Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School

INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8 th – 11 th December 2003

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INFANT SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Leesland Church of England Controlled 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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INFANT SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 – 7 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 251

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Whitworth Road Gosport Hampshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 02392 583872 Fax number: 02392 601048

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mark Birch

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 28 th June 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This is an average size school near the centre of Gosport. It is situated in an area of mixed owner- occupier and rented accommodation. The area has a lot of social disadvantage, but the percentage of pupils entitle to a free school meal is broadly average. The population is relatively stable and as a result the school roll has fallen since the time of the last inspection. Sixty-eight pupils are on the register of special educational needs; this is above average and has hardly changed since the last inspection. One pupil has a statement of special educational need. Pupils’ special needs cover a wide range from physical needs to emotional and behavioural difficulties. The percentage of pupils from minority ethic backgrounds is below average. When pupils enter the school at the age of four their attainment is below that normally expected for their age and well below in language skills. Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

22191 Stephen Lake Lead inspector Mathematics, Information and communication technology, Art and design, Music, Physical education 11096 Margaret Davie Lay inspector 12997 Christine Cheong Team inspector Foundation Stage, Science, Design and technology, Religious education 23917 Trevor Clarke Team inspector English, History, Geography 18849 Terry Mortimer Team Inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Parkman Ltd in association with PkR 35 Trewartha Park Weston-Super-Mare North Somerset BS23 2RT

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 27

Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is an effective school that provides a good education. The quality of the curriculum is very good and the quality of teaching is good overall. The school is led and managed well . The governing body is effective . The school gives good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Standards in science are above national expectations at the age of seven and pupils achieve very well • Pupils achieve well in reading and writing • The headteacher provides very good leadership • The overall management of the school is good and the management of special needs is very good • The very good curriculum offers pupils a rich and varied learning experience. However, its balance needs reviewing for example, it allows far more time for English activities than for mathematics • The school has a very good ethos as a result of the very good provision for pupils’ personal development, and cares for the pupils very well • The quality of teaching is good overall, although a significant amount of unsatisfactory teaching was observed in Year 2 • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good • Learning-support assistants make a very strong contribution to teaching and learning

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• The provision for outdoor play for children in Reception is unsatisfactory

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Improvement since the last inspection has been good . All of the key issues have been dealt with effectively. Standards are higher than at the time of the last inspection in writing, mathematics, science and information and communication technology (ICT) but lower in reading. The school is well placed to make further improvements.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 Reading C C D E Writing D D C C Mathematics C D D E Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The comparison with similar schools in the table above does not give an accurate picture of attainment in 2003 . Because of the low standards on entry to the school pupils are doing better than the tests indicate. Over one third of the pupils in that cohort had special educational needs. When the attainment of those pupils on entry to the school is taken into account then pupils made satisfactory progress in reading and mathematics and good progress in writing. The trend in the school’s results is above the national trend.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Overall pupils achieve well. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is below average overall and well below average in communication, language and literacy skills. By the end of the Foundation Stage children’s attainment is average in most areas but below average in language, literacy and communication. This holds down attainment to just below average overall. By the end of Key Stage 1, the attainment of the current cohort is average in reading, writing and mathematics and above average in science. This represents good achievement overall and very good achievement in Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 7 science. Achievement in mathematics is satisfactory as pupils enter with average attainment. Standards in ICT are in line with national expectations, and standards in religious education meet the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. This represents good achievement. Pupils with

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

special educational needs achieve well and those with English as an additional language achieve very well . It was not possible to make secure judgements of attainment in other subjects, but the work sampled indicated that standards are at least in line with national expectations.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is good overall. This includes the very good provision for personal, social and health education. As a result pupils have good attitudes to school and behave well.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is very good . Pupils in Key Stage 1 have a rich and varied learning experience. However, limitations on the accommodation make it difficult for children in reception to have enough access to outdoor play and this aspect is unsatisfactory. The quality of teaching is generally good, with some very good. However, in Year 2 a significant amount of teaching was unsatisfactory and limited pupils’ learning. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good and they learn well. The school cares for the pupils very well and this contributes to its very good ethos. Links with parents are very good and contribute well to pupils’ learning.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall. The headteacher provides very good leadership. The management of special educational needs and of the curriculum is very good . The management of year teams is satisfactory . The quality of governance is good and the management of the budget is very good. The governors provide very good support for the work of the school. However, a few minor statutory requirements are not met.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very happy with the school. They believe that it gives their children a good education. Pupils are also very happy with the school. They enjoy coming to school and are enthusiastic about learning.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Review the balance of the curriculum in order to ensure the best use of time in each subject • Improve the quality of teaching in Year 2 • Improve facilities for outdoor play for the children in the reception classes

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

and, to meet statutory requirements: • Ensure that all required information is included in the school prospectus and in the governors’ annual report to parents Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Standards overall are in line with national expectations by the age of seven. Pupils achieve well, except in mathematics, where achievement is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in science are above national expectations and pupils achieve very well as a result of the rich curriculum and good teaching. • Pupils achieve well throughout the school as a result of the good teaching. • Achievement in writing is very good as a result of the strong emphasis given to this area. • Achievement in mathematics, although satisfactory is not as good as in other subjects as pupil enter Year 1 with higher attainment in mathematics.

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Commentary

1. Pupils enter the school with standards that are well below average in communication, language and literacy, and below average overall. This is changing a little and the current intake has standards that are a little higher than in previous years.

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Commentary

2. By the end of Reception many pupils have achieved the Early Learning Goals 1 , except in communication, language and literacy. The lower scores in communication, language and literacy mean that overall attainment is just below average on entry to Year 1. In comparison to their attainment on entry to the school children achieve well in the Reception class.

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Commentary

3. In Years 1 and 2 pupils achieve well in most subjects, except where teaching is unsatisfactory. The table below shows the average scores in national assessments for 2003 and 2002. Although scores in reading and mathematics have fallen, this does not represent a drop in standards overall; the 2003 cohort contained almost one third of pupils with special educational needs. When pupils’ attainment on entry to school is taken into account achievement overall is good. The procedures put in to support writing and science have resulted in very good achievement in these areas. However, pupils have not made as much progress in mathematics, and achievement here is satisfactory. Pupils attainment in mathematics is higher than in reading and writing when they enter Year 1 but by the end of Year 2 attainment is similar in all three areas.

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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 14.9 (15.9) 15.7 (15.8)

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Commentary

There were 83 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

4. The inspection finds that for the current cohort of pupils standards are broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics. Attainment in science is above national expectations, and attainment in ICT is in line with national expectations. Standards in religious education are in

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Commentary

1 Early Learning Goals: These outcomes are a set of skills, knowledge and understanding that children might be expected to achieve by the age of five in six areas of learning: communication, language and literacy; mathematics; knowledge and understanding of the world; creative development; physical development and personal and social development. Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 9 line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. These standards have improved since the last inspection.

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Commentary

5. In all other subjects it was only possible to sample pupils’ work and so no reliable judgement can be made on standards. However, the indications are that pupils’ work in other subjects is at least in line with national expectations by the age of seven.

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Commentary

6. Pupils basic skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT are satisfactory and these skills are used effectively to support learning in other subjects.

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Commentary

7. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well from their individual starting points. They are supported very well by teaching assistants in all areas of the curriculum who work with small groups of children both in and out of the classrooms. Teachers also provide well for pupils with special educational needs in the way that they adjust the tasks they give them to cater for their individual needs. The school makes very good extra provision for gifted and talented pupils by giving them some separate teaching. As a consequence these pupils are achieving well in the end of Year 2 tests.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are normally good and contribute positively to their achievements. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good because of the strong emphasis the school places on it, and their attendance and punctuality are also good. They are prepared well for the next stages in their education.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are positive about school. • Their moral development is good; they know the golden rules well. • Pupils trust their teachers and other adults. • Attitudes and behaviour deteriorate when pupils are not directly supervised by their teachers and in the afternoon when they are tired. • There is a high priority placed on social development and as a result pupils get along with each other well. • A wide range of activities promote pupils’ spiritual and cultural development well. • Good procedures are in place to promote regular attendance.

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Commentary

8. Pupils are very positive about school and say they enjoy their lessons and finding out about new things. They know they are expected to work hard and are confident that their teachers will help them if they get stuck. In lessons they are generally well focused on their work and this is helping them to achieve well during their time at school. For example, in a Year 2 PE lesson they were enthusiastic about jumping over obstacles and trying to make sure they were landing correctly. They thought hard about how to improve their jumps and as a result achievement in the lesson was good. However, a significant factor in less successful lessons is that too many of the pupils are tired. This is particularly evident in the afternoon and means they are fidgety, off task and difficult to motivate. In these lessons pupils are not learning as much as they should and their behaviour occasionally deteriorates to an unsatisfactory level. The balance of the

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Commentary

curriculum has not been adjusted to take account of the tiredness shown by pupils and at times this limits learning.

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Commentary

9. Behaviour in lessons is usually good. However, when their teachers do not directly supervise them pupils are sometimes not as well behaved as they should be. This was evident in a number of situations during the inspection; for example, when pupils were in discussion with inspectors and in the playground. Whilst most pupils get along and play amicably, a few sometimes engage in inappropriate games such as play fighting, which can get out of hand, and Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 10 are not always stopped by the adults who are supervising them. There have been no exclusions for many years.

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Commentary

10. Attendance is above the national average and parents make good efforts to get their children to school on time. Unauthorised absence is slightly above the national average, partly because this figure includes pupils who arrive after 9:00 am, when lessons start.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.6 School data 0.5 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

11. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. This represents good improvement since the last inspection, when pupils were not given enough opportunities to appreciate the multicultural aspect of society.

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Commentary

12. The principles of right and wrong are clearly taught and there are very high expectations of behaviour. Pupils say there is little bullying and that they feel well prepared to deal with any they might encounter. Their social development is a high priority from their earliest days in school through the very good provision for personal and social education. For example, children in a reception class were given good guidance about working together on a parachute game that required a lot of cooperation in order to get it to move up and down in the desired way. Pupils show compassion for children around the world who are less well off than they are by enthusiastically taking part in fundraising for charities such as ‘ Jeans for genes’ .

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Commentary

13. The good provision for pupils’ spiritual development is well supported through work in lessons and good links with local churches, whose representatives regularly visit the school. For example, pupils in Year 1 were very excited and marvelled when their teacher dressed up as an astronaut and showed them the Nasa website on the computer to support the work they are doing about space, and in an assembly the lighting of the second advent candle was used as a good focal point for reflection.

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Commentary

14. Pupils’ cultural development is well supported through lessons and participation in activities such as the arts and intercultural weeks. In RE pupils learn about Christianity and Hinduism; they have all visited the Hindu temple in Southampton and take part in Easter and harvest celebrations in the local church. They have also enjoyed demonstrations from African and Polynesian dancers and learned about foods from around the world in geography. For example, pupils in Year 2 were shown foods such as papaya, mango, and pumpkin. The very successful arts festival, which was in part a joint activity with other local schools, gave pupils good insights into artwork from around the world, including works by English, African and Aboriginal artists.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The overall quality of education is good . The quality of teaching is good. The quality of the curriculum is very good, although its balance requires review. Links with parents are very good and the school cares for the pupils very well.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching is good overall, although a significant amount of unsatisfactory teaching was observed in Year 2. The quality of learning is good overall. Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 11

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The good quality teaching ensures that pupils learn well. • A significant amount of unsatisfactory teaching was observed in one class in Year 2. • The learning-support assistants make a very good contribution to pupils’ learning. • Very good use is made of the non-class-based deputy to support learning. • Good assessment procedures are in place, although they are not always used effectively enough to plan for the needs of some pupils.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 50 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

0 6 (12%) 22 (44%) 18 (36%) 4 (8%) 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

15. Overall the quality of teaching is good and some is very good. Teachers know their pupils well. The very good relationships between most teachers and pupils ensure good learning that pupils clearly enjoy. The core subjects of English and mathematics are taught well and this is a major factor in the good learning in these subjects.

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Commentary

16. The quality of the teaching overall for the Foundation Stage is good, with a little very good and some satisfactory teaching seen during the inspection. Teaching is good in all areas of the curriculum except communication, language and literacy, where it is satisfactory. The strongest teaching seen was in physical development and in knowledge and understanding of the world. Here very good planning and good teaching methods are helping children to make good progress. Where teaching is not so strong teachers lack methods and ideas to address the most urgent learning needs of the children.

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Commentary

17. Assessment and record-keeping systems in the Foundation Stage classes are very good. Teachers and teaching assistants observe and question children often and record their findings. These are then used generally well used to adjust the curriculum. In Key Stage 1 these systems are good but currently teachers only set targets for individual children for literacy. More general targets are set in mathematics and this is a factor limiting achievement in mathematics compared to English. Assessment and record keeping is well established in most subjects and this contributes well to the overall good achievement.

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Commentary

18. Four lessons out of fifty were judged unsatisfactory. In one lesson this was due to pupils being very tired as a result of an inappropriately long session that the teacher did not make sufficient allowance for. However, in Year 2 a significant amount of unsatisfactory teaching was observed in one class. This limited learning for many of the pupils in that class. The main reasons for the unsatisfactory teaching were: • Lessons that lacked pace and did not cover enough work in the set time. In particular a significant amount of time is wasted as the teacher deals slowly with individual pupils in the initial stages of the lesson. • A failure to match work closely enough to the needs of all pupils; for example, using worksheets that do not challenge most pupils. • Too little direct teaching with groups during the group-work sessions of literacy and numeracy, which limits opportunities for learning.

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Commentary

19. In the unsatisfactory lessons relations between the teacher and the pupils were not as good as those seen in the other lessons observed elsewhere in the school. As a result of this pupils did not display the same level of enthusiasm observed elsewhere in the school and were not as actively engaged in learning. Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 12 20. In all lessons observed the learning-support assistants (LSAs) made a significant contribution to pupils’ learning through their very good support of pupils of all abilities. In most lessons the LSAs work very closely with the teachers to plan the activities for the pupils and so they have a good understanding of what the pupils are expected to do. Very good use is made of LSAs to support learning in the library and the ICT suite. This enables pupils to be taught in smaller groups with work matched more closely to their needs.

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Commentary

21. A significant factor supporting learning in the school is the use of the non-class-based deputy head. She supports pupils with special educational needs very well and also supports more- able pupils in science. This is a key factor in the very good achievement in these areas.

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Commentary

22. The head teacher and the deputy monitor teaching and learning regularly and provide very good quality support to teachers. This regular checking ensures that pupils have every opportunity to learn well.

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The curriculum

The school provides a very good range of worthwhile curricular opportunities for its pupils. The curriculum is enriched by a good number of visits and visitors. It is particularly broad, but not enough attention has been given to its balance. The quality and quantity of learning resources are good overall, but there are some important weaknesses in the accommodation limiting out door play for children in Reception.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good cross-curricular planning ensures that the curriculum is flexible and very broad. • The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is good. • The curriculum is monitored and evaluated well. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good and they are very well supported. • Insufficient time is given to mathematics. • The school makes good arrangements to deliver the personal, social and health education curriculum. • Visits and visitors enrich the curriculum. • The provision for outdoor play for pupils in reception is unsatisfactory. • The library area is excellent.

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Commentary

23. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is good. The reception teachers meet regularly to plan a generally good range of activities based correctly on the six areas of learning for children of this age group. Accommodation is good, though the lack of a door between two of the rooms makes hearing a conversation hard if the next door class is noisy. Inside accommodation such as the computer suite and the hall are used well. Outside accommodation is not used well for this age group. Resources are satisfactory, but some reading books are well worn. There is good provision of support staff and parent helpers.

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Commentary

24. In Key Stage 1 the quality of the curriculum is good. It meets statutory guidelines and includes religious education that follows the locally agreed syllabus. The allocation of curriculum time ensures that literacy is well covered, and the school’s imaginative cross-curricular approaches ensure that literacy skills are reinforced well in subjects across the curriculum. A very well organised system of curriculum planning and monitoring ensures that assessment information is used well to inform planning and address areas requiring reinforcement. This has identified speaking and listening as key areas for development, and they are a current focus. However, not enough attention has been given to the overall balance of the curriculum. The concentration on improving pupils’ writing skills has led to a reduction in the time allowed for numeracy, which is constraining standards in mathematics. In addition some sessions are very long for these

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Commentary

Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 13 pupils, many of whom have quite short concentration spans. In those sessions the quality of learning drops off as pupils become tired.

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Commentary

25. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good in the reception classes and very good throughout the rest of the school. Documentation is very clearly written and kept up to date very well. The school strives to ensure that all pupils are fully included in all activities. Generally work is appropriately set and the high-quality support from all staff ensures that pupils, including those with special educational needs, have equal and full access to all activities. The curriculum for personal, social and health education is well embedded and pupils have very good opportunities to discuss their feelings and problems with teachers and others, particularly during lessons. This contributes to the very good social relationships found across the school.

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Commentary

26. An impressive range of visits and visitors complements the innovative, creative, all-inclusive and thematic days that the school organises. Pupils’ learning experiences are enriched by events such as Guy Fawkes Week, Science and Technology Week, Diwali Day, Book Week, Chinese New Year Day and many others.

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Commentary

27. The match of teachers to the needs of the curriculum is good. There is a good match of well qualified and very effective learning-support assistants to meet the needs of pupils of all abilities; the expertise and close co-operation shown by these members of staff are strengths of the school. Overall the school’s accommodation is good; the building and its grounds are very well maintained and classrooms are attractively presented to form an interesting and stimulating learning environment. Very good displays are used to support learning, and good use is made of internal and external space. The library is an outstanding feature offering a splendid environment to encourage reading and research skills. The grounds have been developed in a creative and exciting way and are used well. However, the lack of a covered play area in reception limits children’s physical development.

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Care, guidance and support

Care for pupils is very good . They are given good advice and guidance as a result of monitoring their work, and their involvement in the work of the school is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s arrangements for the care, welfare, health and safety of children are good. A high priority is placed on their safety. • Teachers know pupils well and they have a lot of confidence in them. • There are high expectations of behaviour, and staff are very good role models. • Lunchtime is well organised and there are good procedures to deal with accidents and illness. • Procedures for looked after children are effective. • Parents are totally satisfied with the good arrangements made for their children when they start school. • There are good opportunities for pupils to be involved in the work of the school.

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Commentary

28. The care and welfare of pupils are very good. Teachers know them very well and have very good relationships with them. This means that pupils feel happy and secure in school. The school’s ethos is very good and it provides an attractive setting in which pupils have access to a very good range of activities which contribute positively to their personal development. For example, older pupils are given a range of jobs around the school, such as playground monitors, to help them to learn to take responsibility. Arrangements made to settle children when they first start school are very good and include home visits and a staggered entry. Parents are very pleased with these arrangements because they help their children to start school with confidence. Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 14 29. Child-protection procedures are effective because all staff are aware of their responsibilities and

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Commentary

there is a very good awareness of procedures for taking care of looked-after children. Health and safety are given a high priority, with all areas regularly checked to make sure that pupils are working in a safe environment. Lunchtimes are well organised and meals supervisors have good relationships with the pupils. Good attention is paid to pupils’ medical needs; for example, if they have had a bump at lunchtime a sticker is placed on their jumper to make sure that both their teacher and parents are aware of the need to be vigilant.

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Commentary

30. Assessment procedures are good and are used well to ensure that pupils get work suited to their individual needs. The school has good systems for monitoring pupils’ individual attainment. Targets are used well to help them improve their work in English. However, they are not used as effectively to help pupils improve their work in mathematics and this contributes to the slightly lower achievement in this area.

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Commentary

31. Pupils are regularly encouraged to give their opinion about the work of the school, both in circle time and in assemblies. Their views were recently sought and taken into consideration when planning the improvements to the playground.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents are very good and make a substantial contribution to pupils’ achievements. Links with the community are generally satisfactory , but links are particularly strong with local churches. Links with other schools are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are very happy with the provision made for their children and support their learning very well. • Information for parents is clear and helpful. • Annual written reports give parents a good indication of what their children can do and share good learning targets with them, but do not always give enough information about progress. • An enthusiastic Friends Association supports the school very well. • Links with churches and other local schools are good. • The prospectus and governors’ annual report are missing some required details.

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Commentary

32. Parents are very satisfied with the school and happy with the efforts that are made to involve them in their children’s education. They appreciate the welcoming ethos and open-door policy that give them easy access to all staff. This means that most concerns can be discussed and sorted out quickly before they cause a major problem. Parents get very good-quality information about the school. It is clear and helpful and keeps them well informed about their children’s work. They also get a lot of information about how they can help them at home. Parents are very supportive of their children’s education, and their views are regularly sought and taken into consideration by the school.

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Commentary

33. Annual written reports on progress are of good quality, giving parents a clear indication of what their children can do and what they need to do to improve. However, they do not all give them enough information about how much progress their children have made over the year. The prospectus and governors’ annual report are informative, but, as at the time of the last inspection, both are missing some required details. For example, the prospectus does not tell parents that they have the right to withdraw their children from religious education, and the governors’ report does not include SATS national comparisons.

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Commentary

34. A thriving Friends Association is well supported by parents and makes a substantial contribution to the work of the school. For example, during the inspection members were very successfully selling tickets for their Christmas raffle. They also organise fairs and sponsored events, and sell Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 15 items like the pupil tea towel to help raise funds for the school. They have been very helpful in buying additional resources such as a TV, CD players and digital cameras.

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Commentary

35. Links with local churches are good. A member of the clergy from St Mary’s Church is on the governing body and there are regular visits from both the curate and the vicar, which contribute to pupils’ spiritual development. Links with other local schools are good and contribute positively to pupils’ achievements. For example, the school is currently working with other local schools to improve mathematics provision, particularly in the area of problem solving.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The school is led and managed well. The headteacher provides very good leadership, and the overall quality of leadership is good. The work of the governing body is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The leadership of the headteacher is very good. • The management of special educational needs is excellent. • Overall management is effective. • The governing body is good and the management of the budget is very good.

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Commentary

36. The headteacher provides very good leadership. She has a very clear educational vision that is shared with all staff. She has created effective teams, and organises and motivates them very well. She is supported very well by the able deputy headteacher. Together they form a very effective team that identifies areas for development and works with teachers and subject managers to bring about improvement. For example, writing was identified as an issue for the school and the good work put in resulted in writing results rising dramatically in the 2003 national assessments.

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Commentary

37. The school improvement plan is a useful document that clearly sets out the priorities for this year, although not enough attention has been given to standards in mathematics due to the successful emphasis on raising standards in writing. The quality of teaching and learning is monitored regularly by the headteacher and deputy headteacher and some time is set aside for subject managers to monitor standards. The performance management of teachers and learning assistants is matched well to the priorities of the school improvement plan, and all members of staff have access to good-quality professional development to help them improve.

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Commentary

38. Most subject managers manage their subjects well, although the management of mathematics is satisfactory. The co-ordination of pupils with special educational needs, currently led and managed jointly by the headteacher and the deputy head teacher, is excellent. They have a very detailed and comprehensive development plan for the subject to ensure that all staff, especially the recently appointed ones, are fully able to carry out their role. Legal requirements are met in full.

p.15

Commentary

39. The governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They provide good challenge for the school and hold the senior management to account. Governors are involved well in the development of the school improvement plan and provide a clear strategic direction for the school. They are well organised and fulfil most statutory duties, although a few minor statutory requirements relating to the publication of information in the prospectus and the governors’ annual report to parents are not met.

p.15

Commentary

40. The budget is managed very well. Financial procedures are very good. The competent administrative officer ensures that detailed records are kept and works with the finance committee to ensure that information is presented to governors in an understandable format. All issues arising from audit reports are dealt with quickly. Governors plan the budget well and Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 16 monitor it closely to ensure best value from their decisions. The school gives good value for money.

p.15

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.16

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 672,768 Balance from previous year 49,426 Total expenditure 679,545 Balance carried forward to the next 42,649 Expenditure per pupil 2,675 Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 17

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good. This is the same as the finding of the last inspection. Children start school in September of the year in which they are five. The children with birthdays later in the school year only attend part-time until Christmas. Therefore, at the time of the inspection, the three reception classes contained both full-time and part-time children. All pupils achieve well because of the good teaching they receive and because the curriculum provided is good and well planned. Children start school with standards generally lower than normal, and much lower in literacy. Progress is good. When they start Year 1 the majority of children will have achieved the Early Learning Goals, the targets for children nationally for the end of their reception year. The exception to this is in the area of communication, language and literacy, where a greater proportion will not have achieved the nationally-expected end point. This holds down attainment

p.17

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well because of the high priority staff give to this area of development. • Supportive relationships are established so that children feel confident and happy. • Children are given some good opportunities to make choices about their play activities. • Mostly children behave well.

p.17

Commentary

41. The good welcome children receive from teachers at the start of the day helps form relationships and set the tone for behaviour in school. Children are appropriately taught to understand the difference between right and wrong. For example, when riding big-wheeled toys outside or using musical instruments they are encouraged to share, take turns and be kind to each other. Most whole-class teaching time is also used well to promote personal and social development. However, teachers’ strategies for encouraging good behaviour are sometimes inconsistent and not sufficiently well developed. When this happens not all children learn as much as they might from the session.

p.17

Commentary

42. Staff form good connections between different parts of the curriculum. These connected activities work well in encouraging children to make selections for themselves, try new experiences and then persist with tasks. To help this teachers provide a wide range of activities that will stimulate the children, such as a post office complete with real post-man bags and child- made parcels addressed to the nursery-rhyme characters that they are learning about. Children are continually encouraged by staff to feel confident, to contribute their ideas and speak up in large and small groups.

p.17

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards by the time children move to Year 1 are below expectations. • Children’s achievement is good. • Teaching and learning are satisfactory, with the teaching of reading stronger than that of speaking, listening and writing. Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 18 • Standards in reading are better than in speaking, listening and writing. • Assessment is very thorough. It is used well to set targets for individual children. • Support staff are used well to extend children’s learning.

p.17

Commentary

43. Teaching in this area is satisfactory overall. Children make at least satisfactory and sometimes good progress over time, particularly in reading. However, many children come to school with few skills and, in spite of making progress, will end the year with standards below expectations for this age group.

p.18

Commentary

44. Literacy skills are well developed in sessions where teachers encourage children to recognise and repeat letter sounds. Higher-attaining children read simple text well, use their knowledge of sounds to help them read unknown words, and refer well to the picture to help them. Children gain well from reading in small groups with an adult. As a consequence of this good teaching most are able to explain what the cover and the title are and are able to read a few words. Teachers also use large-scale books to help, but sometimes the writing is not big enough or the teacher inadvertently covers the text as she reads, so the full benefit is not gained by the class.

p.18

Commentary

45. Handwriting is taught satisfactorily with a cursive style right from the start, which is good. However, too many children finish the year with unsatisfactory standards of handwriting, and overall achievement in writing is only satisfactory. Children’s unsatisfactory physical skills in holding pencils are a key factor here.

p.18

Commentary

46. Children start school with well below expected skills in listening and speaking. Teachers pay satisfactory attention to this area, but currently opportunities are being missed, with a too narrow range of methods currently being used.

p.18

Commentary

47. Learning support assistants make a good contribution to children’s learning. They work effectively with small groups following teachers’ planning well and they support assessment of children well through detailed record keeping.

p.18

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children attain satisfactory standards by the time they move to the Year 1 classes. • They achieve well from a lower-than-expected starting point. • Staff provide many good opportunities for children to learn, especially in the area of number.

p.18

Commentary

48. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers plan a good range of interesting and suitable tasks to help children extend their mathematical knowledge and skills; consequently children are keen to practise and this in turn improves their skills. They achieve well from their low starting point. Activities such as the daily ritual of using the number line provide constant reinforcement. Here the teacher and children daily count how many children are there and take the number of absent children away from the class total of 30. This ensures that all children are gaining valuable counting practice, while the most able already have the confidence to say what the new total will be and explain how they know. While this shows good progress for the children with the potential to learn quickly, others struggle to repeat a pattern with three colours and many find counting down hard. As a result of their very good assessment teachers provide tasks that

p.18

Commentary

match well the different abilities of children in their classes. Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 19

p.18

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision for knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers provide a good range of worthwhile activities to develop this area of learning. • Children’s achievement is good. • Good opportunities are given to develop children’s understanding of the world around them. • Little use is made of natural objects.

p.19

Commentary

49. Teaching and learning are good. Children achieve well. Most are working at the level expected for their age because of the good curriculum being provided for them. Teachers plan together successfully for areas such as knowledge and understanding of the world, and together they produce a good range of activities and experiences that stimulate the children’s desire to learn and enhance their knowledge and understanding. As a result of this provision, many are able to explain why people visit a post office and are good at acting out the roles involved, with emptying the post box being a favourite. While teaching is good overall, not enough use is made of natural objects to look closely at, or interesting and beautiful objects to feel or smell in freer learning times.

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for physical development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good. • Children achieve well, with good control of their bodies during physical development lessons and when playing on wheeled toys outside. • Children’s ability to manipulate small objects is below the normal level found and as a result their handwriting is affected. • The school has recently improved the outside play area, but as there is no continuous access, opportunities for physical development are limited.

p.19

Commentary

50. The provision for physical development is good overall. Children start school with a higher-than- usual ability to move and control their bodies. Indoor activities such as physical education in the hall are taught well and help improve their skills still further. In these lessons there is good attention to keeping healthy and following instructions. In contrast, the children’s ability to make fine movements is below average, with a considerable minority well below. Though the school is aware that many children have difficulty in handing small objects and carrying out activities well that involve small movements, and does provide some good activities, such as cutting out paper snakes, it does not consistently give this area the priory that it needs.

p.19

Commentary

51. The playground is stimulating with many interesting patterns on the surface and good use is made of this in planned lessons. However, there is no suitable area where children can have ready access to large wheeled toys or climbing equipment in a freer supervised manner and this limits opportunities for some aspects of physical development. Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 20

p.19

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision for creative development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s knowledge, understanding and skills are at an appropriate level for their age. • Children are given a wide variety of opportunities to work with different media and learn a range of techniques. • Play outside with the wheeled toys is often routine and repetitive.

p.20

Commentary

52. Children of all abilities of join in well with art and craft activities. Many can explain their choice of media, such as the cockleshell on “Mary Mary’s” house when making large group collages. They enjoy music lessons, such as those on maintaining a regular beat when playing musical instruments and learning a new Christmas song. Adults, support staff, and parent helpers contribute to children’s learning well by successfully helping them to extend their play in the “post office”. Play opportunities sometimes lack sufficient challenge or extension, such as with the wheeled toys outside where most adult interventions are to do with maintaining good behaviour rather than providing props and extending pupils’ creative and imaginative play.

p.20

ENGLISH

Provision in English is good. As a result of good teaching pupils achieve well. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection and are average overall.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching overall is good. • Standards in reading and writing are improving. • Pupils start school with very low skills in speaking and listening. Although they make satisfactory progress these lower skills create a barrier to pupils reaching higher standards in English and in other subjects. Plans are already in place to deal with this weakness. • The library is excellent. • Pupils with special educational needs are very well provided for and achieve well. • The leadership and management of English is good. • Visits and visitors enrich the curriculum.

p.20

Commentary

53. Standards in English are rising as a result of the school’s focus on improving the performance of the below average and average pupils. By the end of Year 2 standards in reading and writing are average. Standards in speaking and listening are below expectations. Many pupils throughout the school have difficulty with reading and writing as the percentage of those with special educational needs is well above the national average. Support programmes and focussed extra work leading up to national tests in Year 2 help to improve results, but when compared to the national picture fewer pupils reach the higher levels 2 . Assessment information from both the school and the local education authority demonstrates that the majority of pupils make good progress when taking into account the levels at which they entered the school. Achievement and progress overall in reading and writing are good.

p.20

Commentary

2 On Levels. In the national assessments pupils are awarded a grade. By the age of seven pupils are expected to achieve Level 2. It is expected that some pupils with achieve the higher Level of 3 at age seven All grades are linked to a points score and at age seven sub grades of 2C (below average) 2B (average) and 2A (slightly above average) are used. The scores achieved by all pupils who take the assessments are averaged to give an overall score for the school. Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 21 54. Most pupils enter the school lacking confidence in speaking, and their listening skills are poor. Despite pupils making satisfactory and sometimes good progress, inspection evidence indicates that their attainment is below average in speaking and listening at the age of seven. Whilst there have been improvements in teachers’ planning as a consequence of the National Literacy Strategy, the rigid adherence to lengthy sessions adopted by some teachers is not well matched

p.20

Commentary

to the particular needs of lower-attaining pupils. Many teachers encourage the development of appropriate subject vocabulary, which does have a positive impact on oral skills. However, currently there are insufficient planned opportunities provided for all pupils to express their own views and to fully extend their vocabulary. As a result many are hesitant, speak indistinctly with poor pronunciation, and become frustrated at their failure to express themselves. Consequently there is a tendency for a significant number of pupils to sit passively unless specifically encouraged by teachers to respond. The school is aware of the need to improve pupils’ speaking and listening skills, and detailed measures are included in the current improvement plans.

p.21

Commentary

55. Standards in reading are rising and are just average at the age of seven. The improvement in attainment is down to the school encouraging pupils to read regularly and supporting them with a variety of teaching strategies designed to improve their phonic [linking sounds to letters] skills. Attention is paid to increasing the vocabulary of younger pupils, as their very limited language skills have a negative impact on their understanding of sounds and their ability to decode new words. As a result, although reading standards are satisfactory, most pupils make good progress. Confident readers at the end of Year 2 read fluently and begin to inject appropriate expression into their reading. They use a range of reading strategies to help them tackle unfamiliar words and have begun to develop good reading habits and a decided taste for particular authors and genres of literature. Good attention is paid to encouraging parents and

p.21

Commentary

carers to give support and encouragement to pupils at home. Most, older pupils appear to understand the purpose and organisation of a library and the basic skills of information retrieval. Much credit is due to the splendid work and organisation of the school librarian.

p.21

Commentary

56. Standards in writing have risen since the last inspection and in Year 2 are in line with the national average. The overall teaching of writing is good. Grammar and punctuation are taught systematically and pupils extend their range of writing to include stories, book reviews, informal letters and instructions. The more able pupils sequence their stories appropriately and attempt to write in extended prose. However, a significant number of pupils produce very short written responses to tasks set and there are some examples of unfinished work in exercise books. Many pupils do not write in a fluent, joined script by the end of Year 2 and the presentation of work is often insecure. Many older pupils are achieving well, but their limited vocabulary affects their overall attainment, particularly in extended and creative writing and in using their literacy skills in other subjects.

p.21

Commentary

57. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in reading and writing as a result of the very good support they receive from their teachers and learning-support assistants. Their progress owes much to the structured reading scheme, the provision of Early Literacy Support, and the detailed records kept.

p.21

Commentary

58. The quality of teaching is good overall. However, a significant proportion of teaching in Year 2 is unsatisfactory because of slow pace and a lack of suitably challenging work. In these lessons pupils do not learn as effectively and this limits attainment for a small group. Teachers have a good understanding of how to teach reading and writing, and are confident and competent in delivering the National Literacy Strategy. However, it is not always tailored suitably to the needs of all pupils. Learning-support assistants work well with teachers. They are well trained and committed, and give very good support to pupils, particularly those with special educational needs. Relationships are very good and teachers use praise well to reward pupils’ efforts, raise self-esteem and encourage participation. This has a positive impact upon learning and progress. There are many good examples of teachers assessing what pupils have learned and using this

p.21

Commentary

information to plan lessons and set targets. In the better lessons the plenary session is used well to challenge pupils to analyse their own learning and to highlight the purpose of the lessons. Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 22 However, there are occasions when this valuable part of the lesson is rushed and sometimes missed altogether.

p.21

Commentary

59. The management of English is good. The subject manager provides effective leadership through her monitoring and development of planning. She has a comprehensive overview of needs and a clear vision for the development of the subject. Assessment procedures are reviewed to provide regular updates of pupils’ progress and the analysis of information used to modify the provision of English. There is corporate recognition of the need to improve standards in English overall, and the priorities included in the school action plan indicate that the school is in a good position to move forward. Resources for the teaching of English are satisfactory and are used well within classrooms and in the library, which is an outstanding resource of a quality rarely seen in an infant school.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

60. The procedures for ensuring that pupils’ literacy skills are targeted in areas other than English are very good. Teachers use a wide range of opportunities in subjects such as science, history, religious education and ICT to develop pupils’ literary competence. Curriculum planning for cross-curricular work is very good and reflects the hard work and imaginative planning of the subject manager.

p.22

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory. The quality of teaching is satisfactory and as a result pupils make suitable progress and achievement is satisfactory.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are rising after falling for two years. • The subject manger has a good understanding of the subject. • Not enough time is allocated to mathematics in the curriculum compared with English.

p.22

Commentary

61. Pupils are entering Key Stage 1 with broadly average attainment in mathematics. Standards in mathematics at the end of Year 2 have fallen for the last two years. The results of the latest national assessments are below those at the time of the last inspection. Standards are rising again and are broadly average . The school’s records show that this is partly due to cohort difference. Nevertheless achievement in the current cohort is satisfactory overall. Pupils with special educational needs and more-able pupils are achieving better than pupils of average ability. This is partly because targets for improvement are not specific enough for individual pupils.

p.22

Commentary

62. The subject manager has a good understanding of where improvement is needed, but this is not a focus of the current school improvement plan due to the emphasis on English skills. The manager has not had an opportunity this term to observe teaching, although she is monitoring effectively in other ways. As a result not enough has been done to deal with the needs of the pupils of average ability. For example, in English pupils have detailed individual targets set as a result of good-quality assessment. Although good assessments have been carried out in mathematics, teachers do not set such detailed targets for pupils in mathematics as those in English. As a result, although learning overall is satisfactory, it is not as good as in English and in science.

p.22

Commentary

63. A key factor in the difference between achievement in mathematics and in other subjects is that significantly less time is allocated to mathematics and the development of numeracy skills than to English and the development of literacy skills. In some classes the teaching of mathematics Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 23 takes place after very intensive sessions in English that have left pupils tired. This reduces the effectiveness of learning in mathematics.

p.22

Commentary

64. Good efforts are being made to improve attainment in mathematics. ICT is used well to support learning, and several teachers are undertaking intensive training in mathematics. This is already having an impact in some lessons and improving the quality of learning for pupils as teachers work effectively with learning-support assistants to deliver motivating and stimulating lessons. A significant amount of the teaching of mathematics in Year 2 is unsatisfactory, however, and is limiting learning for pupils in one class. In contrast to the teaching mentioned above, in the unsatisfactory lessons the pace is slow, work is not matched to the needs of pupils, and teaching fails to motivate them. This is holding down attainment overall in Year 2.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

65. The use of mathematics across the curriculum is satisfactory. The schemes of work indicate many ways in which this can be done, but some teachers do not follow this guidance closely enough. As a result opportunities to promote mathematics in other subjects are missed at times. This contrasts with the very great emphasis given to English across the curriculum and is one of the reasons why pupils do not achieve as well in mathematics as they do in English. Good use is made of mathematics to support learning in science.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is very good. • Teaching is good. • The curriculum is well structured and well planned. • Leadership and management are good. • Information and communication technology is used well in some lessons.

p.23

Commentary

66. The good-quality curriculum is taught well and this results in very good achievement by all pupils, including those with special educational needs. Standards are above national expectations. Pupils make very good progress from a below average start over their time in the school. This is an improvement since the last inspection. During the inspection no difference was found between the standards of attainment of boys and girls in Year 2. The school has been aware of differences in the past and therefore monitors pupils’ achievement closely and ensures that girls receive the teaching and support that they need to enable them to do as well as the boys.

p.23

Commentary

67. In the lessons seen during the inspection teaching varied from satisfactory to very good. Overall teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 are good. There is a strong emphasis on practical work and clear explanations. In lessons where the strongest learning takes place teachers have very good subject knowledge and challenge pupils very well to think for themselves, such as to work out a way of carrying out their own investigation. In less good lessons the teachers try to achieve too much, or move the children’s understanding too fast. When they do this, less is learnt and pupils are confused. Even in the very good lesson observed the teacher’s acceptance of incorrect answers at the prediction stage led pupils to think that their theories were correct, which again led to some being confused.

p.23

Commentary

68. Leadership and management are good. The subject manager has a very strong vision for the subject. Good systems are in place for assessment and record keeping. The subject is well monitored. Displays are used well to further children’s understanding, with a very good scientific Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 24 play area being set up in a central location where small groups of children practise “being scientists”. With the help of this good resource, they are able to experiment and find things out for themselves. As a result some children can explain how a kaleidoscope makes pictures, which they do with great enthusiasm. ICT is used well to support learning. Year 1 children are filled with awe and wonder through looking into the NASA web site and learn about Mars there as part of their work on Space. The resources for the subject are satisfactory.

p.23

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is satisfactory, with some significant areas of strength.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Improvement since the last inspection is good. • Very good use is made of a learning-support assistant-technician. • Pupils achieve well. • ICT is used well to support learning in other most other subjects.

p.24

Commentary

69. At the time of the last inspection the provision in ICT was a key issue. Since that time a considerable amount of effort has gone into improving this subject. For example: • Resources have improved significantly. • Standards of attainment have risen and are now in line with national expectations. • Teachers have undertaken training and now have sound subject knowledge.

p.24

Commentary

70. A good but small ICT suite gives all pupils access to dedicated ICT teaching. Most of the teaching in the suite is done by the learning support assistant specifically employed for that purpose. This enables small groups to be taken out to the suite on a regular timetabled basis. As a result of this pupils learn well. Although they enter school with below expected standards, by the age of seven standards are in line with national expectations and pupils are achieving well. The contribution made to learning by the knowledgeable learning-support assistant is significant. She also undertakes the role of ICT technician and in this role ensures that all computers in the school are kept in a usable state and available to support pupils’ learning. The availability of reliable computers is a key factor in the standards achieved by pupils.

p.24

Commentary

71. A key factor in the rising standards has been the development of teachers’ ICT skills. Most teachers are now confident users of computers and many lessons are planned to include ICT as an activity to support learning. The subject manager has a good grasp of the strengths and weaknesses in the subject and provides good support for colleagues.

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

72. ICT is used well in some areas of the curriculum. For example, very good use is made of the digital cameras to record work and display pupils’ work. Suitable use is made of ICT to support the development of pupils’ writing. However, ICT is not used across all subjects of the curriculum. The manager is aware of this and has identified it as a key area for further development.

p.24

HUMANITIES

73. In humanities, work was sampled in religious education, history and geography. There were few opportunities to observe lessons. It is therefore not possible to form an overall judgement about teaching and learning. However, there is every indication from discussions, pupils’ work, teachers’ planning and displays that standards are broadly average and have been maintained since the last inspection. Provision in all subjects is good. Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 25

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• In one lesson seen teaching was very good. • Religious education makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. • There are good opportunities to develop knowledge and understanding in religious education outside lessons; for example, visits to different churches, a mosque and Diwali Day, • Good links are made between history and geography and other subjects. • Pupils’ literacy skills limit attainment. • Subjects within humanities are managed well.

p.25

Commentary

74. The very good cross-curricular provision offered by the school has had a positive impact upon standards achieved in humanities. An examination of pupils’ work and displays indicates that standards by Year 2 are in line with national expectations in history and geography and reflect the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus in religious education.

p.25

Commentary

75. Pupils respond well to the practical approach adopted by teachers. In two lessons seen the ‘hot seating 3 ’ of Neil Armstrong in history and the tasting of African food in geography were very effective in capturing pupils’ attention and extending their understanding. In both lessons the learning involved nearly every subject in the curriculum. Discussion with Year 1 pupils showed that they had a very good understanding of the lunar landing saga, whilst Year 2 pupils could recognise mangoes and sweet potatoes and explain that they needed hot conditions to thrive. Pupils’ written work did not always reflect their understanding.

p.25

Commentary

76. In religious education work in Year 1 and Year 2 involves pupils learning about the symbols and beliefs of the Christian and Hindu religions. They learn about celebrations such as Christmas, Easter and Diwali. In very good links with other subjects, pupils taste different foods, paint Mendhi and Rangoli patterns, visit different places of worship and listen to songs of celebration.

p.25

Commentary

77. The subject managers have produced good policies and work schedules, which are well focused upon the development of essential skills. Monitoring and evaluation of provision are appropriate to ensure that there is adequate coverage of topics. The compilation of a range of photographic evidence of past experiences is both informative and highly interesting. Very good use is made of visits and visitors to reinforce pupils’ knowledge and understanding.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

78. Two lessons were observed in art. One lesson was observed in music, one in physical education and one in design and technology. As a result no secure judgement can be made on provision in these subjects. In all subjects an examination of planning showed that pupils experience a full range of activities, and skills are taught systematically.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

79. Although two lessons were observed in art, but it is not possible to judge teaching overall from that seen. An examination of pupils’ work and displays indicate that standards of attainment in art and design are in line with national expectation for seven-year-olds. This represents good achievement from a lower than average starting point. The good curriculum is enriched by an arts focus each year, with its very strong input of visiting artists. An examination of plans indicates that there is a suitable balance between art used to illustrate other subjects and that which is an end in itself. Children are given some good opportunities to make their own choice of approaches and materials from a range provided. Little observational drawing is done. Sometimes teachers lack sufficient knowledge of the subject. Pupils currently in the school talked about artists that had visited the school last summer, but they knew little of the differences

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

3 ‘Hot seating’ is when a teacher or other adult plays the role of the named person and answers questions posed by the pupils Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 26 or similarities between their work or about any other artists. This aspect of art is unsatisfactory. Good use is made of ICT to support learning in art through programs such as Colour Magic to produce patterns and pictures.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

80. Discussion with pupils shows that they are gaining suitable experiences in design and technology, such as designing and making fruit salad. The subject is well led and managed. There is a school-wide system for assessment and record keeping, and monitoring of the subject is good.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

81. In music pupils are taught basic skills following a detailed programme. They enjoy music and talk enthusiastically about their lessons. Good opportunities are taken in assemblies to encourage pupils to listen carefully to music. Discussion of how a piece of music makes them feel contributes well to pupils’ spiritual development.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

82. In physical education pupils have access to a good curriculum that includes all the required aspects. In a dance lesson observed, pupils clearly enjoyed the activity and learnt well as a result of the good teaching.

p.26

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

83. The school’s arrangements for personal, social, health and citizenship education are good. Only a very small number of lessons were observed, so no overall judgement can be made on the quality of teaching. However, planning shows that pupils have good access to information about healthy lifestyles, which is well supported by involvement in the Getting It Right programme. The school’s involvement in the Healthy Schools award has helped it to recognize the need to support pupils’ emotional well-being, and this is being planned for. Most teachers use circle time very regularly to give pupils the opportunity to discuss issues that matter to them. For example, a successful lesson in Year 2 encouraged them to think carefully about how their local area could be improved to benefit the most people. Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School - 27

p.26

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 2 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 4 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.27