Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School

SCHOOL

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

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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. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant school School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3-7 Gender of pupils: mixed Number on roll: 203.5 fulltime equivalent pupils

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Cherry Tree Close Cove Farnborough Hampshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01252 548003 Fax number: 01252 518380

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Jeremy Struthers

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 27 April - 1 May 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School is a large school for it’s type having in total 233 boys and girls on roll. Fifty-nine children attend the nursery part-time, either in the mornings or in the afternoons. The remaining 174 pupils attend full-time and are taught in the two reception classes or in the two classes in Year 1 and Year 2. Most pupils come from the immediate area around the school where the socio-economic circumstances are above those found nationally. Most families are of white British heritage. A small proportion of pupils come from other backgrounds and ethnic groups and only a very small number have English as an additional language. There is a below average proportion of pupils identified as having special educational needs to that found nationally and a very small number of pupils with statements of special educational needs. The range of special educational needs includes, speech and

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

language difficulties, social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and specific learning difficulties. There is a greater movement of pupils in and out of the school than is usual because the school is located near to army housing and pupils transfer to other schools when their parents are relocated. Pupils transfer to a number of local junior schools at the end of Year 2. Pupils’ attainment on entry is generally above that found nationally for children of this age especially in their early literacy and mathematical skills and their knowledge of the world. The school is involved in the Sure Start national initiative and received an Achievement Award for the last three years. It provides out-of-school care for 24 children. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

22254 Hazel Callaghan Lead inspector Foundation Stage Art and design Design and technology Music Physical education English as an additional language 9092 Ron Elam Lay inspector 25787 Edmond Morris Team inspector Mathematics Science Information and communication technology Personal, social and health education 20877 David Pink Team inspector English Religious education History Geography Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Cambridge Education Associates Ltd Demeter House Station Road Cambridge

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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 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). Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant 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 11

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 30

Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Parsonage Farm is a very effective school that enables pupils of all capabilities to achieve well and attain standards that are usually well above average. The leadership of the headteacher is exceptional and management through the school is very good. Teaching is good overall and often very good. The school provides very good value for money .

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The headteacher provides excellent leadership and is very well supported by the governors. • The teamwork between staff is strong: they have high aspirations for the pupils’ progress. • Children make a very good start to their learning in the nursery and reception classes. • Standards in reading and mathematics are high and the result of very good teaching. • There is a very strong inclusive ethos through the school and the needs of all pupils are met well. • Pupils’ personal development is very good: they behave very well and have very good attitudes to their work. • The learning support assistants contribute very well to the good teaching in lessons. • The school provides a very rich and exciting curriculum that stimulates pupils’ desire to learn. • Partnership with parents is excellent and their satisfaction with the school is very high.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made very good improvement over all areas of its work since the previous inspection. Standards have risen and the provision for pupils’ personal development has significantly improved. Information from assessment is used well to promote pupils’ future learning. Provision for information and communication technology (ICT) has improved and standards are now above those expected.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is good overall and standards are well above average. Children achieve well through the Foundation Stage and standards at the end of the reception year are well above those expected in reading, writing, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world. Standards in children’s personal, social and emotional development and in their creative development are above those expected at the end of the reception year and similar to those expected in their physical development. Most children are already confidently working within Level 1 of the National Curriculum. Standards in the other aspects of learning are above those expected in the Early Learning Goals. Pupils achieve well through Key Stage 1 so that by the end of Year 2 they are attaining standards well above average in speaking and listening, writing, and science. Standards in reading and mathematics are high because most pupils

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

are attaining the higher than expected standards of Level 3. In the 2003 tests, standards in reading and mathematics were in the top five per cent of schools nationally and above the national average in writing. Compared with schools that have a similar proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals reading was still in the top five per cent whilst writing and mathematics were both well above average.

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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 Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 7 Reading A* A* A* A* Writing A B A A Mathematics A* A* A* A Key: A* In the top five per cent of schools; 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 of all capabilities achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs often achieve very well. This is because of the very effective support given to those pupils. Pupils with English as an additional language achieve very well. Gifted and talented pupils are challenged in their work and also achieve well. Standards in science, ICT, art and design, history and geography and religious education are above those expected.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development have improved since the previous inspection and are very good . Consequently pupils show respect and care for one another. Pupils’ behaviour is very good and they show very good attitudes to their work. Attendance is above the national average. Pupils enjoy school and most arrive well before lessons start.

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The quality of education provided by the school is very good. Teaching and learning

are good. They are often very good through the school and this enables pupils to achieve well. Teachers have high expectations for pupils’ good work, attention and concentration. They make activities fun so pupils are eager to learn. The provision for children in the Foundation Stage and the curriculum provided in Years 1 and 2 are very good . Pupils’ learning is significantly enriched by the very effective links made between subjects and the many additional activities provided for the pupils. Provision for the care and welfare of the pupils is very good . There are very good procedures for the induction of children into the school. Good links with local junior schools supports pupils’ transition from one stage of learning to the next. The partnership with parents is excellent. Parents support their children’s learning very well and this encourages their effective progress.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall the leadership is very good . Management is also very good . The governance of the school is very good and governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities effectively. The leadership provided by the headteacher is excellent. She shows a clear sense of purpose and provides a strong educational direction for the school that focuses on the needs of all pupils. Consequently standards are high and the pastoral care and welfare of the pupils are very good. She is well supported by her effective deputy headteacher and the other senior teacher. The professional development of all staff is good and as a result they work together as a very effective team with a strong commitment to raise standards further. Governors are very involved in the strategic planning of the school. They provide informed support for the staff and pupils, and have a very effective oversight of the budget.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have great confidence in the school. Pupils are happy; they feel valued and secure. They have very good relationships with adults in the school. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 8 The governors, headteacher and staff of Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School are very evaluative and have rigorous procedures by which they monitor and review the work of the school. Aspects that could be improved are minor and have already been identified by the school and strategies for development are being employed. Consequently the inspection team have not identified areas for improvement. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Standards overall are well above average and pupils achieve well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve very well in the Foundation Stage and attain standards that are well above the goals expected at the end of the reception year. • Standards in Year 2 in reading and mathematics are high and the result of pupils’ very good achievement. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well.

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Commentary

1. Standards at the end of Year 2 are high and pupils achieve well throughout the school. This is due to the good and often very good teaching they receive. There are consistent procedures for the assessment of pupils’ work that guide teaching and a strong focus set by the headteacher on the importance of meeting pupils’ academic and personal needs.

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Commentary

2. Children achieve well through the Foundation Stage because of the sensitive and effective teaching they receive. Standards by the time children start in Year 1 are well above those expected. Children enter the nursery with a range of attainment and many are working at standards above that found nationally especially in their awareness of language and literacy, number and knowledge of the world. Children’s personal, social and emotional development, physical and creative development when they start in the nursery are similar to that found nationally. The teacher in the nursery puts a strong focus on promoting children’s personal and social development so they are well prepared are ready for more formal learning. By the time children enter the reception classes most are already attaining the learning goals that are usually expected for children as they enter Year 1. They continue to achieve well and by the end of reception most children are

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Commentary

already working within Level 1 of the National Curriculum in communication, language and literacy, mathematics and the different subjects referred to as knowledge and understanding of the world. Standards in their personal, social and emotional development are above those expected whilst children’s physical development is similar to that expected at this age.

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Commentary

3. Pupils continue to achieve well through Key Stage 1 so that by the end of Year 2 they are attaining standards well above average in speaking and listening, writing, and science. Standards in reading and mathematics are very high and have been maintained since the previous year’s National Curriculum tests.

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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 18.9 (18.7) 15.7 (15.8) writing 16.8 (15.1) 14.6 (14.4) Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 10 mathematics 19.0 (19.4) 16.3 (16.5) There were 58 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

4. In the 2003 National Curriculum tests standards were in the top five per cent of schools nationally in reading and mathematics and above the national average in writing. Compared with schools that have a similar proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals reading was still in the top five per cent whilst writing and mathematics were both well above average. These standards have been effectively maintained in reading and mathematics over the last three years. Standards in writing have fluctuated a little but are usually at least above average. Children enter the school with above average standards for their age and the results of the National Curriculum and teachers’ assessment show pupils’ good progress through the school. Pupils’ achievement in Years 1 and 2 is good in most areas of learning. In reading and mathematics pupils achieve very well. This is the result of often very good teaching. Standards attained in the most recent National

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Commentary

Curriculum taken have been maintained at a similar good standard.

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Commentary

5. Pupils of all capabilities achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well. This is because of the very effective support given to those pupils. The standards attained by pupils with special educational needs are often in line with those expected for their age and above those expected compared with the difficulties they sometimes experience in learning. Gifted and talented pupils are challenged in their work and also achieve well. Pupils who have English as an additional language often arrive in the Foundation Stage with no knowledge of English. Their needs are effectively identified and sensitive knowledgeable support enables them to settle quickly and achieve very well in all areas of learning.

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Commentary

6. Not all subjects were inspected closely and standards cannot be judged. Standards in ICT, art and design, history and geography are above those expected nationally. Standards in religious education are above those expected in the locally agreed syllabus.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Overall, pupils' attitudes to school and their behaviour are very good. Attendance is good and punctuality is very good. The provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is very good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school's provision for social and moral development leads to excellent relationships around the school. • Pupils behave very well and have very positive attitudes to work and like being at school. • Pupils enjoy coming to school and they are rarely absent.

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Commentary

7. Pupils’ very good attitudes and behaviour are strengths of the school, and have improved since the previous inspection. Pupils enjoy coming to school, are keen to participate in the many opportunities provided for them and very willing to take responsibilities. This has a very positive impact on their learning, as they want to do well. Pupils have excellent relationships with their teachers and with each other. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 11 8. Pupils' social development is excellent. Children enter the nursery with average personal and social skills. They settle very quickly to class routines and develop confidence in their school surroundings. Provision for children’s personal, social and emotional development is very good and by the end of reception children are confident, work with enthusiasm and get on well with children in their class and older pupils who read with them regularly. The school provides very good opportunities for all pupils to interact with

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Commentary

classmates in group work, paired discussions and monitor tasks within each class. The pupils in Year 2 have a range of responsibilities around the school which enable pupils of different ages to work together. Their awareness of the wider world is enhanced by the different visitors and their collections for charity. Pupils' relationships with their peers and with adults have improved since the last inspection, and contribute significantly to the quality of work in lessons and to the progress they make, especially by giving them the confidence to ask and to answer questions.

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Commentary

9. Pupils are aware of how their behaviour affects others and the great majority have learnt self-discipline resulting in an orderly school. They are open, polite to adults and to each other and welcoming to visitors. They move around the school in an orderly way even when not supervised. Even the youngest wait patiently for other classes to come in to assemblies. The school uses a variety of positive strategies to encourage good behaviour, which are used consistently by all the staff. Pupils confirm that the occasional instances of misbehaviour are dealt with promptly and effectively. Bullying or other aggressive behaviour is non-existent. There have been no exclusions.

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Commentary

10. Parents confirm what their children told the inspectors and what was seen during the inspection. Pupils like school and they really enjoy their lessons. They listen attentively and follow instructions well. They are eager to answer questions and are prepared to contribute their ideas. Pupils usually settle quickly to work and maintain their interest even when not being directly supported by adults in the classroom. These very positive attitudes reflect the quality of teaching and the variety of interesting activities built into the lessons.

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Commentary

11. The opportunities for pupils to gain insight into other peoples’ values and beliefs in order to develop their spiritual awareness are very good. As well as providing a brief time for reflection, school assemblies help pupils to develop a sense of belonging to a whole school community and, each week, to celebrate the contributions and achievements of others. ‘Circle time’ discussions help pupils to start to appreciate their own worth and to raise their self-esteem. They discuss varied topics and are starting to accept that others may have a different view or belief from their own. Pupils willingly demonstrate they can act responsibly taking care when helping others in the playground and when carrying out tasks in the classroom.

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Commentary

12. The provision for cultural development is good. Its strength lies in the fact that many subjects provide pupils with a fuller understanding of the world around them with, for example, painting and music, developing aesthetic awareness. Pupils are starting to appreciate their local culture with work on the village in the early years of the last century and the western cultural background from nursery rhymes and work on Christian customs in religious education. Non-western culture is introduced with, for example, Indian dance, work on Hinduism and St Lucia. An Indian drummer has visited the school, but the opportunities for pupils to meet and work with people from other cultures are limited. The pupils from different backgrounds mix well with each other and it is very apparent that racial harmony is one of the strengths of the school. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 12 13. Attendance has been maintained at the good level since the last inspection. Pupils often

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Commentary

arrive long before lessons begin and the very effective arrangements at the start of the day lead to pupils being settled in school and a prompt start to lessons.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.8 School data 0.0 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. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 13

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is very good. Teaching and learning are good. Pupils’ learning is assessed very well and their standards are effectively monitored to track their progress. The curriculum stimulates pupils’ learning very effectively and is very successfully enhanced by a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and additional activities that enrich pupils’ learning. The school provides for pupils’ care, welfare and health and safety very well. Partnership with parents is excellent. Links with other schools and the local community are good.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2 are good. There is often very good teaching throughout the school that results in pupils’ very effective learning. Assessment of pupils’ work is very effective.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers in the Foundation Stage have a very good understanding of the needs of the children. • Teaching in Years 1 and 2 is good overall and often very good and this leads to pupils’ good progress. • Teachers have high expectations for pupils’ good achievement. • Pupils of all capabilities are challenged, stimulated and encouraged. • Learning support assistants play a very important part in pupils’ successful learning. • Procedures for assessing pupils’ work are thorough and comprehensive. • Information about pupils’ learning is very effectively used to improve teaching and so raise standards.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 28 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

14. Teaching in the nursery is very good and in reception it is good overall. There is a good balance between adult-led activities and opportunities for children to organise themselves and consolidate their learning through well planned play activities. The very good number of learning support assistants in the nursery and reception classes significantly enhance opportunities for children’s good learning. Children of all capabilities and those who are in the early stages of learning English as an additional language are given very good levels of support and encouragement. Teachers and learning support assistants in the nursery and the reception classes have a good understanding of the needs of these young children and activities are well planned and managed so that their learning is effectively stimulated and extended. Very effective assessment of children’s progress provides teachers with a clear overview of what they

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Commentary

know and can do so that new activities build on their prior learning well. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 14 15. The quality of teaching is consistently good or better in Years 1 and 2 and this leads to pupils’ effective learning. Teachers manage their classes very well and create a positive working atmosphere in which pupils concentrate and learn effectively. Teachers have high expectations for pupils’ good behaviour and effort and consequently pupils want to do well. They respond with interest to the good teaching, work hard in lessons and are keen to learn. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 15 16. Pupils of all abilities make good progress because activities are very carefully planned to build on their prior knowledge and understanding. Teachers provide a high degree of challenge for pupils of all abilities. The inclusive ethos throughout the school is very strong. Pupils with special educational needs learn very effectively, because of good

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Commentary

teaching and support. This is a result of very effective teamwork between teachers and learning support assistants. Similarly those children that have English as an additional language are well supported. Their needs are assessed effectively when they enter the school. Support is gained from outside agencies if required and good strategies are employed so that their knowledge of English is developed naturally through effective teaching as part of their general activities. Learning support assistants play a very important part in pupils’ successful learning. They are experienced, well trained and show good levels of initiative that works very effectively as they are thoroughly involved in planning and assessment of pupils’ work.

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Commentary

17. There has been good improvement in the use of assessment since the last inspection. The school has very good systems for assessing pupils’ progress in English and mathematics and the information gained is used very effectively to track pupils’ progress. Teachers’ ongoing assessment is effective in ensuring future lessons build on what pupils know and can do. Higher attaining pupils and gifted and talented pupils are identified and there is a strong focus on ensuring that their knowledge and skills are challenged and further extended. This effective teaching is evident in lessons. It has also been very well developed as part of the recent ‘Biscuit Factory’ project that has focused on higher attaining children through the school providing successful opportunities to explore new and stimulating ideas in their own specialism.

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Commentary

18. Analysis of national tests and other information is thorough and the school uses this information very effectively to track pupils’ attainment and to identify weaknesses so that strategies for improvement are employed. Pupils have a good understanding of what they need to do to improve through the constructive and helpful marking of their work by teachers and the discussion of pupils’ personal targets. All teachers share with pupils what they have to learn and this is reviewed at the end of lessons enabling pupils to evaluate their own progress.

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Curriculum

Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School provides a very good curriculum for its pupils. A wide range of additional activities very effectively enriches the curriculum. Accommodation and resources are very good.

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Curriculum

• The curriculum is very carefully planned and designed to maximise learning opportunities. • Excellent opportunities are provided for all pupils to participate in many interesting and stimulating activities outside the school day. • All pupils have are fully included in all aspects of the curriculum which meets their needs well. • The curriculum provides very well for pupils with special educational needs. • Good levels of staffing, very good quality support staff and very good accommodation and resources all help pupils learn more effectively. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 16 Commentary

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Curriculum

19. The curriculum fully meets statutory requirements, including very good provision for personal, social, health and citizenship education. The whole curriculum is very carefully and imaginatively planned to ensure that the available time for learning is used very well throughout the school. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 17 20. The provision for the Foundation Stage is very good and provides a rich variety of activities that stimulate children’s interest and motivation to learn. Activities are effectively planned within the recommended six areas of learning for children of this age. Aspects of learning are very effectively linked within themes so learning is meaningful and challenging. Resources are very good and they are used effectively to promote children’s learning across the curriculum. The accommodation for children in the Foundation Stage is very good. The large classrooms provide lots of additional areas for children’s

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Curriculum

independent play. The outside areas are well planned and are used successfully to stimulate children’s learning in a variety of ways.

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Curriculum

21. The curriculum for pupils in Years 1 and 2 is also very good. A great deal of thought has gone into analysing the various subjects of the curriculum to find appropriate links that enable learning in one area to support the learning in another. In Year 1, for example, information and communication technology skills are taught using a simulation program about a lost badger. The pupils have to find the route home using compass directions and find a source of food and water on the way. The work reinforced their science studies about what animals need to survive and they also improved their geographical map reading skills. Learning is made more relevant through such approaches and pupils make better progress in the subjects involved. Time is also used much more effectively as the allocated time for teaching each subject is combined to give the pupils a longer period to study to a greater depth.

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Curriculum

22. The school gives pupils many opportunities to sample and enjoy many experiences and activities over and above those included in the National Curriculum. The range of opportunities for pupils, and their parents and carers, before and after school is exceptional. There is a buzz of excitement around the classrooms as pupils and adults share in a wide variety of learning experiences. The computer suite has to be timetabled as it is so popular and the children arrive early to ensure they have an opportunity to use the program of their own choice. The after-school clubs offering a variety of sporting activities demonstrate how important the school regards the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.

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Curriculum

23. Parsonage Farm is a school in which all pupils are highly valued and fully included in every aspect of school life. It is fully committed to treating its pupils with respect and consideration at all times. Pupils of all abilities are constantly encouraged to do their very best through a curriculum that is both challenging and exciting. The curriculum provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good throughout the school. Where appropriate, the work they are given by their teachers is linked to the targets in their individual education plans and is specifically designed to help them make good progress. Pupils with English as an additional language are also well supported and encouraged so pupils of all capabilities and needs are given full access to the curriculum. They receive very good quality help from a strong team of skilled and most competent learning support assistants who make a significant contribution to their learning. The

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Curriculum

school puts a strong focus on challenging higher attaining, and the gifted and talented pupils. The recent ‘Biscuit Factory’ project extended their knowledge and skills and also enhanced the learning of most pupils through the school. Pupils are very effectively prepared for the next stages in their education.

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Curriculum

24. The school is well staffed with experienced teachers and support staff who have a range of expertise in different subject areas. Teachers willingly share their skills and knowledge with colleagues when planning the curriculum so that all aspects can be successfully Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 18 taught. The very good learning support staff give very good support and work very effectively with all pupils, often those who have special educational needs. The very good accommodation, particularly the outdoor environment, provides an exceptional learning environment, and is extremely attractive. This represents a considerable improvement since the last inspection when the accommodation was judged to be poor. The accommodation is well maintained due to the considerable commitment of the site manger and cleaning staff. Resources are good and are used very well to support learning in all curriculum areas.

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Curriculum

Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 19

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Care, guidance and support

The arrangements for pupils' care, welfare, guidance and support are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The adults in the school are very caring and know the pupils well. • The involvement of pupils in the school's work through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is good. • The support and guidance given to pupils of all abilities is very good. • The pupils trust the teachers and other staff and know there is always someone to whom they can turn. • The school very effectively monitors and promotes pupils' academic progress through the school. • The staff ensure that the school is a safe place in which pupils play and learn happily.

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Commentary

25. Staff show very good concern for the needs of the pupils and provide good role models to encourage development. Parents are pleased with the level of support in the school, seeing it as a caring community where staff are approachable if there are any problems. In particular, parents agreed that their children were very well supported when they first come into the school and when they transferred into the reception class. This is because of the good number of visits the children make before they do start and the staff visiting their homes. Pupils consider that they are supported very well by the staff and know whom they would go to if they needed help. Circle times provide good opportunities for pupils to discuss any concerns with the staff. Pupils’ self-esteem is raised by the way they are praised by the staff and by the recognition of achievements at a weekly assembly. The school has started to introduce a school council and the involvement of

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Commentary

pupils in the school's work through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is good, as shown by the number of initiates developed prompted by their comments.

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Commentary

26. The teachers regularly assess pupils' progress. In English and mathematics procedures are comprehensive and this enables teachers to set appropriate targets for their future development. The targets are reviewed at least every half term and changed as necessary. If parents wish, they are provided with a summary of how well their child is doing that includes an outline of what the child needs to be able to do to reach the next attainment level. Targets are also provided for other subjects. Some pupils are set personal targets to enable them to improve their behaviour. The school is starting to introduce assessment of personal qualities, which is planned to be in place in the next autumn term.

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Commentary

27. As can be seen by the quality of pupils’ learning, the school puts great importance on the support and challenge of the more able pupils and those who are gifted and talented. The support and guidance given to pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language by the headteacher, teachers and learning support assistants is also very good.

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Commentary

28. The governors are actively involved in overseeing health and safety matters with the site manager reporting to the appropriate committee on the result of his monitoring. Teachers ensure that pupils are made aware of health and safety issues during lessons Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 20 such as science and design and technology. The procedures for child protection and ensuring a safe school are very good. The school follows local procedures and the staff have received guidance on how to deal with any concerns that may arise. The arrangements for first aid are very good with several trained staff, records kept of treatment and incidents reported to parents. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 21

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents are excellent. Links with the local community and other schools are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents hold the school in exceptionally high regard. • The parents' support at home and involvement in the school make an excellent contribution to pupils' achievement. • The school provides an extensive range of information about what happens in school.

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Commentary

29. In the very high response to the inspection questionnaire, and at meetings with the inspectors, parents indicated they are very pleased with what the school provides. This shows an improvement since the last inspection. Their children like school, the staff expect their children to work hard and they make good progress. They consider that the staff are approachable and that they are well informed about their children's progress.

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Commentary

30. In addition to the news and other letters, the school provides each term a summary of the topics that are to be taught. This includes ideas on how the parents can help at home and suggests websites and visits. It is extended with the weekly, more detailed information put on the notice boards outside each classroom. Teachers are readily available. In particular, parents are welcomed into school with their children before the start of the day and parents also have the opportunity to talk to teachers at the end of the afternoon. From the relaxed, informal conversations seen to take place during the inspection, it is apparent that parents are very comfortable talking to the staff. In addition, the times of the more formal meetings are fixed to take account of the work pattern of parents. The annual reports on pupils’ progress in the summer term have a good summary of what the children know and can do in each subject and include targets for

p.21

Commentary

improving their achievement. If they wish, parents can also receive a half-termly summary of pupils' attainment in English and mathematics. The school works very closely and effectively with parents and other agencies in supporting pupils with special educational needs. Parents of pupils with English as an additional language are also kept fully informed and involved in the progress their children make. Where the parents’ English is not strong the use of interpreters is used to ensure that their opinions are sought and they are kept fully aware of the support being provided for their child.

p.21

Commentary

31. Parents of pupils who are gifted and talented are fully involved in the strategies being developed to further promote their children’s knowledge and skills. Their abilities in all subjects are identified and their learning further stimulated and extended. On the few occasions teachers feel that they have done their best and can do no more to extend the child’s gifts, such as in sport, then suggestions are made for parents to contact other organisations that are able to move the pupils on further in their skills.

p.21

Commentary

32. To enhance the teachers' knowledge of the pupils, each year parents complete a report about their child's likes, dislikes and concerns as well as seeking the parents' views about what the school provides. These questionnaires have resulted in the school sending home additional information. Parents (and grandparents) are welcomed into the school and during the inspection parent helpers were seen to be providing good support. Parents are also active helping on trips and maintaining the grounds. The very active Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 22 Friends' association successfully organises both fundraising and social events. Parents are also very supportive at home, finding resources, helping with their children's homework and providing experiences to enhance their learning.

p.21

Commentary

33. The school's links with other schools and the community at large help to broaden pupils’ development. The contacts with the junior school ensure that pupils have no difficulties when they transfer at the end of Year 2. In particular the Year 3 pupils write to the pupils in Year 2 and become buddies when they start. Headteachers and curriculum co-ordinators in the cluster of local schools meet regularly to share good practice and to discuss any common concerns. Pupils' understanding of society is enhanced by the contact with local ministers, charitable organisations and staff from public bodies such as the police and fire brigade. The mainstream curriculum is enhanced by the trips out to places in the local area and further afield. Visits by the older generation for Harvest Festival and Christmas events provide opportunities for pupils to meet other people in the community. Pupils have contributed their ideas to the design of traffic calming measures and some

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Commentary

other groups use the school accommodation.

p.22

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management are very good overall. The headteacher provides excellent leadership. Governance of the school is very good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides inspirational leadership. • The governors are very aware of the strengths and areas in which the school can improve. • There is a very strong sense of teamwork amongst governors, headteacher and staff. • The inclusive ethos in the school for staff and pupils is excellent. • Leadership and management provided by the senior management team and co-ordinators are very good. • The school is very effective at evaluating its work and this has resulted in significantly raised standards and very good improvement across the school’s provision.

p.22

Commentary

34. The leadership of the headteacher is excellent and this has led to the very strong commitment to achieving high standards of achievement and behaviour across all four years of the school. This is supported by a highly developed sense of purpose shared by all involved with the school. The skills within the senior management team are complementary, and together they operate as a very effective team. The school has a very strong inclusive ethos that embraces adults and pupils alike. All adults, including governors and learning support assistants, other support staff and parent helpers, all work together very effectively to ensure that the school is a lively and interesting place in which pupils learn effectively. Subject managers lead and manage their subjects well. They use an effective variety of strategies to monitor standards, teaching and learning so that the provision is further developed and improved. The leadership and management

p.22

Commentary

of English and mathematics are very effective and this has led to a cohesive provision through the school. The Foundation Stage is very effective led and managed and this ensures children make a good start to their school lives. The leadership of special educational needs, by the headteacher who is the identified person, is excellent and has resulted in pupils with special educational needs making very good achievement. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 23 35. The governors provide strong support for the school are very effective in their work. They work closely with the headteacher and staff and guide and support priorities very well. Governors have a secure understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and they are fully involved in strategic planning. Governors make regular visits to the school and the chair has developed a supportive yet critical role when required.

p.22

Commentary

36. The school is very evaluative of its work. Information about standards, teaching and learning is used successfully to identify areas that could be improved further so effective strategies are developed. This has led to the continuous improvement and contributes to the high standards. The school has made very good improvements across all areas of its work since the previous inspection.

p.23

Commentary

37. The day-to-day administration of the school is efficient and the staff in the office provide a warm and helpful welcome to the school. The school manages its budget carefully and maintains an effective staffing level with a very good level of learning support assistants. Spending decisions focus carefully on raising standards and improving the learning environment. The proportion of the budget that is carried forward to the next year is appropriate. This is a very effective school. Pupils’ personal and academic achievements are very good in key areas while spending is below average and so it provides very good value for money.

p.23

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March2004

p.23

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 595,425 Balance from previous year 23,480 Total expenditure 595,484 Balance carried forward to the next 23,421 Expenditure per pupil 2,471 Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 24

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good and prepares children very well for the next stage in their learning. Children achieve well through the Foundation Stage and standards by the time they start in Year 1 are well above those expected. Children enter the nursery with a range of attainment and many are working at standards above that found nationally especially in their awareness of language and literacy, number and knowledge of the world. Children’s personal, social and emotional development, physical and creative development when they start in the nursery are similar to that found nationally. Teaching and learning in the nursery are very good and in reception they are good overall, and often very good. There is a good balance between adult-led activities and opportunities for children to organise themselves and consolidate their learning through well-planned play activities. The

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

very good number of learning support assistants in the nursery and reception classes significantly enhance opportunities for children’s good learning. The accommodation, both in the classroom areas and outside, is used very well to stimulate children’s interest and promote their good learning.

p.24

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers put a high focus on enabling children to settle easily, to learn how to socialise with lots of new people and to organise themselves. • Children are encouraged to be independent whilst thinking about the needs of others.

p.24

Commentary

38. Children enter the nursery with a wide range of levels of attainment in their personal and social development. Standards are average overall and teachers put a high focus on enabling children to settle easily and to learn how to socialise with lots of new people. This prepares them well for learning. Children achieve well under the sensitive support they receive and attain standards in their personal, social and emotional development, which are above that seen nationally. Children in the nursery enter the classrooms confidently, say good-bye to their parents and carers happily, very quickly complete daily tasks and choose their first play activities. Children throughout the Foundation Stage are praised and encouraged in all aspects of their work and so are developing positive attitudes to their learning. Children in the nursery work and play together collaboratively, show interest in each other’s activities and are learning how to organise their own time.

p.24

Commentary

In reception children concentrate for long periods and are keen to do well. Teachers have high expectations for children’s independence in their free choice activities and consequently they choose their own resources, organise their own activities and clear away when requested to do so. Children in the nursery and reception classes are encouraged to think about the needs and feelings of others. In the reception classes they learn about some of the features of other religions and major festivals. Children from other ethnic groups and those with English as an additional language gain confidence in Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 25 this inclusive atmosphere. They are accepted socially by all the children and enabled to work and play with growing assurance in their own abilities. Teaching in this aspect of children’s development is very good and this enables all children to achieve well.

p.24

Commentary

Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 26

p.26

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children make very good progress in the skills of communication, language and literacy because teachers stimulate children’s interest in language and an eagerness to read and to write. • Teachers and learning support assistants are knowledgeable and have high expectations for children’s work and effort. • Children with English as an additional language and special educational needs are well supported.

p.26

Commentary

39. Teaching and learning in this aspect are very good and children achieve very well Many children attain the expected standards set early learning goals before entering the reception classes. This is a year earlier than expected and most are working confidently within Level 1 of the National Curriculum by the time they enter Year 1. Most children are well launched into reading and writing by the end of reception. Children make very good progress in the skills of communication, language and literacy because teachers are constantly finding ways to focus on increasing the children’s vocabulary and understanding, and their early literacy skills. Most children in the nursery speak with confidence in their groups and many happily offer comments and answers in whole class sessions. Teachers provide a language rich environment in which children can learn. There are labels and meaningful sentences around the rooms and many opportunities for

p.26

Commentary

children to write and to enjoy books. All adults discuss the children’s activities with them so that expressive language and a wide vocabulary are stimulated and children become eager to talk and to write. In the nursery, for example, children thoroughly enjoyed acting out the role of pirates as they explored the island they have discovered (the playground) searching for treasure. In the reception classes, children excitedly discussed the personality of the whale that had come into assembly, and wanted to explain to him in their writing what the school did as ‘eco-warriors’.

p.26

Commentary

40. The teachers and the experienced learning support assistants work very well with children of all capabilities and have high expectations for their work and effort. Consequently children want to do well. Children who are in the early stages of learning English as an additional language achieve well. These children have very little knowledge of English when they enter the school. They are very well supported and their learning progresses rapidly so they develop a satisfactory understanding of the language they hear and respond to instructions and questions appropriately. Their vocabulary is developing well giving them a secure foundation on which to develop knowledge and skills across all areas of learning. The spoken language of these children is still developing but they now have the confidence to respond in whole-class situations as well as quietly to the teacher or learning support assistant in small groups.

p.26

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 27

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children make good progress in this aspect of their learning because of the effective teaching. • Children’s tasks are very effectively linked with other activities so children are well motivated. • The outside environment is used well to stimulate children’s awareness of the mathematics around them.

p.27

Commentary

41. Children make good progress in this aspect of their learning because of the effective teaching and wide range of opportunities provided for them to consolidate their knowledge and further develop their understanding of numbers, shape and space. Many children attain the expected standards in the early learning goals before entering the reception classes and most are working confidently within Level 1 of the National Curriculum by the time they enter Year 1. Effective links are made with other areas of learning, for example, practising counting the sand castles made on the beach as part of their topic about the sea in the nursery. In reception children compared the number of mini-beasts found on plants, in the air on or the ground as they fill in a complex table to record their findings. The outside areas are used well to stimulate children’s interest and many opportunities are found for pupils to explore number, shape and space around the

p.27

Commentary

school. Computer programs also provide valuable opportunities for children to count and recognise numbers in the nursery and to add and compare numbers in reception.

p.27

Commentary

42. Children with English as an additional language also make good progress in developing their understanding of mathematical language and number. They are confident to answer direct questions in whole-class sessions and are developing secure knowledge.

p.27

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well because their curiosity and interest are successfully stimulated. • Activities are very effectively linked within a theme of work. • A good range of visits and visitors to school stimulates children’s further interest.

p.27

Commentary

43. When children start in the nursery their experiences of the world about them are more extensive than is usually found. As a result of the good teaching in this aspect children achieve well building effectively on what they already know and can do so that by the time they enter Year 1 most children are working confidently within Level 1 in the different subjects of the National Curriculum. Good opportunities are provided to introduce the children to aspects of science, history, geography and design and technology through topics that develop children’s interest and curiosity. As part of their learning about pirates and the sea, for example, children in nursery drew their own treasure maps considering how to represent hills and rivers and trees. They built their own boats and tested them to see if they would float. In reception, children’s knowledge of mini-beasts Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 28

p.27

Commentary

was effectively developed by studying where they live in the school grounds; looking at what they eat and how they move so they would know how best to look after the creatures they were studying. Their computer skills are developed effectively using a variety of programs. Language activities and mathematical tasks are all successfully woven together within the topic so activities are meaningful and interesting. Good questioning from the teachers and learning support assistants fire children’s curiosity so they want to find out more. The extensive and well-developed areas outside the classrooms are well used to extend children’s experiences and to develop their observational skills. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 29

p.28

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s manipulative skills are well developed through a wide range of activities. • The range of equipment available is very good and used well to stimulate children’s confidence balance and control.

p.29

Commentary

44. When children start in the nursery they have average manipulative skills, mobility, balance and control. Teaching and learning in this aspect are good and many opportunities are provided for the children to further develop these skills. They achieve well and make good progress, especially in developing their manipulative skills using simple tools and writing implements. In all classes within the Foundation Stage they are given many opportunities to use small tools, brushes, pencils and scissors so by the time they enter Year 1 most children have a good level of skill. They use scissors with control and their handwriting is legible; letters and numbers being well formed and an even size. Children’s pictures are carefully executed and many of the observational drawings of flowers are of a good standard. Children have regular opportunities to use the large toys outside in the well-developed secure play area. In the nursery, children have an extensive

p.29

Commentary

climbing frame that develops their confidence balance and mobility. Children in the reception classes participate in several weekly physical education lessons in the hall using the large gymnastics equipment available for older pupils. Most children attain the expected standards securely by the time they enter Year 1. They climb the apparatus with confidence, move around the floor with agility and control and climb the ropes with developing skill.

p.29

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A good range of activities effectively promotes children’s creative development in art and design, drama, music and at play.

p.29

Commentary

45. Children enter the nursery with standards that are similar to those found nationally and their experiences have already introduced them to drawing and music. Teaching and learning are good in this area and a wide range of stimulating activities is provided for children to further develop their imagination through stories and play in the role-play areas. In the nursery for example, children enjoyed playing on their pirate ship exploring the ocean for treasure islands. Regular opportunities to play musical instruments in teacher-led activities and as a free choice activity promote children’s understanding of how to play the instruments correctly and the enjoyment of making music. The musical garden provides a stimulating environment where children explore how different objects create interesting sounds. Children in the reception classes enjoy singing in assemblies, Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 30

p.29

Commentary

especially when accompanying the songs and hymns with actions. Good opportunities for children to explore different materials and colours in art are evident from the bright and colourful displays around the classrooms. Standards are above those expected when children enter Year 1 because most children can express their creative ideas successfully through play, when chatting with their friends, in using instruments, and using different materials and tools. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 31

p.30

Main strengthens and weaknesses

• The standard attained by pupils in reading is high and in writing very good. • Lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs achieve very well. • Teamwork and shared commitment to raise standards are a result of very effective leadership. • The use of self-evaluation is well developed and ways are constantly being found to review and improve teaching and standards. • Reading, writing and speaking are used very effectively in other areas of the curriculum to help pupils in their learning.

p.31

Commentary

46. The standards in reading are high and standards in writing are above average. This is because of the effective teaching which effectively stimulates pupils’ very good learning. Teaching is well matched to pupils’ learning needs and the very effective teamwork underpins a clear commitment by all staff in the school to the maintenance of high standards. Pupils are challenged in their learning and supported effectively by teaching and non-teaching staff. Standards have improved significantly since the last inspection.

p.31

Commentary

47. The achievement is good overall. An increasing number of pupils achieve at the higher levels and most pupils achieve better than expected. However, the greatest improvement in achievement comes with the lower attainers and those pupils with special educational needs. Extra resources, especially learning support assistants, are effectively matched to these groups. Pupils are very well behaved and eager to do well because of the confidence placed in them by teaching staff.

p.31

Commentary

48. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are well developed by the end of Year 2. Pupils use Standard English well and listen to others and their teachers with respect. They confidently express ideas in small groups and in whole-class situations adapting their conversation according to the circumstance and group. They respond appropriately to instructions and show interest in each other’s contributions to discussion.

p.31

Commentary

49. Pupils achieve very well in reading and are fluent readers by Year 2. They address fiction and non-fiction texts with confidence. Regular lessons where older pupils read and talk about books with younger children in the Foundation Stage helps to establish this confidence. Pupils' writing is of an above average standard when they enter Year 1 and they write confidently from an early age. All pupils use a simple sentence structure effectively to develop narrative. By Year 2 pupils are beginning to write stories with clear beginnings and endings. The more able pupils are pushed to write more adventurously using interesting descriptive words. In Year 2, pupils work on nonsense poetry and identify sounds and rhythm and rhyme effectively.

p.31

Commentary

50. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall and sometimes they are very good. In the very good lessons teaching inspires lively and interesting responses from the Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 32 shared reading texts. Learning is well matched to the needs of the pupils because assessment data is used effectively to set targets of pupils. As a result of this data teachers know their pupils well and extra challenges are presented for the higher attaining pupils. Very effective and well-briefed learning support assistants guide the work of pupils with special educational needs so that they are fully included in the lessons and find success in their activities. Pupils for whom English is a second language are also fully included in the lessons. In order to assist the achievement of boys, additional drama and role-play sessions have been introduced. However, in some lessons learning

p.31

Commentary

intentions are stated as activities rather than objectives to be attained and so what is to be learnt is not always sufficiently clear for pupils. This limits the opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for their own learning and to evaluate their progress.

p.32

Commentary

51. The leadership and management of the subject are very good. The headteacher sets clear standards for others to follow. Very effective teamwork, where the work of teachers and pupils is constantly evaluated and reviewed, creates a very positive and supportive atmosphere in which pupils learn well. Assessment of pupils’ work is comprehensive and the data is used well to monitor standards and track individuals’ achievement so strategies are employed for their additional support.

p.32

English across the curriculum

52. Reading, writing and speaking and listening are used very effectively across the curriculum to develop pupils’ learning. In history, in Year 2 pupils are helped to further develop their speaking skills through role-play. Report writing following visits, keeping diaries and, in religious education, re-telling stories all provide opportunities for pupils to use their writing skills. By Year 2 pupils are confident in reading non-fiction texts in order to increase their knowledge.

p.32

MATHEMATICS

• Standards are high compared with the national average. • The quality of teaching and learning is good, learning support assistants are used very well. • Assessment procedures are very good and used very well to help plan pupils’ work. • The pupils enjoy mathematics and are eager learners. • The management of mathematics is very good.

p.32

MATHEMATICS

53. Standards are high because of the above average proportion of pupils working confidently in the higher than expected standards of Level 3. This is similar to the standards attained in the 2003 national tests and has been the case for the last three years. Pupils generally achieve well and pupils with special educational needs invariably attain the nationally expected level by the time they leave the school. Investigational work is a strength, as pupils are constantly given tasks to make them think and consider a range of possible ways to solve a problem. For example, in Year 2 lessons about place value the teachers encouraged pupils to investigate different methods to find the various numbers that could be generated using three and then four digits. This they did with Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 33 confidence, and in the lesson many pupils were able to find a way to systematically

p.32

MATHEMATICS

identify all the possible numbers. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language make good progress as they are very well supported by extremely skilled learning support assistants.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

54. The quality of teaching is consistently good and often better and leads to pupils’ effectively learning. Teachers manage their classes very well and create a positive working atmosphere in which pupils can concentrate and learn effectively. Pupils respond well to the good teaching, work hard in lessons and are keen to learn. Pupils of all abilities make good progress as the work in lessons is very carefully planned to build on their prior knowledge and understanding. Teachers have very high expectations of their pupils and include a high degree of challenge for pupils of all abilities. Pupils are not set endless repetitive tasks that make them lose interest but are given lots of stimulating and thought provoking work that makes learning fun and relevant. 55. The assessment procedures are very good and are used most effectively to help pupils reach their full potential. The information collected from tests and other assessments is

p.33

MATHEMATICS

carefully analysed. Future work is then planned to meet any areas identified as needing improvement. The assessment information is also used to help set targets for groups of pupils to help them improve their skills and understanding. These targets are constantly revisited to ensure that they are being met and having the desired effect.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

56. The management of mathematics is very good. The coordinators have worked hard to make the subject more practical so that pupils enjoy their work and become more independent learners. Teamwork is of a high quality and is a major factor in the maintaining of high standards throughout the school. The coordinators have improved resources and successfully monitor the provision to identify areas for future development.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

57. There has been a very good improvement in the provision since the last inspection. Standards, from being satisfactory, are now high. Teaching is much improved so that pupils are making good progress in all aspects of mathematics.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

58. The pupils’ skills in mathematics are used well in other subjects of the curriculum. These useful links are planned; making learning more relevant and helping pupils reinforce their skills and understanding in both mathematics and other subject areas. For instance, pupils use their measuring skills in science lessons and in design and technology projects. They draw graphs using the data they have collected in class about food and use their knowledge of symmetry in art lessons to produce good quality pictures.

p.33

SCIENCE

• Standards attained at the end of Year 2 are well above the national average. • Teaching is of good quality and assessments are used effectively. • The curriculum is of a very good quality and is well supported by very good resources. • Pupils’ attitudes to their work are very good. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 34 Commentary

p.33

SCIENCE

59. Pupils’ attainment in science in 2003, based on teacher assessment, was well above the national average with a well above average number of pupils reaching the higher than expected level. Pupils currently in Year 2 are also reaching standards well above those expected nationally, particularly in experimental and investigative science. The emphasis on practical work in all classes is reaping great benefits, as the pupils are becoming thoughtful and skilled scientists. Watching caterpillars develop into butterflies, as well as being good science, gave a spiritual dimension to the work, as pupils were able to consider the wonder of life in the world around them. Their understanding of fair testing is well above that expected for their age as they talk confidently about the need to only change one variable at a time. For example, they know that the lengths of the strings used for supporting the seats on their fairground carousel have to be the same for the test

p.34

SCIENCE

60. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently good or better. Lessons are very well planned using some very good and effective resources. For example, in a Year 1 lesson the teacher made very good use of a human body tabard to demonstrate the positions of the major internal organs to the pupils. A great deal of learning took place in an imaginative and entertaining manner. The outside environment is a super resource that is utilised to the full by teachers and gives pupils many opportunities to have ‘hands on’ experiences of nature. Good assessment procedures are in place and teachers use these well to help plan the next stage in pupils’ learning. They keep careful records of the achievements of each individual pupil to ensure that a good rate of progress is maintained.

p.34

SCIENCE

61. The science curriculum is very well planned to meet the needs of all pupils. It is interesting and based on a high level of pupil involvement. In lessons the pupils are given activities that interest and excite them. When appropriate, useful links are made with other subjects. For instance, when the Year 2 pupils were finding out about reversible and irreversible changes they made bread. This was also part of their food technology work and the sequencing of instructions made a good contribution to literacy studies. Very good and well-organised resources make lessons very interesting and pupils have the opportunity to handle top quality equipment. Using the computer-linked microscopes makes pupils’ investigations more meaningful and exciting.

p.34

SCIENCE

62. Pupils throughout the school respond well to the opportunities they are given to learn science. They have a good attitude to their work and present their findings neatly and accurately. Pupils are eager learners and work together on investigations in a very responsible manner. They support each other, share resources fairly and sensibly discuss their work and findings. Pupils are proud of their achievements.

p.34

SCIENCE

63. Leadership and management of science are good. There has been a good improvement in the provision since the last inspection. Standards have improved and resources are much better in quality and quantity. The use of information and communication technology in science lessons is now a normal part of learning as it is included on a regular basis.

p.34

SCIENCE

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

p.34

SCIENCE

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is good . Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 35 Main strengths and weaknesses

p.34

SCIENCE

• Standards are good and pupils achieve well. • Teaching is of good quality so pupils make good progress. • Teachers are very well supported by a skilled learning support assistant. • The ICT curriculum is of very good quality. Available resources are used to the full. • The subject is well led and managed.

p.35

SCIENCE

64. By the time the pupils leave the school they reach standards in ICT that are above those found nationally. This is a tremendous improvement since the last inspection when ICT provision was not meeting statutory requirements and pupils’ standards were below national expectations. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language make good progress, as they are well supported individually and in small groups by both adults and their classmates.

p.35

SCIENCE

65. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Much of the teaching takes place in the suite that houses a network of computers with Internet access. Lessons are very well planned to help all pupils extend their skills and understanding. Pupils are taught new skills on a data projector that enables the teachers to demonstrate what they want the pupils to learn in a clear and easy to see manner. The pupils can then go off to a computer on their own to try it out for themselves. Often, a class is split with half of the pupils working in the classroom and the rest on the computers. It enables pupils have solo access to a computer so the teacher or support assistant is able to assess exactly what each pupil is able to do. The highly skilled learning support assistant who is based in the computer suite each morning gives exceptional support to both teachers and pupils. She often has pupils from different classes working on a variety of programs at

p.35

SCIENCE

the same time but manages to give all of them the support they need to make good progress. All completed work is currently stored on pupils’ own discs but soon they will have a personal electronic folder to store their work that will be easily accessed by class teachers and the co-ordinator to see exactly what has been achieved in each lesson. Pupils thoroughly enjoy the work and are reluctant to leave when their lesson ends. They are very well managed and their behaviour is very good at all times.

p.35

SCIENCE

66. All aspects of the subject are systematically taught in a meaningful way. This is achieved by very carefully linking the work in ICT with other subjects of the curriculum so that the pupils are able to see the use and relevance of the skills they learn. For example, pupils in Year 2 learn word processing skills through producing a description of an animal they had invented in their literacy and artwork. The computers in the suite are now rather old and the school has firm plans to replace them when they extend it in the near future. However, all the resources are used very well and the equipment is in constant use, including before school and during breaks. Some recently acquired equipment, such as video cameras, are used by pupils to add a new and exciting dimension to their learning. The joy on the pupils’ faces when they edited their video clips was considerable.

p.35

SCIENCE

67. The subject is well led and managed by a co-ordinator who has a good overview of the provision and clear ideas for future developments. She is able to monitor standards as teachers keep a careful record of pupils’ achievements to show exactly what they are able to do and highlight the next step in their learning. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 36 Information and communication technology across the curriculum

p.35

SCIENCE

68. Many examples of the use of ICT in other subjects were seen during the inspection. Teachers carefully plan opportunities to use programs that help them make progress in other subjects as well as reinforcing their skills in ICT. For example, when using a simulation program about a lost badger, the pupils learned compass directions and about the feeding habits of badgers. This work led to improved learning in geography and science as well as in ICT. Such opportunities, and many more, make the work more relevant and interesting so that pupils learn at a much faster rate.

p.36

HUMANITIES

Religious education was inspected in full and is reported below. History and geography were sampled.

p.36

Religious education

Provision in religious education is good .

p.36

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is very good promotion of self-esteem and care for others. • Spiritual development, through reflection, is strong. • English skills are effectively promoted through the subject.

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Commentary

69. Standards are above those required by the locally agreed syllabus and pupils achieve well. The very high standards of care and concern for others are strong features in the school and a direct result of effective provision in religious education. Pupils are knowledgeable about creation stories in Christianity, Hinduism and from other cultures; pupils are encouraged effectively to reflect upon their ideas and those of others. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 37 70. The quality of teaching and learning observed was good overall. A spiritual sense is well developed. In an introduction to the symbolism of water in religious practice, pupils in Year 2 met with the local vicar, who explained the place of baptism in Christian belief. Pupils visited two areas of water in the school grounds and were encouraged to relate their ideas and feelings about “water”. In Year 1 the teacher successfully led a discussion

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Commentary

on “the idea of God”, after which pupils drew their representations, coming to the conclusion that “people have different idea about God”. Pupils are very well behaviour and interested in their learning because of the high expectations of the teacher.

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Commentary

71. Effective use is made of pupils’ literacy skills to write well structured stories. Assemblies are well planned and linked with themes in religious education. The good leadership and management of the subject are created through effective monitoring and evaluating of provision. The improvement since the last inspection is good.

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Commentary

72. From the scrutiny of pupils’ work and in discussion with pupils it is evident that the curriculum is effective in promoting pupils’ good standards and achievement in geography . Pupils in Year 2 explore the use of energy resources in their local area. They measure the use of electricity and gas in the school over a short period and compile charts to show the difference in use. They investigate the disposal of rubbish in the school. They have good knowledge of St Lucia and begin to compare the climate, industries and agriculture of that island with Britain. Map work is developed well from plans of the school in Year 1 to highlighting areas of rainforest on a world map in Year 2. The subject is well led and managed and assessment of pupils work gives teachers and the co-ordinator secure knowledge of standards and progress.

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Commentary

73. Pupils’ learning in history is often well promoted by exciting teaching. The curriculum is effectively planned so that different elements of pupils’ learning are combined to provide stimulating activities. In Year 1 a sense of wonder was created when the teacher opened a box containing objects of historical value. Pupils used this evidence to build a picture of the life of Florence Nightingale. In the excellent history lesson observed the teacher used historical objects to bring the life of a fairground showman from the 1930s alive. The subject is well led and managed. A variety of strategies enables the subject manager to have a good hold on the quality of provision. Assessment of pupils’ work gives teachers and the subject manager secure knowledge of standards and progress.

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Commentary

Excellent practice using history to explore themes.

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Commentary

The teacher takes the character of a fairground showman of the 1930s and leads the Year 2 pupils into a lively introduction of fairground life. Using this history as an effective starting point the teacher encourages pupils to address questions to explore the life and thoughts of the character. Pupils are excited by this. This is followed by three activities, in which all pupils became fully engaged, which help them to explore the theme of Fairgrounds. One group, assisted by a parent helper, guides the pupils to role-play events in a fairground, effectively using a life-size model showman’s caravan created in the class and fairground stalls set up in an adjoining outside area. These activities particularly appealed to boys and help them to develop language and social skills very effectively. Another group is engrossed in sorting through photographs to tests their use as evidence and to develop a sense of time. This is made more effective because of the teacher’s skilful direction of

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Commentary

the pupils’ questions. A third group, working with a learning support assistant, explore colours and shapes in their artwork by using crayons to colour carousel horses in their distinctive styles.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Art and design and music were inspected fully but design and technology and physical education were only sampled. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 38 One lesson in design and technology was seen and a brief observation towards the end of a lesson in Year 2 which gave evidence of pupils’ interest in their activities. There is very little evidence of pupils’ completed work but photographic evidence shows an appropriate range of activities that are well planned to develop pupils’ knowledge and skills. As in other subjects there is a comprehensive scheme of work that underpins teachers’ planning and much effort has gone into making pupils’ activities meaningful and fun. Activities in design and technology are often linked with pupils’ learning in art and design and with science. The subject is well led and managed and consistent assessment of pupils’ work provides teachers with evidence of

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

pupils’ skills development and progress so that future activities build on what pupils already know and can do. During inspection no physical education lessons took place and so no judgment can be made about provision. Discussions with the subject leader and Year 2 pupils indicate that a suitable scheme of work has been established to support the development of pupils’ skills in various ways. The hall is well equipped with good quality gymnastics equipment and there is a good range of small games equipment. There are clear procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and the subject leader monitors teachers’ planning effectively so that the balance and effectiveness of the curriculum in physical education are successfully maintained. There is a good range of after-school activities run by the staff and visiting coaches that support pupils’ learning well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above those expected. • The curriculum is enriched by a range of stimulating activities. • Art and design is used well to support pupils’ learning in other subjects.

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Commentary

74. From the wide range of pupils’ work on display around the school it can be seen that pupils achieve well in art and design, and attain standards that are above those expected for their age. Pupils show a strong sense of creativity and use a range of tools and media to good effect in their work. In the two lessons observed standards were satisfactory overall. The Year 1 pupils were excited at the thought of using real fruit and vegetables to create a sculpture in the style of Archibolo and showed a good awareness of comparative shape and size of the fruit/vegetables in the development of the ‘heads’ so that interesting combinations were created. The teaching observed was satisfactory overall but from the good levels of skills evident in pupils’ work through the school it is obvious that good teaching and learning is regularly achieved. Learning support assistants are an important part of the teaching force and give very good levels of

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Commentary

support and encouragement to pupils in their different activities.

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Commentary

75. Pupils’ work is evidence of the broad curriculum provided and additional activities, such as the recent ‘Arts Week’, enhance the opportunities for pupils to explore and experiment with a range of media and to use a variety of tools. The ‘Multi-cultural Week’ successfully introduced pupils to art and music from different countries. Visitors to the school have also shared their interest in the arts for pupils to share. Art and design is used effectively to support pupils’ learning in other subjects. Two and three-dimensional artwork has Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 39 been used well to illustrate pupils’ learning in RE as they learnt about creation stories from around the world. Two large fairground animals created out of wire by the headteacher are being completed and decorated by pupils in the Year 2 classes as part of their historical topic on funfairs. ICT programs are used well by pupils to create

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Commentary

designs and to draw pictures in the style of different artists, such as Mondrian.

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Commentary

76. The subject is well led and managed by the subject leader. Together the staff are looking at ways to make pupils’ learning more stimulating and fun, and this is very evident in the school’s focus on the creative arts. The subject leader monitors teachers’ planning effectively and provides support and guidance for staff. Assessment procedures are effective and provide clear evidence of pupils’ skills development and progress. Provision for art and design has improved well since the previous inspection. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 40

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils make good progress in playing tuned instruments. • Music is seen as an important part of the creative arts provision. • Teachers have good subject knowledge.

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Commentary

77. It is difficult to give an overall judgement of pupils’ attainment across the music curriculum because only two lesson were observed. However, observation of several whole-school assemblies showed that by Year 2 pupils’ singing is of a good standard, above that expected of their age. Similarly observations of pupils playing recorders in lessons and in assembly are evidence of the above average standards attained by the higher attaining pupils.

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Commentary

78. Music is seen as an important part of the creative arts provision and a strong focus is placed on enabling pupils to develop the skills needed to play tuned instruments. All pupils learn to play the ocarina in Year 1 and then the recorder in Year 2. As part of these regular lessons the more able pupils in Year 2 learn to read music, which prepares them well for learning to play other instruments in the junior school. Other lessons focus successfully on developing pupils’ creativity and knowledge of music as part of the required curriculum, and additional activities, such as visiting drummers and other instrumentalists enhance pupils’ knowledge, interest and experience of music from around the world.

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Commentary

79. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. In the two lessons observed teachers showed good subject knowledge, and the ability to demonstrate clearly and provide effective coaching, so that pupils’ knowledge and skills progressed effectively. Lessons on the ocarinas and recorders are organised in small groups to support pupils of all abilities so that the activities are effectively matched to pupils’ skills and knowledge. Many teachers and the headteacher lead these different groups effectively.

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Commentary

80. The subject is well led and managed by the subject leader. The co-ordinator monitors teachers’ planning effectively and provides support and guidance for staff. Assessment procedures are effective and provide clear evidence of pupils’ skills development and progress. The provision for music has improved effectively since the previous inspection.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

The provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education (PSHE) was sampled.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

81. In discussion with pupils and from the lessons observed standards are judged as well above expectations. This is because PSHE is taught regularly in discrete lessons and is fully embedded in all other aspects of school life. All school staff work together most effectively to ensure that pupils are constantly and consistently taught to respect themselves and others in the school and wider community. A very good programme of study ensures that pupils learn moral values and relate them to the world in which they Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 41 live. The current work on the environment, with pupils monitoring the school’s use of gas and electricity, is a good example of the imaginative way the subject is approached. Pupils learn what it is to be a good citizen. Sex education and drugs awareness are covered appropriately for pupils in Years 1 and 2. The subject is very well led and

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

managed. Parsonage Farm Nursery and Infant School - 42

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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 2 Value for money provided by the school 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 2 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 2 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 2 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 1 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 1 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).

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