emotional development and their communication skills. The very good teaching in the nursery and reception classes gives them a flying start to their education, and they make good progress. Many children are already exceeding expectations for their age in the areas of learning recommended for the Foundation Stage, and this is explained in detail in Part C of the report.

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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 17.3 (17.5) 15.7 (15.8) writing 15.9 (16.0) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 16.9 (18.5) 16.3 (16.5) There were 87 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. In the 2003 national tests at the end of Year 2, standards in reading were well above average compared both with the national average and with similar schools. Standards in writing and mathematics were above the national average, and in writing were well above average compared with similar schools. Results do vary year-on-year, as a result of differences in the nature of pupils’ abilities in each year group, but the school’s performance has been consistently better than the national picture over the past five years in all tested areas. Very effective assessment means that the school has a very clear picture of the attainment and progress of each individual, and enables it to set challenging targets for individuals and the year group as a whole. Teachers use the information very effectively to provide work matched well to pupils’ abilities, and as a result all pupils’ achievement is good.

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Commentary

3. The school has a steadily increasing number of pupils learning English as an additional language. They are fully included in all the school’s activities and make good, and often very good progress. Parents are very pleased with the progress they make. An analysis of results in the most recent national tests shows that these pupils achieved results that were very similar to those of their peers. In fact, almost two-thirds of them attained at least Level 2a in reading, and a third achieved Level 3. These are good results. Pupils also achieved good standards in Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School writing tests. Only one or two pupils who had recently joined the school, and who were at a very early stage of learning English, did not achieve the expected levels but had, nevertheless, made good progress and achieved the best level they were capable of. The number of pupils with special educational needs is broadly in line with national averages. These pupils achieve

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Commentary

well, bearing in mind their abilities. Their performance is monitored very closely and they are moved up and down the register of special educational needs as appropriate.

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Commentary

4. Inspection findings show that standards in English and mathematics are above average at this stage in the year, and are on course to be well above average by the end of Year 2. Standards in science are above average, and in religious education are above expectations for pupils’ ages. The work on display shows pupils achieve very high standards in art and design. Standards in ICT meet expectations, and the subject is a current focus for improvement in the school development plan.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Throughout the school, pupils’ attitudes towards their work are very good . Overall, the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ are very interested in their work and keen to do well. • Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour. • There is very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development. • The good relationships fostered by the school. • A small number of pupils exhibit inappropriate behaviour.

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Commentary

5. Pupils take their work very seriously; they thoroughly enjoy their lessons and like being at school. Teachers establish a good working atmosphere in their classes by planning work that is interesting and relevant to their pupils. They promote good relationships between pupils and themselves by setting an example of close teamwork. All adults in the school work to sustain harmony in the school community. As a result, no incidences of bullying or harassment were seen during the inspection and pupils grow in self-confidence. Expectations that pupils will behave well are clear and consistently applied. As a result, the great majority of pupils understands right from wrong and behaves very well. However, there is a small number who, from time to time, stand out as less well behaved by, for example, showing off to one another in lessons.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 138 0 0 White – any other White background 15 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 20 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 5 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 5 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 14 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 9 0 0 Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 2 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 7 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 49 0 0 Black or Black British – African 53 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 13 0 0 Chinese 2 0 0 Any other ethnic group 10 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 2 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded

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Commentary

6. Pupils who join the school speaking very little English show tremendous determination in wanting to learn another language. They settle quickly, not least because other pupils look after them very well and make them feel welcome.

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Commentary

7. Planning for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good and permeates the curriculum and the life of the school. Assemblies make a sound contribution to pupils’ spiritual development and a good contribution to their awareness of their responsibilities to one another and others less fortunate than themselves. During religious education lessons, teachers are successful in encouraging respect for others and their beliefs. Very good opportunities are taken to involve pupils and their families from different cultures and faiths in vibrantly displayed projects, such as ‘Many Cultures, One Family’. The active involvement of parents and the community in such topics is instrumental in helping pupils to develop a sense of citizenship. This promotes tolerance and understanding, and underlines the school’s ethos of valuing all its members.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.5 School data 0.7 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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Commentary

8. As a result of the school’s encouragement, rewards and careful monitoring, pupils’ attendance is good. The percentage, however, at 93.8 per cent is only average because one child did not come to school for six months but remained on roll. Punctuality is very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is very good . Teaching and learning are good overall and often very good, leading to good achievement by pupils of all abilities, with very good assessment supporting this. The quality and range of the curriculum is very good, with excellent opportunities for enrichment through exciting events and themed weeks. The school cares very well for the pupils in its care and has very good links with parents, the community and other schools.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good overall, with a significant proportion being very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The enthusiasm, dedication and sense of teamwork between all staff are very good. Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School • Very good shared planning ensures all pupils of the same age have very good equal opportunities. • Teachers’ high expectations and encouragement of pupils to do their best lead to good achievement throughout the school. • Thorough and comprehensive assessment ensures teachers provide pupils of all abilities with challenging work.

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Commentary

9. The quality of teaching and learning is a significant strength of the school and is highly instrumental in promoting pupils’ good standards and achievement. The high level of co- operation and teamwork between all staff is clearly evident in lessons, in support for pupils in small groups and individually. During the inspection, teaching was never less than satisfactory; it was good in nearly half of lessons seen and very good in over a quarter more.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 39 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

0 (0%) 11 (28%) 19 (49%) 9 (23%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

10. Teaching and learning in different subjects and areas of learning are explained in detail in the relevant sections in Part C of the report, but there are good and very good features common to lessons throughout the school.

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Commentary

11. Teachers plan very carefully together to ensure that pupils of the same age in different classes receive similar experiences and, as a result, there are very good equal opportunities throughout the school. Planning is detailed, and includes a very good degree of challenge to ensure all groups of pupils work to the best of their abilities in all lessons. Teachers work hard to make lessons interesting, relevant to pupils’ interest and fun, and pupils respond enthusiastically, showing a high degree of enthusiasm and motivation. During introductions, teachers consistently share the aims of the lesson with pupils, so that they are clear about what they will be learning, and teachers work hard to include all pupils in discussion and debate. Teaching assistants play an important part during these sessions, encouraging pupils to take part and recording and assessing their responses. Teaching assistants also provide

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Commentary

invaluable support for pupils during practical activities, both in and out of the classroom. Teachers and assistants work closely with different groups of pupils as they tackle their appointed tasks. Good relationships throughout the school mean that pupils respond very well and work hard, in an atmosphere where there is no fear of failure.

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Commentary

12. Teachers and teaching assistants are very well aware of the needs of pupils with special educational needs. They respond quickly to ensure that work is well matched to pupils’ needs and that they are fully involved in their work and class activities. When teaching assistants are seen at their best, they are of high quality, and instrumental in the good progress made by pupils with special educational needs. Where they are pro-active in recording and questioning pupils’ responses during lessons, they are of inestimable value to teachers and pupils alike.

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Commentary

13. Teachers are also well aware of the needs of pupils learning English as an additional language. They are very good at adapting sections of their literacy lessons to make sure pupils are fully involved and that they have as many chances to respond to questions as possible. Adults working closely with them provide very good support. They know the pupils well and encourage them at all times. Some of these pupils provide very good role models in lessons, using a very good range of vocabulary. Teachers encourage dialogue in lessons, and this helps those who do not speak English fluently to extend their own range of spoken language. Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School 14. Assessment is very good. As a result of close and careful observation, teachers have a very good understanding of the needs and abilities of all pupils in their classes. From this knowledge, they organise their classes into five groups, and set challenging work and targets

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Commentary

for each of these groups. This plays a significant part in the high standards and good achievement in the school. The school is in the process of introducing a good assessment system to record pupils’ progress in learning English, where this is an additional language.

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The curriculum

The curriculum provided by the school is very good , with excellent opportunities for enrichment, particularly in the arts.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Excellent use of themed events and weeks makes the curriculum rich and vibrant. • All pupils are fully included in the very good curriculum. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • Very good accommodation and resources, both human and material, support the curriculum very well.

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Commentary

15. The full and rich curriculum provided by the school meets and exceeds statutory requirements, and is carefully planned to be exciting, stimulating, and to include all pupils equally. The one area for development, already identified by the school, is to extend the use of ICT across the curriculum. Provision for the arts, pupils’ personal, social, health and citizenship education are very good. These make a significant contribution to pupils’ development as mature and confident individuals, and they are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Commentary

Example of outstanding practice The involvement of staff representatives from each year group in the school in the ‘Creativity Team’ develops and promotes creativity within and throughout the curriculum in an exemplary way. The ‘Creativity Team’ inspire and motivate their colleagues to promote the creative arts across all age groups and subjects. From their initial ideas, all staff develop and extend themed events and weeks to involve the whole school’s population. The most recent ‘Many Cultures: One Family’ enabled the school to celebrate its cultural diversity in a tremendous way, and the resulting displays, showing art and culture from across the world, are stunning. Other projects, including millennium tapestries, ‘Reggio’ weeks and Christmas productions interweave drama, music, art, dance and imagination in an exciting and innovative way.

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Commentary

16. The very good accommodation and resources are used to maximum effect. The school is well staffed with experienced, enthusiastic and extremely hardworking teachers, who receive very good support from teaching assistants and parent helpers. Accommodation is generous and provides ample space for all the exciting activities teachers plan and deliver. The ‘outdoor classrooms’ for both nursery and reception children are used very well to support activities across all areas of learning.

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Commentary

17. There is very good provision for pupils with special educational needs. Those withdrawn from classes leave different lessons each week to ensure that they have equal access to the curriculum. In lessons, these pupils are well supported by teachers and teaching assistants. Their attitudes towards their work are very good. As a result, they are fully included in all other activities and they make good progress. Staffing levels to support pupils learning English as an additional language are good. Staff are well trained and play a major part in helping these pupils to improve their levels of English. Throughout the school, there is a wide range of books to illustrate a range of cultures, and each classroom has a small collection of dual language books. Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School

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Care, guidance and support

Provision for pupils’ health, safety and welfare is very good. Procedures for child protection and liaison with local agencies are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides very good pastoral care. • Very good relationships exist between adults and pupils. • Very good induction procedures for nursery children give them a flying start to school.

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Commentary

18. The school places a very high priority on pupils’ health and safety. Risk assessments are carried out regularly, security review is ongoing and good liaison with the junior school on site ensures all systems run smoothly. Staff trained in first-aid are always on site and practice is good. All staff are reminded of child protection issues at the beginning of the autumn term and know what to do. Links with, and use of, local agencies are very good.

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Commentary

19. Pupils flourish in the vibrant, caring atmosphere they encounter as soon as they start school. Teachers know them well and are quick to notice where help or advice is needed. As part of the school’s determined efforts to support and include all pupils, the reading key worker hears targeted pupils read every day, and a bi-lingual nursery nurse has been employed to help those whose first language is not English. Because relationships are very warm, all pupils have at least one adult to whom they turn if they have a problem, confident this will be resolved. They know adults listen, and that their ideas matter. ‘Ribena’ sessions with the headteacher are just one example of good consultation. As part of their personal, social and health education, Year 1 pupils decided, after lively discussion, why it was important to listen. All like the fresh fruit they are given every day, as a result of a local initiative to promote healthy eating.

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Commentary

20. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. Support is well organised and provided, both within the class and by taking pupils out for help in small groups. There is close liaison between class teachers, teaching assistants and special educational needs co- ordinator to ensure that pupils receive support that matches their needs. The co-ordinator liaises closely with other specialists, such as educational psychologists and speech therapists, and ensures that their advice is used when planning pupils’ work. Individual education plans are carefully written to reflect pupils’ needs and regularly reviewed to ensure that those needs are met. Targets match their needs well. However, they are not always written in short enough steps, or in language that pupils and parents can easily understand. The school is aware of this and the co-ordinator for special educational needs is in the process

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Commentary

of starting a ‘surgery’ to support teachers when writing targets.

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Commentary

21. Children moving from the nursery to the reception classes enjoy a very smooth transition. They are familiar with their surroundings, having already enjoyed events in the main school. Induction procedures are carefully planned and very good. Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school enjoys a very good partnership with parents. Links with the community and other local schools are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has very good links with and support from parents, and provides very good information. • Very good links exist with local cluster of schools and with the church.

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Commentary

22. Parents appreciate all the school does for their children, and play their part in their education by helping them change their books every morning and doing their best to assist them with work at home. Communication is good and parents know they can speak to teaching staff at any time. Should other problems arise, friendly staff in the office will always assist. Translators are rarely necessary, but will always be found in the event that parents for whom English is not their first language cannot find a friend to help them. Parents appreciate the breakfast and after-school clubs facilitated by the school.

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Commentary

23. Parents are very well informed. In addition to the well-written school prospectus, governors’ annual report and regular newsletters, notices and advice on how to help their children are prominently displayed in all classes. Annual reports detail what children can do as well as where they need to improve. Attendance at consultation meetings is very good and absentees are contacted. The recent readers’ workshop attracted over fifty parents. Parents of children with special educational or other needs are involved in meetings and in discussing pupils’ individual education plans, and they, as well as parents for whom English is not their first language, are well supported by staff. The enthusiastic Friends’ Association runs very successful and well-supported events ranging from Murder Mysteries to the Easter Extravaganza. They also organise the Borough fresh fruit scheme. School productions fill the

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Commentary

hall to over-flowing, enthusiastic relatives eager to celebrate what their child can do.

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Commentary

24. Very much part of the local community, school events attract many people, and the popular Summer Fair is very well supported by local residents. Ministers are amongst regular visitors, and the Diocese Education meetings are held in school once a year. Fifteen pupils lay poppies at the war memorial as part of the annual Remembrance ceremony. Very good links enable office staff, teachers and governors to share training within the cluster of five local schools. Children in reception and Year 1 enjoy the company of some from a local special school, and during Reggio week junior school pupils work with the infants, to the benefit of all. The very recent ‘Many Cultures, One Family’ week provided many very good opportunities to forge strong links between home and school and helped to make pupils very proud of their cultural traditions. The education business partnership is valued. The focus this term is ‘work/life

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Commentary

balance’, which is providing the headteacher with food for thought.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are very good with all staff and governors sharing fully the school’s aim, ‘To develop every child intellectually, creatively, physically, emotionally, socially, morally and spiritually’. Governors have a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and they fulfil their statutory duties diligently.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The leadership and management of the headteacher are very good overall. • Staff work together in very effective teams. Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School • Governors have a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and provide very good support to the headteacher and staff. • Assessment procedures and the school’s analysis of data are very good.

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Commentary

25. The headteacher is an inspirational leader and her clarity of vision, high aspirations and sense of purpose are excellent. She draws the best out of all staff, who fully support the school’s beliefs, and work with dedication and enthusiasm for the benefit of the children. The children in the school are at the very heart of the headteacher’s thinking and the school’s aspiration that ‘no child slips through the net’ is met excellently. The headteacher firmly believes in managing the school through teamwork and this is highly successful. All staff feel that their opinions are valued and that the decisions are corporate. Teams such as the ‘Creativity Team’, ‘Citizenship Team’ and the year-group planning teams are very effective in ensuring that all pupils are given a rich and balanced curriculum, which raises their awareness of others’ beliefs and values and develops mature and confident individuals.

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Commentary

26. The headteacher and her staff have implemented very good assessment procedures, and the analysis of data by the headteacher is extremely detailed. This enables the school to track and set specific targets very effectively, both for individuals and different groups of pupils. This includes those learning English as an additional language, those from different ethnic groups and those with special educational needs. There is no deputy in the school, but one senior member of staff has accepted responsibility when the headteacher is out of school. This was agreed by all staff as a means of helping reduce the school’s deficit budget and works very well. It has, for example, enabled the school to develop the management skills of other senior staff. The headteacher and senior management team meet regularly, as do the curriculum planning teams, and they provide good role models for new staff. The school has developed

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Commentary

very thorough induction procedures for new and temporary staff and provision for the professional development of staff is good.

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Commentary

27. The co-ordinator for special educational needs carries out her role efficiently and well. She has established well-organised procedures, which ensure the smooth running of identification and provision for these pupils. She is fully and ably supported by a very experienced governor. The co-ordinator for pupils learning English as an additional language provides good leadership. She plays an important part in advising teachers on the most successful approaches to include pupils whose mastery of English is not complete, for example their approach to questioning that ensures pupils are able to understand.

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Commentary

28. Governors have a very good knowledge of the life and work of the school and they fulfil their statutory responsibilities thoroughly. They are very well aware of the school’s strengths and its very few minor areas for development. The chair and vice-chair of governors meet regularly with the headteachers of both the infant and junior schools to monitor the day-to-day running of the schools as well as to share thoughts and ideas for the future. All governors have a responsibility for an aspect of the school’s life and visit the school regularly which enables them to keep well-informed. They have very good procedures for dealing with any complaints, most of which are resolved amicably.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 893,304 Balance from previous year 28.589 Total expenditure 901,400 Balance carried forward to the next year 20,493 Expenditure per pupil 2,919 Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School 29. Financial control is very good. In the current financial year, the school has a significant deficit budget through no fault of its own. It has taken great care while reducing this deficit to ensure that the quality of education provided for the pupils has not been affected, for example in not appointing a deputy head and other staff taking additional responsibilities. The school has bought into the financial services provided by the local education authority, which provides a regular and detailed budget analysis to the school and the governors’ financial committee. This committee meets regularly and has very clear terms of reference including spending and virement limits. The governors are fully aware of the principles of best value. They compare the

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Commentary

school’s results year on year with others, constantly challenge the headteacher and consult with a wide range of support agencies and parents regularly. Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

30. Provision in the Foundation Stage is very good . The nursery, which is considered to be an integral part of the school, and the reception areas provide a warm, welcoming and well- equipped environment. Both the teachers and other adults who work with these children have a thorough understanding of their needs and how they learn. The co-ordinator provides strong leadership and staff work in very effective teams which is a strength of the school. Teaching is very good with clearly focused teaching sessions balanced carefully with opportunities for children to work independently. The children’s response is very rewarding as they rarely interrupt their teachers when they are working with other groups. Curriculum planning is skilfully led and managed. It is appropriately linked to the areas of learning through themes which encompass the whole curriculum. High quality displays are used very effectively by

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

teachers to enhance children’s learning. The school has developed very good outside play areas which are used advantageously to support all areas of learning. Assessment procedures are meticulous. Children’s development and progress is monitored closely and from this information teachers set achievable targets for each individual. Consequently, children make good progress throughout the Foundation Stage, with most achieving, and many exceeding, the early learning goals by the end of the reception year.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Children’s personal, social and emotional development is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children develop a high degree of self-confidence. • Attainment is above expectations for their age. • Children feel at ease within their environment.

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Commentary

31. This area of learning is given a very high priority and the staff work closely with parents to ensure that the children feel secure within their environment. Children in the nursery settle smoothly and quickly and readily join in independent activities as well as in those led by adults. They play happily independently or alongside each other and by the time they reach the end of reception, they begin to collaborate and share equipment when playing together. In the nursery, for example, the children happily and most seriously restocked the supermarket shelves, whilst in the reception classes role play was focused on a post office ready for Christmas parcels and letters. Children learn to observe rules and one nursery pupil said, ‘I couldn’t enter the warehouse because I didn’t have a yellow coat!’. In reception, children play together co- operatively. For example, when riding bikes they carefully observe their well-controlled traffic

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Commentary

system. The children regularly mix happily with pupils from a special school. They develop a strong sense of responsibility through doing different tasks, such as taking the registers to the office and tidying the classroom at the end of a session.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above expectations overall. Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School • Children are very well prepared for the first stages of the national curriculum.

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Commentary

32. Teachers place a very high degree of importance on developing the children’s skills in communication, language and literacy. They take every opportunity to develop these skills in all areas of learning, for example when focusing on developing children’s knowledge and on understanding words, such as ‘shiny’, ‘dull’ and ‘reflect’. These were chosen very carefully to describe different objects. Teachers and adults spend a lot of time talking to the children and provide many opportunities for pupils to play collaboratively, such as in role-play activities. Teachers encourage all children to speak clearly and listen carefully in lessons. The children enjoy listening to stories and readily join in with familiar texts. Every morning in the reception classes when the children come into the classroom, they choose a book to look at, they handle it carefully and sit quietly using picture cues to follow the sequence of the story. Teaching

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Commentary

focuses on developing early reading skills such as raising children’s phonic awareness. Most know their initial letter sounds but at this stage in the year few can build words using consonant blends. At this early stage in the year, the very highest attaining children are reading fluently whilst the least able use pictures to recount the story. Most, however, know that words have meaning and that they are read from left to right. Teachers spend a lot of time developing early writing skills and concentrate on letter formation. Most children already hold their pencils correctly. If current progress is maintained, most children are likely to be well launched into independent writing by the end of the reception year.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good focused teaching sessions are in place. • A range of activities is provided to promote children’s awareness of number.

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Commentary

33. Mathematical development is good. In the nursery, children learn to count to ten confidently. They are beginning to understand concepts, such as ‘one more’ although sometimes some adults in the nursery do not always use mathematical language effectively enough. In all classrooms, the number area is used purposefully to reinforce early number concepts. In the reception classes, children learn to do simple addition sums to five and most are confident, for example, in the knowledge that 1+1+1+2 = 5. When wrapping parcels ready for the post, they begin to develop concepts of spatial awareness by estimating the size of the wrapping paper to match the size of the parcel. Direct teaching in the session seen was good. Teachers in reception classes constantly reinforce mathematical terminology by using such words as ‘bigger than’, ‘taller’ and ‘round’.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

34. Provision is good for knowledge and understanding of the world, although insufficient activities were seen to judge standards overall. Children successfully build recognisable models using construction kits. They learn to join materials together in simple ways, such as using glue. They develop early scientific concepts about classification when deciding whether objects are shiny or dull and use language such as reflection correctly. The small amount of ICT observed showed that children have good mouse control skills and that they use art programs to create simple pictures. Planning is thorough and is linked carefully to the steps suggested in the areas of learning. Links to other areas, such as language and mathematical development are good and well planned. Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

35. Provision is again good. The outside play areas are used extensively to enhance children’s physical development. They learn to climb safely, to ride, steer and manoeuvre bikes successfully. Hand and eye co-ordination is developed effectively, for example when the children use rackets to hit balls and learn to throw and catch bean bags. They manage to cut round drawings reasonably accurately and nearly all use pencils correctly.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

36. Provision is very good. Children’s attainment in art is well above average. They use a wide range of materials very successfully, such as different types of paint, pastels and pencils. They experiment with line and tone and use different techniques to extend and widen their experiences. They are taught to pay attention to detail, for example when drawing the faces of their partners. Children learn very effectively about colour through matching and mixing paints, for example through work on camouflage. They make very large and delightfully finished three- dimensional models, such as the dragons made especially for the whole school project on ‘Many Cultures: One Family’. Very little music was seen but there is a music area in each room where children experiment with different sounds. They learn to improvise using lids and other objects hanging on a line to make an orchestra. The children use their imaginations

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

creatively in role-play, such as in the post office and the supermarket.

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ENGLISH

• There is very good provision for more able pupils who attain well above average standards. • Pupils have very good attitudes towards their work. • The school has very good systems for assessment, recording and tracking of pupils’ progress. • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. • Teachers create a good environment for learning. • A few of the library reference books are not suitable for pupils of this age and some are rather worn.

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Commentary

37. Overall standards in English are above average. Some more able pupils are already attaining well above average standards, and other pupils in the same group are likely to achieve standards well above average by the end of the school year. Some aspects of English are not quite as high as in the previous inspection report when every area was well above average. For example, speaking skills and handwriting are now satisfactory. This is largely due to changes in some pupils’ attainment and experiences when they enter school, and is borne out by the variations in the national end-of-key stage test results over several years. Results from these tests suggest that girls achieve better than boys in English, but there was no evidence of this in lesson observations.

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Commentary

38. The school uses a wide range of strategies to support pupils’ learning, in particular those with special educational needs and more able pupils. As a result, pupils with special educational needs make good progress and achieve well, and more able pupils make very good progress. All pupils have very good attitudes towards their work because teachers make tasks meaningful to them and ensure that good relationships flourish in literacy lessons. Pupils co- operate and work very well together. Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School 39. Pupils concentrate and listen well to their teachers, even when sitting on the carpet for long periods. Standards in speaking are average. Some pupils express themselves and their ideas well. However, a significant number do not speak clearly using appropriate grammar or vocabulary. Most teachers correct pupils’ speech sensitively and well. However, in some lessons, teachers talk for too long which reduces the opportunities for pupils to speak to one

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Commentary

40. Standards in reading are very good. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well and make good progress. Above average pupils make very good progress and attain very high standards. All classrooms have a good supply of appropriate reading books which are very well used. However, the very good use means that books are not all in good condition. The very good involvement of parents in helping their children to choose books every morning has a very positive impact on pupils’ level of interest in books, their enthusiasm and enjoyment of reading.

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Commentary

41. Standards in writing are good. Above average pupils achieve very high standards as a result of being taught in special groups, and the most able produce very striking, mature pieces of descriptive writing. For example, when writing about a seed, ‘It floated and drifted, travelling gently in the calm silent wind’. Overall, standards of handwriting are average. Work is mainly neat and tidy. Teachers encourage the use of phonics to improve achievement in spelling, and pupils make sound progress.

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Commentary

42. Teaching in English ranges equally from satisfactory to very good. Teachers and teaching assistants work together very effectively, to improve learning. Assessment procedures in English are thorough and very good. Pupils’ progress and attainment are recorded and tracked very effectively, including regular entries in pupils’ ‘Special Books’, which are assessed against National Curriculum levels. Appropriate targets are set for pupils of different age groups, although there are some very slight inconsistencies in practice. Where the practice is very good, pupils are closely involved in deciding whether they have attained their targets and what the next stage should be. The subject co-ordinator is very experienced and enthusiastic. She has a very clear action plan and is committed to achieving standards that are as high as possible for all the pupils.

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Commentary

Language and literacy across the curriculum .

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Commentary

43. Teachers use every opportunity to encourage pupils to apply their literacy skills to whatever they are doing in lessons. As a result, pupils use language and literacy skills well across the curriculum. Older pupils develop good library skills. The library is an inviting and stimulating space. However, a few reference books are not suitable for pupils of this age, because the text is too difficult for them to read.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good and very good teaching leads to high standards and good achievement by all groups of pupils. • Comprehensive and detailed assessment means that teachers have a clear picture of pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Commentary

Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School 44. Standards in mathematics are above average, and are on course to be well above average by the end of the year. This is reflected in results in the national tests at the end of Year 2, which were above average in 2003 and well above average in 2002. Variations year-on-year result from pupils’ differing levels of ability in each year group, but every year the school can comprehensively show the progress and achievement of each pupil as a result of its very good assessment systems, which include ‘Special Books’ containing assessed and levelled mathematical exercises. Teachers assess pupils’ work regularly, and use the information to organise their classes into five groups, in order to focus work at an appropriate level and provide good challenge, well matched to pupils’ abilities. This is a significant factor in the good achievement by all pupils. Planning shows that all aspects of the subject are covered fully.

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Commentary

45. Teaching is good overall and often very good, because of this concentrated focus on enabling pupils to achieve well. Lessons are introduced with flair, so that pupils’ attention and interest is caught. Mental sessions are fast and furious, with pupils vying with each other to answer questions, such as using the ‘banana’ number paddles in Year 2 and number cards to reinforce number bonds to 10 in Year 1. Both teachers and assistants are closely involved with pupils, ensuring all are included and understand what is expected, and assessing pupils’ responses. Teachers carefully focus their questions to match pupils’ abilities and reinforce their sense of achievement, for example, using lower or higher value numbers for less or more able pupils. Consequently, pupils are keen to answer and feel pleased with their efforts. Main activities are planned in detail for the five groups, and again both teachers and assistants work

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Commentary

very closely with their groups to develop pupils’ understanding and ensure good progress. As a result, pupils in Year 1 have a good knowledge of different strategies to solve subtraction sums and a good understanding of the language associated with length. In Year 2, pupils competently find missing numbers in addition sums using a good range of strategies, and understand the balance of the equals sign well.

p.22

Commentary

46. Support for small groups is very good. In a very good Year 1 lesson, a few less able pupils worked outside the classroom during the introductory session on a similar activity related to length, sparing them the stress of the main session and reinforcing their understanding well. In Year 2, very good focused teaching for the extension group enabled them to attain well above average standards in multiplication in a lively and interesting session.

p.22

Commentary

47. Leadership and management are shared by all teaching staff. The subject is not a development focus, but the co-ordinators are aware of the need to maintain the current very good provision to ensure standards continue to be high.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

48. Mathematical skills are used well across the curriculum, although ICT is not used to maximum effect to support this. Pupils use accurate measurements in science and design and technology, use their knowledge of shape to make maps and plans in geography and understand the passage of time through timelines in history.

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SCIENCE

Provision in science is very good. Standards are above average at this early stage in the year.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is good. • Standards are above average by the end of Year 2. • There is a strong emphasis on giving pupils experience of experimental and investigative science.

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Commentary

Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School 49. Teacher assessments of standards in science in both 2002 and 2003 were well above the national average. The work seen in photographs and in pupils’ books confirms this picture. Pupils’ achievements are good. From the limited amount of information available at this early stage in the year pupils appear to make good progress. The high expectations of teachers ensure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language, achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. Many are already achieving the expected levels of attainment at the end of the key stage and are likely to exceed these if current progress is maintained.

p.23

Commentary

50. Pupils cover a wide range of scientific aspects that are strongly linked in an interesting way to the school’s topic-based curriculum and there is a very firm emphasis on investigative and practical work. Pupils obviously enjoy this and record their findings in an interesting and appropriate range of ways, such as in tables or as a formally written experiment. This quality of work is apparent throughout the key stage. Pupils learn the meaning of a fair test, for example when deciding on the type of paper to use for different purposes. They learn to classify different plants and animals and to look at the properties of materials used in experiments about sound.

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Commentary

51. It was only possible to observe one lesson during the inspection but, from the detailed planning, the standards of work seen and teachers’ detailed assessments, the quality of teaching appears to be at least good. The science curriculum is linked interestingly to the topics taught by the school. The co-ordinators ensure that all the programmes of study are covered through monitoring planning. Team planning then ensures that there is consistency in what is taught to pupils in different classes in the same year. Assessments are regular and very detailed. They are linked closely to the different levels of attainment and pupils’ progress is monitored thoroughly through the school’s simple but very effective five-column system.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Enthusiastic subject co-ordinators have good plans to improve the subject. • The use of ICT across the curriculum is not fully developed.

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Commentary

52. Standards in ICT meet expectations. This seems to be a decline since the last inspection, but requirements have changed since that time. In particular, planning for the use of ICT across the curriculum has become a requirement, and remains a development priority for the school. Evidence from the portfolio of work shows all curriculum requirements are met appropriately. Pupils’ skills in using ICT, and their achievement, are satisfactory, and they greet their lessons in the suite enthusiastically, but they have a less well-developed understanding of the value of ICT to support their work in other subjects.

p.23

Commentary

53. Teaching is satisfactory overall, and was good in most of the sessions seen. Teachers have a satisfactory understanding of the programs they use, and plan closely together to ensure all pupils of the same age have similar experiences. In Year 2, for example, pupils had the same opportunity to write sentences about London past and present, using pictures teachers had downloaded from the Internet effectively, for a stimulus. Pupils wanted to write their sentences in columns, but limitations in the way the program was set up frustrated their attempts. A few more able pupils worked imaginatively to overcome this! Although the lesson was not seen, the results of Year 1 pupils using graphics to reproduce rubbings they had made in connection with art were impressive. One of the co-ordinators uses the interactive whiteboard in her classroom very effectively to support her teaching across all subjects, and in a mathematics

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Commentary

Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School lesson, for example, this reinforced pupils’ understanding of the relative size of different objects very well.

p.24

Commentary

54. Leadership and management by the two co-ordinators are good. They are both enthusiastic about the subject, and share this enthusiasm well with their colleagues. They have a clear understanding of the potential of ICT to enhance the already very good curriculum provision in the school still further, and have detailed development plans to bring this about.

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

55. Appropriate links exist between ICT and other areas of the curriculum, such as history and art, with Year 2 pupils creating atmospheric silhouette pictures of the Great Fire of London, and science as pupils label pictures of growing beans and generate graphs of their favourite fruits. However, the school has identified that these links are not planned for in sufficient detail either in ICT or in other subjects.

p.24

Religious education

Provision for religious education is good , which is an improvement on the last inspection.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards and achievement are above average. • Teachers use their knowledge well to make lessons relevant to pupils. • Pupils are interested in, and enthusiastic about the subject.

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Commentary

56. By the time pupils leave the school, standards and achievements in religious education are above average. This is an improvement on the previous inspection report. Pupils listen well and they are very interested in their work. Teachers are knowledgeable; they make lessons relevant to their pupils and use artefacts and illustrations well to bring the lessons alive. As a result, pupils retain a lot of information and make good progress in gaining knowledge and understanding in the subject. For example, pupils recalled a great deal of information about Hinduism and immediately recognised a puja tray, correctly explaining items on it. Teachers successfully encourage respect for the values and beliefs of others so that religious education makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Demands made on pupils to use the correct vocabulary make a good contribution to their

p.24

Commentary

literacy skills. All pupils are fully included in lessons and those with special educational needs make good progress. There is no significant difference in the achievement of boys and girls.

p.24

Commentary

57. Teachers’ planning is thorough. Resources are satisfactory and used well to support teaching and learning. The school follows the locally agreed syllabus. Current developments in the subject include a review of the scheme of work now that the new Diocesan syllabus is published. The co-ordinator is very enthusiastic and has a clear vision of how the subject can be further developed and enhanced.

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Commentary

58. Geography and history topics alternate every term, but there was insufficient evidence during the inspection to make a secure judgement about pupils’ standards, their achievements or the quality of teaching and learning. Evidence from pupils’ work and teachers’ planning show that statutory requirements are met, and pupils are clearly very interested in their work and keen to talk about work on display. Whole school topics, such as the most recent ‘Many Cultures, One Family’ make a very good contribution to pupils’ knowledge and understanding of life in other countries as well as enhancing their personal, social and cultural development, their Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School understanding of citizenship and making good use of literacy skills. Work about London in the past includes the appropriate use of ICT when word-processing accounts of the fire of London. Writing in the role of people, such as Samuel Pepys, makes a useful contribution to pupils’

p.24

Art and design

Provision in art and design is very good and pupils throughout the school attain high standards.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ standards are above expectations throughout the school and they achieve well. • Pupils are given a wide range of experiences in using different materials and techniques. • Curriculum planning is detailed and includes regular assessments so that pupils’ progress is monitored closely.

p.25

Commentary

59. The quality of artwork on display and in the school portfolios is impressive, particularly that completed for the whole school topic ‘Many Cultures: One Family’. This includes a wide range of work using different media, such as pastels, paint and pencils, and techniques such as collage and three-dimensional work. The giant models of dragons were particularly effective and carefully finished – especially the eggs. This work extends pupils’ awareness of art in different cultures, such as aboriginal art, African masks and, of course, the Chinese dragons. This is a truly inclusive project with all pupils in the school being involved, including those in the Foundation Stage.

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Commentary

60. A very illuminating and interesting portfolio of work shows clearly the good progress made by all pupils in aspects of line and tone, colour and texture. Pupils learn to mix and match colours at an early age and then link this well to work in science, for example the work on camouflage. They look carefully at the work of artists, such as Kandinsky. Three-dimensional work is very well represented in the form of face-masks, buses made from boxes and paper bag puppets. Observational drawings in Year 2 of buildings in London are recognisable and show attention to detail. In printing, for example, where the youngest pupils make simple prints, these techniques are developed to Year 2 so that pupils create regular and interesting patterns.

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Commentary

61. It was only possible to observe one art lesson during the inspection. However, the wide range of other work seen indicates that teachers have very high expectations and that the quality of teaching is clearly never less than good. The curriculum is thoroughly and carefully planned so that pupils’ skills are developed systematically. This ensures that pupils make good progress, as is illustrated by the high quality of work on display. Assessment procedures are very well linked to units of work and enable teachers to track pupils’ progress closely.

p.25

Commentary

62. Design and technology was not a focus area of the inspection. However, the work on display clearly illustrates that pupils are taught a wide range of techniques, such as assembling and joining materials together. The analysis of pupils’ work clearly indicates the strong and appropriate emphasis on the ‘design and make’ process. This was reinforced in the one lesson that took place during the inspection. Pupils are expected to draw plans and then to explain how they will construct their models. Effective questioning by the teachers clearly reinforces pupils’ understanding. Models are then constructed with attention to detail and care is taken to ensure that they are finished neatly and presentably. Finally, pupils are expected to evaluate their work and they are clearly familiar with this process. This indicates that standards are likely to be higher than expectations for pupils of this age. All pupils are given the

p.25

Commentary

Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School appropriate levels of support, including those with special educational needs, and those who are learning English as an additional language.

p.26

Commentary

63. Activities in music during the inspection were for the most part confined to singing, with some percussion accompaniment, so that it is not possible to judge standards overall. Pupils sing enthusiastically and tunefully, and have a good repertoire of songs they know by heart. Planning shows good coverage of all aspects of the subject, and the school values the contribution and good teaching of a specialist teacher, whose expertise and commitment significantly enhances provision and pupils’ clearly evident enjoyment. As part of the creative arts programme in the school, music plays an important part in the themed events and weeks, and the school takes every opportunity to involve pupils in music festivals and in appreciating the talents of visiting musicians.

p.26

Commentary

64. In physical education , only lessons in dance and gymnastics were seen during the inspection, so it is not possible to comment on standards overall. In these lessons, standards met expectations, and pupils clearly enjoyed their physical activity. Teaching was satisfactory overall, with all lessons encompassing lively, well-practised warm-up and cool-down routines, and most having good periods of sustained activity. In one very good lesson in dance, Year 2 pupils worked very hard to develop imaginative movements to depict the Fire of London, making good links to their work in history. In most lessons, teachers paid good attention to health and safety, but some pupils were wearing earrings, which is not good practice. Planning shows all aspects are covered fully, including swimming, and dance forms an integral part of the school’s creative arts programme.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision for personal, social, health education and citizenship is very good .

p.26

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

• The positive emphasis given to these areas and the way in which they permeate the whole curriculum.

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Commentary

65. Great emphasis is laid on pupils’ personal, social, citizenship and health education. It permeates the school day and can be seen clearly in the way in which the great majority of pupils treat one another and behave in lessons. Pupils are very interested in the range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds of their peers and their families and show great respect for others. As a result, relationships between pupils, and pupils and adults are good. Good use is made of science and design and technology to promote healthy eating and lifestyles. The ‘Citizenship Team’ initiate and organise very good projects to promote citizenship including, for example, a ‘Mini-Enterprise’ week. These include very good contributions from families and the local community, and enable pupils to work very successfully as co-operative teams. The teamwork is continued in normal lessons when pupils work together very well to share ideas.

p.26

Commentary

The school has not developed a formal method of taking pupils’ views into account, although it has begun to canvass these through surveys, and pupils’ ideas are consistently valued. All are fully included in school life. There was insufficient evidence to form a judgement about the quality of teaching and learning in lessons. However, from the evidence available, it is possible to state that it is at least satisfactory, and is likely to be as good as in other curriculum areas. Parish Church CE Nursery & Infant School

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 2 How inclusive the school is 1 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 2 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 2 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 2 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 1 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.27