St Stephen's Infant School

ST. STEPHEN’S INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 10 th -12 th February 2004

p.1

ST. STEPHEN’S INFANT SCHOOL

Inspection number: 262131 Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St. Stephen’s CE 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.

p.1

ST. STEPHEN’S 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. St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant school School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 to 7 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 254

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Hales Drive Canterbury Kent

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01227 769204 Fax number: 01227 787493

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr. Philip Munson

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: November 1998

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St. Stephen’s is a large infant school with 254 boys and girls between the ages of four and seven. The school is organised into nine classes, with three classes in each of the year groups from reception to Year 2. The majority of pupils come to the school from the immediate locality, which is a mix of privately owned and housing association properties. There is also special accommodation in the area for families in particular need. An average percentage of pupils are eligible for free school meals, but the proportion of pupils who need support for a range of learning and behavioural needs is well above the national average. While children’s skills and knowledge vary when they start in the reception classes, in general levels are below those expected at this age. In particular, children’s communication and language skills are not as well developed as would be expected. St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 4

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

23233 Jo Cheadle Lead inspector Science, art and design, religious education, design and technology, music, physical education. 9173 Sarah McDermott Lay inspector 31421 Sue Rogers Team inspector Mathematics, Foundation Stage. 15023 Ali Haouas Team inspector English, information and communication technology, geography, history, English as an additional language.

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Altecq Education 102 Bath Road Cheltenham GL53 7JX

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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). St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 5

p.4

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

p.5

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

p.5

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

p.5

OVERALL EVALUATION

St. Stephen’s is a very effective school where pupils’ individual needs are very well supported. Pupils make very good gains in their personal and social development and this encourages good academic achievement. Effective leadership and management have ensured that the school has maintained and built upon strengths found at the time of the last inspection. The school’s superb ethos is key to its successes. Teaching is very good overall. Governance of the school is satisfactory. The school achieves good value for money it receives.

p.6

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher inspires, supports and motivates her staff very well. • Teaching is very good throughout the school. • Learning is made very interesting and includes all pupils. • The provision for special educational needs is very good and this means that pupils with a range of learning difficulties make very good gains on their starting levels. • High levels of care and support for pupils and very good provision for their social and personal development result in pupils being confident and very happy, behaving very well and having very good attitudes to their work. • The school’s playground and outdoor environment is not good enough.

p.6

How the effectiveness of the school has changed since the last inspection

The school was last inspected in 1998. In relation to the key issues raised at this time, the school has made good progress: • The development of pupils’ investigative skills in science is now a strength. • Religious education is now well planned and all pupils make suitable gains in their learning. • Assessment procedures are now very thorough and information is used very well to plan learning. • The school development plan has been further improved.

p.6

How the effectiveness of the school has changed since the last inspection

The key issue relating to the outdoor play area for the youngest children has been resolved in part and there are good resources to develop children’s movement. However, the school continues to work on major improvements to the overall outdoor accommodation and this has been an ongoing priority for the past three years.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 reading D C D D writing E D B B mathematics D B B B Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Children begin at the school with a range of skills and knowledge, but overall their levels are below those expected for children of their age. Many children’s skills in language and communication and mathematical understanding are particularly limited. The very effective development of young children’s personal and social skills means that they settle quickly, learn about school expectations and feel safe and secure. By the end of the reception classes, the majority of children exceed the goals for early learning in personal development. Children’s good achievements in this area support their learning in all other aspects. By the time they enter Year 1, the majority of children achieve well St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 7 and meet the Early Learning Goals in creative and physical development and in their knowledge and understanding of the world. Because children begin with lower levels in language and mathematics,

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

most of them do not have time to catch up and meet the goals for these aspects of learning, by the start of Year 1.

p.7

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Through Years 1 and 2, the school’s very effective focus on developing pupils’ social, spiritual moral and cultural awareness ensures that their enthusiastic approach to learning is maintained, they have very good relationships with each other and they understand the importance of behaving well and strive to do so. This is fundamental to their good achievements and overall standards by the end of Year 2 are in line with nationally expected levels. Many pupils with special education needs also achieve nationally expected levels and this signifies very good achievement on their starting levels. Pupils who began school with better levels achieve better than the expected levels by the end of Year 2 and develop a breadth of knowledge and understanding that prepares them well for the junior school. The school has a small number of pupils who do not speak English when they join the school. These pupils are well supported by the school’s very caring ethos and good specialist

p.7

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

provision. Most of the pupils in this group achieve well by the end of Year 2.

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a very good education for its pupils. The overall quality of teaching is very good and pupils learn very effectively because lessons are very well planned and organised. Teaching assistants are effective in their roles and have a positive impact on pupils’ learning. The curriculum is very good and high priority is given to making learning very interesting. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very effective and the support given to these pupils helps them to learn very well in most lessons. Individual pupils with special gifts and talents are enabled to demonstrate and extend their skills and knowledge. Good attention is given to pupils’ health and safety and there are very high levels of care and welfare. The school has strong links with many parents who make a satisfactory contribution to their children’s learning. Links with the community are good and good work with other schools has a positive impact on developments and standards.

p.7

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall leadership and management of the school are good . The headteacher has a very clear vision of what she wants children at the school to achieve. She is a very effective leader who has built a good quality team and given very good opportunities for individuals to use and improve their talents in order to support pupils’ learning. Her deputy supports her well and between them they possess the complementary skills necessary to maintain the school’s very good ethos at the same time as raising standards. Relationships in the school are very positive and this has a very good impact on pupils’ achievements. The roles of all key staff are carried out effectively. Governors are knowledgeable, supportive and promote the school positively. Currently they do not play a very large role in the initial stages of planning for the school’s future. Long-term developments and day-to-day business are efficiently managed. Administrative staff are efficient in their work and are a welcoming

p.7

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are happy with the opportunities provided for their children and supportive of the school’s work. A few were concerned about the school’s procedures for taking reading books home and some also had issues with the school’s systems for children starting in the reception class. Inspection findings are that reception children should be offered more opportunities to take books home, but the school has clear and well thought out reasons for induction procedures. Children are extremely proud of their school and show enormous enjoyment in the work they do.

p.7

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The school knows where it needs to improve and has identified most areas in its current development plan. The areas that should be a priority focus in order to ensure improvements are: • The outdoor accommodation. St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 8

p.7

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils achieve well at the school and reach standards that are in line with nationally expected levels. Pupils with special educational needs often make very good gains in their learning. Higher attaining pupils achieve standards that are expected of them and develop a breadth of knowledge and understanding that serves them well for the next steps in their education.

p.8

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ good social and personal skills are key to their successes in other subjects. • Pupils with special educational needs often achieve very well. • Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve well overall. • Exploration and investigation skills are well developed in science. • Standards in art are above expected levels.

p.8

Commentary

1. The school is very successful in developing pupils’ social and personal skills and this is key to their good overall achievements. From low starting levels, particularly in English and mathematics, children in the reception classes and throughout the school are motivated to enjoy learning and develop very good relationships and attitudes that contribute significantly to how well they do in their academic studies. High levels of confidence and enthusiasm and ‘can do’ attitudes enable pupils to perform well in national tests and achieve standards that are overall in line with nationally expected levels by the end of Year 2. The school continues to focus on the development of pupils’ reading skills to ensure that standards rise and are equal to successes in writing.

p.8

Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003 Standards in: School results National results Reading 15.2 (15.7) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 15.3 (13.9) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 17.0 (17.2) 16.3 (16.5) There were 88 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

p.8

Commentary

2. As a result of the very good provision for special educational needs, most pupils in this group achieve very well on their starting levels. The school makes good use of information from playgroups and nurseries, and carries out thorough assessments on entry to the school so that children’s needs are very quickly identified and supported. As an infant school there is a short time to make an impact on pupils’ learning and the school is diligent in responding to needs immediately to ensure pupils learn as well as possible. The majority of pupils who speak English as an additional language also achieve well against their prior attainment. Those who are in the early stages of learning English are effectively targeted and supported by two part-time specialists.

p.8

Commentary

3. The school has responded well to issues raised by the last inspection and improvements in the investigative and explorative aspects of science have been good. Pupils now achieve high standards in this aspect of their work. They are motivated by opportunities to explore and this is greatly encouraged. They are adept at thinking what may happen in a range of testing situations and often they predict accurately because predications are made from the basis a of good knowledge of science facts. Pupils do particularly well in the aspect of physical St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 9 processes and their knowledge of circuits and electrical devices is very good. Work in science has been carefully led and managed to ensure that standards improve.

p.8

Commentary

4. Strengths in art have been maintained since the last inspection and standards are above the levels expected for pupils at the end of Year 2. Standards are good because pupils learn artistic skills and knowledge in equal balance and are encouraged to apply their skills in creating independent work. Good use is made of a variety of stimulus for work in art and this enthuses pupils. Pupils learn about artists and what influences their work and this adds to their spiritual, cultural and multi-cultural development. They are encouraged by teachers’ high expectations of good presentation and their work is celebrated in many good quality displays around the school.

p.9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils have very good attitudes to their learning and behave very well. The promotion of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good .

p.9

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Relationships between the pupils and with adults are impressive. • Pupils’ love coming to school and participating in everything on offer. • The school has innovative and interesting ways to promote good behaviour. • The pupils’ confidence in “having a go” is a great asset to their achievement. • Some pupils do not behave as well in lessons that are too long or when tasks are too easy. • Holidays taken in term time affect the school’s attendance rates.

p.9

Commentary

5. Pupils have particularly good attitudes to school and learning. Attitudes and behaviour have improved further since the last inspection. Pupils look forward to coming to school and seeing their friends and their teachers. Although some of the younger pupils take time to grow in confidence, soon they are taking part enthusiastically in lessons and very keen to give their views. Pupils willingly extend their learning beyond the classroom and often bring in interesting items from home. A good number takes part in the clubs on offer; some enthusiastic line dancing was seen during the inspection. Pupils are very welcoming to visitors and were particularly taken with the workshops organised by the “Big Bash Music Company” and the “Kic Theatre”. They were enthralled by the activities and their enthusiasm had a positive impact on their learning. Pupils with English as an additional language mix well with their peers whatever their background and are very keen to participate fully in activities

p.9

Commentary

and school events. This contributes significantly to the progress they make. St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 10 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.9

Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 222 0 0 White – any other White background 9 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 1 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 4 0 0 Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 2 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 2 0 0 Black or Black British – African 3 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 2 0 0 Chinese 5 0 0 Any other ethnic group 7 0 0

p.10

Commentary

6. The very good attitudes are the result of a well-organised approach by all in the school in cultivating pupils’ personal development. Of particular note are the excellent role models of the staff. They build up outstanding relationships with the pupils – firm and fair, yet extremely welcoming and encouraging. Consequently pupils grow very well in their social development. They learn to care for each other not only through specific PSHE (personal, social and health education) lessons and assemblies, but in general lessons and break times throughout the school day. Pupils’ self esteem improves day by day through generous use of praise. Soon pupils become independent and are able to attempt all sorts of activities, knowing that their effort will be acknowledged positively. This is clearly evident in the pupils’ good achievement in their writing and confidence to investigate and explore.

p.10

Commentary

7. Closely linked is the school’s very good work in promoting spiritual development. Pupils grow confidently in self-knowledge as the school helps them to have faith in themselves. Often the teachers provide opportunities for pupils to wonder at the joys of nature or scientific discovery. A musical demonstration caused many pupils to gasp with delight at the amazing sounds produced from recycled goods. This aspect has improved since the last inspection. The promotion of cultural development remains good. The main religious festivals are observed and different cultures are celebrated enthusiastically in annual events. Many pupils vividly remember the recent celebration of the Chinese New Year.

p.10

Commentary

8. Pupils behave very well in lessons, out in the playground and in the lunch hall. The promotion of moral development is very good and the school has well-established systems to encourage suitable behaviour. The management of behaviour is consistent across the school and the reward systems are just right for infants. Many pupils talked about how their names are pegged to the large and colourful “sun” or “cloud” to show if they are having a good day or need to improve their behaviour. No lessons seen were disrupted by inappropriate behaviour and there have not been any exclusions for many years. Pupils behave at their best when they are organised into lessons according to ability, because the teaching is pitched at just the right level and the pupils engage well with the activities. In a few lessons when pupils were kept on the carpet for a long time or the less able were bored, pupils started to fidget,

p.10

Commentary

turn round and did not make the best of the lesson.

p.10

Commentary

9. The attendance of the pupils is below the national averages. Last year not only was the rate of unauthorised absence higher than most infant schools, but also the authorised absence St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 11 figures were very high. Most absence is due to normal infant illnesses, but a significant number of holidays are taken in the term time. The school highlights the need for regular attendance well, through newsletter reminders and class awards. However, the school reports that some pupils are kept off school unnecessarily for the whole day following a medical appointment. Registers are completed neatly and methodically, but the use of symbols is not sufficiently clear to identify the reasons for absence. The many pupils who attend school regularly make good progress, but those pupils who miss a lot of school are not achieving as much as they could. Pupils arrive at school in good time to start lessons. A

p.10

Commentary

few pupils are only a matter of minutes late.

p.11

Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year 2002/3

p.11

Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 6.5% 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.

p.11

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a very good quality education. Teaching is of a very high standard and the curriculum is very well planned and interesting for pupils. Care and welfare of pupils is given high priority and pupils are very well guided in improving their work, behaviour and attitudes. Links with parents are good and the school effectively maintains good relationships with local schools and the community.

p.11

Teaching and learning

The overall quality of teaching is very good and promotes very effective learning in the majority of lessons.

p.11

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers are very skilled at introducing lessons and demonstrating and explaining new learning. • Teaching in ability groups has a very positive impact on pupils’ learning. • Pupils with special educational needs are taught very well. • Teaching assistants play a very effective role in most lessons. • Sometimes pupils are required to listen for too long and this affects how well they learn. • In a few lessons, teachers do not use the right strategies to support pupils who are at the very early stages of learning to speak English.

p.11

Commentary

10. Teachers are consistently well prepared for lessons, organise tasks and resources very well and are very clear about what they want pupils to learn. A very strong feature of all lessons observed was the very effective way that teachers introduced new learning. They speak very clearly, use very suitable vocabulary and are very precise in their delivery. Good listening is always expected and pupils learn that this is the key to effective learning. As a result they know exactly what is expected of them, what they are going to learn and understand the teachers’ instructions. They move easily and confidently to individual or group tasks, with minimal fuss, often demonstrating attitudes and self-discipline beyond their years. Learning is consequently very good in many lessons. In lessons for lower attaining pupils, the attention to very clear explanation, supported by effective demonstration is fundamental to the very good

p.11

Commentary

achievement of many pupils. St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 12 Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 30 lessons

p.11

Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.12

Commentary

3 (10%) 11 (37%) 9 (30%) 7 (23%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

p.12

Commentary

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

p.12

Commentary

11. The school has taken a brave move to organise pupils by ability for English and mathematics lessons, a strategy not widely used in infant schools. They have stuck by their convictions that, because there is a high proportion of pupils with special education needs and particularly as many pupils start with low levels in numeracy and literacy, grouping by ability is the best way to deal with the wide range of needs. Strategies have been successful. Teachers make very good use of the information gained form assessments of pupils’ work to plan very effectively for new learning. The challenges set for all ability groups are exactly right, which means that achievements are at least good.

p.12

Commentary

12. Setting arrangements are very beneficial for pupils with special education needs. Resources are very well targeted to support them and they grow in confidence as they see their own progress in lessons. Because teachers are acutely aware that steps in learning may be small for this group of children, they plan to maintain high levels of motivation and enthusiasm by keeping tasks short and to the point, constantly reminding pupils of what they are learning and regularly praising pupils for their efforts and outcomes. Teachers are very good at managing pupils’ behaviour and as a result, those pupils who have difficulties in this area are seldom a problem in lessons. Small group sessions led by the special educational needs co- ordinator are very effective. Once again, assessment information is very well used to target specific groups and give them the opportunity for intensive learning that will enable them to

p.12

Commentary

access the full curriculum. During the inspection, the co-ordinator worked with a group of Year 2 boys who needed extra input to develop writing skills. She focused heavily on developing their concentration skills and application to task. She gave added support to a pupil who did not speak English as his first language, allowing him to demonstrate his creative ability with the necessary support for extending his vocabulary. These practices are indicative of the school’s very good attention to inclusion issues.

p.12

Commentary

13. The school has a very effective group of teaching assistants who are well trained, very loyal to the school and have a positive impact on pupils’ achievements. They work very effectively with teachers and are most often very well deployed to support individuals and groups in lessons. Teachers communicate well with their assistants and there is a clear understanding of what is being taught and who needs help to learn. The only time when maximum use is not made of teaching assistants is during the few sessions when pupils are required to sit and listen for too long. This is usually in foundation subjects when pupils are taught in their class groups. Introductions to some of these lessons do not take enough account of the full range of pupils’ needs. This means that pupils who find listening a struggle can become fidgety and higher attaining pupils become bored. At these times, teachers do not always utilise the skills

p.12

Commentary

of teaching assistants effectively enough to ensure that all groups of pupils are involved and contributing in the best way possible.

p.12

Commentary

14. The two specialist teachers for pupils who speak English as an additional language provide good quality support for this group. They work in close partnership with class teachers. Good use is made of initial and ongoing assessment to set targets for improvements which are shared with all class teachers. Early stage learners benefit from intensive one to one or small group sessions, focused on basic skills in English. They are supported during discussions in whole class sessions. However, when specialist teachers are not available, ways of supporting individuals are sometimes not identified in lessons and effective strategies are not always planned for their learning. In some instances when early English language learners are higher attaining pupils, they become frustrated when they work in a group with lower St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 13 attaining pupils. This can be off putting and affect their achievements. The school is aware

p.12

Commentary

that more training is needed to help teachers to do work as effectively as they would like to in such situations.

p.13

The curriculum

The school provides a very good curriculum that is inclusive of all pupils. All statutory requirements of the National Curriculum are met. The curriculum is enriched by the very good opportunities for learning beyond lessons.

p.13

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good use is made of visits and visitors and specific planned opportunities that involve pupils in hands on learning experiences. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • The school deploys its staff judiciously to capitalise on individual expertise to enhance learning.

p.13

Commentary

15. The curriculum is very well planned and provides a good range of interesting activities that match the needs and learning styles of all groups of pupils. The provision has improved since the last inspection and the school has made good progress with respect to investigative work in science and the coverage of the Locally Agreed Syllabus in religious education. The curriculum is enriched very effectively through a wide range of extra curricular activities and especially the use of visits and visitors to stimulate and enhance learning. Pupils respond very positively on these occasions, as was evident during the week of the inspection when pupils were involved in a range of workshops from drama presented by a theatre company to activities in music and singing linked to the theme of recycling.

p.13

Commentary

16. All pupils, whatever their background, have good access to the full curriculum, including activities organised outside the school day. Boys and girls participate on an equal footing in most activities on offer. Pupils with English as an additional language and those from a different ethnic background are fully involved in all activities. The school has a positive inclusive ethos and all pupils are well integrated and feel secure. Good use is made of special weeks to develop pupils' insights into other cultures.

p.13

Commentary

17. The school has sufficient, well-trained staff who are deployed effectively. The school’s accommodation is satisfactory overall. There are major plans to make needed improvements to the outside accommodation. Currently, much of the outside area is fenced off in small, underused compounds. The playground is a flat stretch of tarmac with insufficient interest to make it an attractive recreational area or learning resource. Apart form the fenced-off reception areas, there are no boundaries indicating where the playground ends and this is unnerving for staff and pupils. To reach the grassed area, pupils from the infant school have to cross the junior playground. This means that in dry weather, pupils cannot freely access the field without an organised transfer system. Inside the classrooms are spacious and the open areas are planned well as extra learning spaces. The library has a good assortment of

p.13

Commentary

books, but it has to be used as a corridor, so does not lend itself to the quiet enjoyment of reading. Corridor space is used well to house the school’s ICT suite, but the same issues with the space being a thoroughfare are encountered as with the library. Resources for learning are good. The school has a good range of resources for every subject, chosen well to complement the curriculum and match the needs of infant pupils.

p.13

Care, guidance and support

The care, welfare and safety of the pupils are good. The school has very good systems to support and guide each and every pupil. It involves pupils well in the work of the school and listens to them carefully. Pupils with special educational needs are very well cared for and supported. St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 14

p.13

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils feel extremely confident in trusting adults in the school. • Each pupil is given very careful academic and pastoral support linked to tight assessment systems. • The school has well organised systems to ensure the pupils are safe and secure. • The playground is barren and causes a significant number of minor accidents.

p.14

Commentary

18. Pupils are well looked after while at school. Health and safety systems are very well established with good input from the headteacher, governors and caretaker. The school has a good number of staff with first aid certificates and further adults are to be trained. Child protection procedures are very secure and the school is up to date with the latest guidelines. The staff and school nurse monitor pupils with particular medical needs very carefully. Trips out of the school are planned very methodically with the safety of the pupils being paramount. There are major plans to upgrade the outside areas, but currently the playground is a barren rectangle of tarmac with little for the children to do except run up and down, often resulting in collisions and falls. The midday meals supervisors record minor accidents routinely and respond suitably to minor accidents.

p.14

Commentary

19. The provision of advice and guidance is very good. The support of the individual pupil is very much at the heart of the school. The school has very good assessment systems that mean teachers know exactly how each pupil should be supported to improve, whether academically or in personal development. For example several pupils have been encouraged to come early to school to benefit from a morning exercise programme to improve their physical development. Each class keeps well-maintained records of the particular needs of each pupil, whether linked to learning, domestic or language needs so that teaching and care can be matched properly.

p.14

Commentary

20. Relationships between the staff and pupils are exceptional. All pupils feel confident to turn to at least one adult, and often many more, when they are worried, sad or just want to ask a question. The contributions and opinions of the pupils are always valued, so pupils grow in confidence and enjoy their learning. The less socially confident pupils are supported very well in their own special “circle times” when they have the chance to express ideas and personal thoughts in smaller groups. Pupils appreciate ‘Golden Time’ and celebration assemblies when they are rewarded for good behaviour and work. Pupils are included very well in deciding how best to improve their work. Right from the start pupils know about their particular targets and can evaluate how they are doing. In the reception classes the simple pictorial targets on carriages of a train are ideal for young learners. Pupils are well involved in

p.14

Commentary

helping with small chores around the school, including collecting the registers, giving out the white boards and putting out chairs for assembly. A recent competition to design a new logo for the school jumper enthused the pupils and allowed them to agree on a squirrel badge as their contribution to school development.

p.14

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a good partnership with parents. Links with the community and with other schools and colleges are good.

p.14

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents and children are introduced to school life very effectively. • Parents are supportive and appreciative of what the school does for their children. • The school uses the local area well to enliven learning. St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 15 • Good links with the playgroups and the junior school ensure that education is a smooth continuation for the pupils. • Reports are not sufficiently consistent in giving a clear message about how pupils progress in each subject. • Some parents keep their children off school too easily. • Parents could be included more in their children’s learning through workshops and knowing more about their children’s targets.

p.14

Commentary

21. The school’s good links with parents are as they were at the time of the last inspection. Parents and children new to school are settled in very effectively. They receive a very informative “Starting School “ booklet and are given plenty of chances to meet the staff and get to know the surroundings before their child starts properly. Several parents do not find the initial weeks of half-day attendance convenient, but the school has the needs of the pupils as a priority and the gradual settling in process reaps later rewards in very good personal development.

p.15

Commentary

22. Parents receive a good amount of useful information including newsletters and year group booklets about the curriculum being covered. Teachers are open, welcoming and always willing to arrange a special meeting to discuss any particular parental concerns. The parents of Year 2 pupils are kept well informed about the setting process in English and mathematics and also are updated on the national testing strategies. However there are not enough chances for other parents to find out more about teaching methods through workshops and curriculum evenings. An agreed approach to reading between home and school would benefit reading standards in the school. Reports are perceptive and let parents know what their child can do, but parents are not all told clearly about progress over the year in each subject. Some parents would also like more information about their child’s targets for improvement so that they can work with the school to support from home.

p.15

Commentary

23. Parents support the school well. They turn out in good numbers at end of term productions and services and the majority make sure they come to parent teacher consultations. The parent teacher association raises welcome funds for the school through a range of social and fundraising events. The school values its parent helpers and ensures they know what to do by inviting them to a meeting to explain school procedures. The school gave a particularly warm welcome to a father who brought his recycled musical instruments for the “War on Waste” week. Some parents are not supporting education as well as they can when they take children out of school in term time for holidays or too easily keep them off school for inadequate reasons.

p.15

Commentary

24. The school makes good use of its local neighbourhood to extend learning for the pupils. Pupils regularly visit the local church and the famous cathedral to enliven history and religious education. The field study centre is used very well for science in all year groups. Pupils give their harvest baskets to the local elderly and learn to respect and care for their elders. The school has good links both with the playgroups children attend and with the neighbouring junior school. The staff from the playgroups and from the school work well together to ensure the children are happy in their move. An added bonus is the knowledgeable position of the foundation stage leader as the nursery liaison officer for the local education authority. In Year 2 the pupils have valuable opportunities to get to know the junior school building and staff. The teachers in Year 2 and Year 3 ensure that essential information is shared so the pupils’ move

p.15

Commentary

from infant to junior schools is as seamless as possible. The school is also liasing well with a nearby special school to support a boy as he gradually moves back to mainstream schooling. Liaison with parents of pupils who are supported for their special educational needs is very good. The co-ordinator for special educational needs gives of her time very generously to talk to parents and follow up on their questions and concerns. St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 16

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The overall leadership and management of the school are good . The headteacher inspires motivates, supports and leads her staff very well, and is in turn, supported well by the senior management team. Teamwork is a strength of the school. Management throughout the school is effective. The governing body supports the school well and governance overall is satisfactory. Improvement since the last inspection has been good.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides a very clear steer for the work of the school. • Senior staff are very good role models, both in terms of teaching and in relationships. • The provision for special educational needs is very well led and managed. • Staff expertise and knowledge are developed well. • Data is used effectively to track pupil performance. • Governors support the school well. • Strategic planning is not always clear enough in its links with raising standards.

p.16

Commentary

25. The head has a very good vision and manages the school effectively. She has created an impressive team of staff that work very well together, continuously striving to improve. The head is very good at empowering staff through personal example and through clear identification of staff needs and training. As a result, staff enjoy working in the school and are clearly developed very successfully. Performance management is used very effectively to support these objectives.

p.16

Commentary

26. The senior managers work very well together and all manage their own responsibilities and subjects very effectively, in addition to being very good teaching role models. Each has built a very effective team in their own right, thus ensuring that individual support permeates through the school. Consistency of approach is very apparent in each team. All managers use data very well to track pupil performance and to ensure that each pupil’s needs are met. The co-ordinator for special educational needs works very effectively to ensure that pupils are supported in their learning. She manages the work of learning support assistants very well and maintains extremely close communication with parents. Monitoring of lessons and work in all subjects takes place on a rotation basis, but targets for improvement are not often enough set as a result, nor are findings collated in a manner that ensures systematic future

p.16

Commentary

development. School strategic planning has taken account of recommendations made at the last inspection, but is not yet clear enough about school priorities. It is also not clear enough about measuring improvements in standards as a result of actions taken.

p.16

Commentary

27. Governors do not currently play a large role in initial strategic planning, trusting the headteacher to guide the school’s development. Their faith in the school’s leadership is positive, but at times governors are not proactive enough in using their knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses to plan for the future. They are mindful of this and their current work on financial planning reflects a more forward thinking approach to the school’s future development. Finances are managed well at the school. There was a slightly higher than average carry forward in the last financial year, but the school has clear plans for this money related to improving the site and maintaining levels of support staff. Governors make a good contribution to monitoring the plans that are made for the school and they are effective in supporting the school on a day-to-day and personal basis. The chair of governors and

p.16

Commentary

headteacher work in good partnership to promote the school’s positive image. St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 17 28. The excellent relationships apparent in every part of the school underpin everything that the school does and weld all the teams in the school together. Staff throughout the school are unfailingly friendly and helpful. They are excellent role models for the pupils and together have succeeded in driving the school forward to deliver good improvement since the last inspection.

p.16

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.17

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 630 985 Balance from previous year 45 057 Total expenditure 572 135 Balance carried forward to the next 58 850 Expenditure per pupil 2399 St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

29. The quality of provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good, and has many very good features. Children achieve well in all areas of their early learning. They achieve especially well in their personal, social and emotional development because of the high expectations and excellent relationships that are encouraged and role modelled. Assessments show that the children have started school with knowledge and skills that are below expectations for their age in all areas of the curriculum. The quality of teaching is always good, and is often very good, with some excellent aspects. Ongoing assessment of the children’s progress is very good. Because of the good teaching, children quickly make good overall gains on these levels. By the time they enter Year 1, the vast majority of children have achieved the goals for early learning in most of the expected areas but are still below national expectations in

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

literacy and numeracy. The internal accommodation for the Foundation Stage is an excellent learning environment. It is bright, lively and welcoming and exceptionally well organised by the foundation stage coordinator. She leads and manages very well and is an extremely good role model.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal and social education is very good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Relationships between children and adults are excellent. • There is very good promotion of collaboration and consideration. • Teaching and learning are very good in the area of learning. • Children behave very well. • New methods of teaching are a good beginning to pupils taking responsibility for their own learning, but they are not yet sufficiently developed to measure their impact.

p.18

Commentary

30. Children in the Foundation Stage quickly learn to behave well, to be considerate and to co- operate. They achieve very well because of high quality teaching, and because the environment is very well organised to allow independence and investigation. New systems to encourage free choice are being developed, but at the time of the inspection they had not been running long enough to see the full impact on learning. Role modelling by staff and the excellent manner in which children are supported encourage them to adapt quickly to new surroundings. Their attitudes and behaviour are very good. Children listen well to adults and enthusiastically join in with activities. They enjoy school life thoroughly and are caring and helpful to others.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teaching of phonics and handwriting skills is good. • Literacy is well promoted by basing topics on books. • Children are encouraged to listen well with good results. • There are missed opportunities to develop speaking. St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 19 • Children do not take books home to read often enough.

p.18

Commentary

31. Most children have poor literacy skills on entry to the school. Very few recognise any words or letter sounds at all. Good teaching results in good achievement, but pupils are likely not to have attained the expected early learning goals in literacy when they enter Year 1. Phonics and handwriting are well taught through exciting daily lessons using the ‘Phonographix’ scheme. Reading is well demonstrated using big books, but children do not have enough opportunities to develop their reading skills by taking books home. Children’s listening skills are very well developed as a result of teachers’ high expectations in this area. They are also given many opportunities to talk to adults and to each other, but adults do not always use this time to expand and develop vocabulary as much as they could. Writing is well developed through role-play activities that encourage children to record in written marks and through

p.19

Commentary

regular chances to learn to write in literacy sessions.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is good. • Well thought out practical activities are effectively matched to children’s abilities.

p.19

Commentary

32. Good use is made of exciting resources to develop children’s number skills. Children benefit from good teaching in mathematical development as they explore colours, shapes, measures and numbers. Lessons are practical and stimulating. They are related to books and to other topics being studied so that children’s interest is maintained. By the time they reach the reception classes, almost all children can count beyond 20 and some can count to 100. Knowledge of number is weak when children enter reception and they make good progress, although a substantial proportion are not on target to attain the expected level by the time they enter Year 1.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision for the development of children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good access to the ICT suite means that children’s ICT skills are well developed. • Topics are well designed to capture children’s interest and imagination.

p.19

Commentary

33. Children are given many varied and exciting activities to enable them to explore and investigate. They reach good levels of skill for their age on the computer, having accurate mouse control and being able to access and use several different programs. They have good opportunities to learn history and geography, being observed, for example, finding country names on an inflatable globe. Science investigation is carefully linked to books with children learning about water, for instance, after reading Incey Wincey Spider. Children show high levels of interest in all their activities and as result reach expected levels by the end of the reception year. St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 20

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good use is made of the outside area with pupils engaged in a large number of activities designed to improve physical development. • Good opportunities are built in to the day for pupils to practise their fine motor skills, especially eye hand coordination.

p.20

Commentary

34. Children especially enjoy their physical activity and many select outdoor activities when given the choice. A wide variety of activities using large and small apparatus are available. All are well supervised by staff and parent helpers. Lessons are very carefully planned to ensure that small movement skills, especially those requiring finger control, are developed. This results in good achievement for all and very good achievement for some, being particularly important for the learning of handwriting.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A well-organised stimulating environment is well used to develop the imagination.

p.20

Commentary

35. Children enjoy creative activities and particularly benefit from the high quality environment. Opportunities for creative work are available through most of the day. There are extremely stimulating role-play areas to develop drama. Percussion instruments are on offer for music making. Art is encouraged through the provision of paint and other media. Creativity is also very well developed through large group activities, such as junk modelling, when children are encouraged to role-play as they build. St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 21

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject is well led and managed. • Teachers have very good knowledge and understanding of the subject and deploy this effectively to impact on pupils' achievement. • Assessment approaches are robust and the analysis of pupils' performance is used well to deploy and focus support. • ICT is not sufficiently used to enhance pupils' learning.

p.21

Commentary

36. Overall standards in English are in line with those found nationally and the majority of pupils, including those with special educational needs, those who speak English as an additional language and those from minority ethnic backgrounds achieve well. This represents a better picture than the one reflected in results of national tests in 2003, especially with respect to reading, where results were below the national average at the expected level. The school has made good use of their analysis of test results to focus on improving standards in reading. Appropriate intervention strategies, including targeted support for pupils with special educational needs, additional literacy support and especially the high quality of teaching all have a positive impact on pupils' achievement. The subject is well led and managed. Careful monitoring and focused developments are having a positive impact across the school. There

p.21

Commentary

has been good improvement since the last inspection.

p.21

Commentary

37. Teaching of English is good. Pupils listen and respond well in lessons because teachers use questioning effectively to elicit information and match questions appropriately to different abilities. Pupils draw on their previous learning, for instance when describing the journey of a crisp packet and using a word bank as a reference to support their responses. The effective use of teaching assistants enables lower attaining pupils to respond confidently on a one to one basis. Speaking is promoted well in circle time and enhanced through planned programmes involving visitors to promote drama. However, progress in speaking is not as carefully monitored as other aspects of the subject, so there is not a clear understanding of whether pupils are doing well enough. The school knows that this needs improvement. Pupils achieve well in their reading. Most pupils develop good strategies for reading unfamiliar words

p.21

Commentary

and use the context to guess meaning. The teaching of sound and letter patterns is very effective and has a positive impact on pupils' progress. More able pupils express clear preferences in their reading and show good skills in finding information. They are articulate in talking about what they have read. Reading is effectively assessed against clear objectives and the information gained is used effectively to set targets for improvement.

p.21

Commentary

38. Pupils’ achievements in writing are good. This is largely due to the effective demonstrations used by teachers. The majority of pupils move quickly to a joined style of handwriting and improve their spelling because of the emphasis the schools makes in linking knowledge of letter sounds with spelling. Teachers have a very good knowledge and understanding of the subject, often reflected in the range of methods used and the way they are tailored to match the needs of different abilities. The use of questioning and prompting, combined with effective demonstrations and very good organisation enables pupils to practise and apply skills meaningfully and successfully. Marking of pupils' work is used well to inform pupils about what they are achieving and to guide them as to how to improve their work.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 22 39. Pupils’ literacy skills are promoted well in other subjects. The speaking skills of higher attaining pupils are used well as models to support lower attaining pupils. Opportunities for discussions are used effectively in a range of subjects, for instance in science when pupils explore different words for noise. There is sound use of ICT for word processing and presentation of texts. However, because in some classes, access to stand alone computers is limited, opportunities are sometimes missed, especially for drafting and editing. Year 2 pupils are timetabled to use the computers regularly so that they can extend their work in other subjects.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching of mathematics is very good resulting in very good achievement, especially for a significant proportion of pupils with special needs. • Activities are very carefully chosen for maximum motivation, resulting in very good attitudes to mathematics. • Assessment of mathematics is very good. • Leadership and management in the subject are very good.

p.22

Commentary

40. By the end of Year 2 standards in mathematics are in line with nationally expected levels. Knowledge and skills at the beginning of Year 1 are weak compared to national expectations, but pupils achieve well as they move through the school. Pupils with relatively weaker skills and special needs make especially good progress. Test results for 2003 indicate that the school has a smaller proportion of pupils achieving low scores than do other similar schools. Test results are otherwise in line with national averages at each level and better than the national average when all results are combined. The majority of pupils make such good progress throughout the school because the quality of teaching and learning is very good.

p.22

Commentary

41. The school makes very effective use of their analysis of test results to ensure that suitable provision is made for all pupils. Individual targets are set for the end of Year 2, enabling teachers to be very clear about work to be covered. The targets are reinforced through curriculum targets being stuck in books and shared with the pupils. Tracking is not currently used to set individual pupil targets in Year 1, as it is in Year 2, so it is more difficult to measure individual pupil achievement at this stage. Good use is made of setting in Year 2 to ensure teaching is well matched to ability levels.

p.22

Commentary

42. Mathematics teaching throughout the school is very good. The teachers have been very well trained and make good use of the structure of the national strategy recommendations to plan for daily lessons. Teachers in Year 1 work very well together to deliver exceptionally motivating lessons that make good use of exciting resources. In Year 2 the setting system works well as teachers concentrate on planning for a narrower range of ability. Pupils are encouraged to develop their own methods of recording and to explain their working. There is a good amount of work indicating coverage of all the expected areas. The work is beautifully laid out and most marking is well annotated, noting what pupils can do. Mathematics teaching is further supported through good questioning by teachers, developing thinking further. Excellent classroom displays reinforce mathematical processes and vocabulary. Pupil attitudes to mathematics are very good because of the consistently good, exciting, quality of

p.22

Commentary

the teaching, which in turn leads to quality learning in lessons. 43. The mathematics subject leader was not available for interview during the inspection, but the evidence indicates that leadership and management of the subject are very good. Teachers St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 23 are clearly very well supported and have received good training. There has been very good improvement in mathematics since the last inspection, when pupil achievement was judged to be satisfactory.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

44. Good use is made of science lessons to teach numeracy through graph work and measurement. Less opportunity is made to teach mathematics in other areas of the curriculum.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ investigative, enquiry and research skills are very well developed. • Pupils’ achieve well in the area of physical processes. • Teaching and learning is carefully organised to ensure that pupils have good opportunities to learn a range facts at the same time as employing their scientific skills. • Leadership and management of the subject are good.

p.23

Commentary

45. Effective leadership and management of science since the last inspection have resulted in good overall improvement in the subject. The co-ordinator has focussed essentially on righting the balance between scientific investigation and the learning of facts and knowledge so that pupils’ now reach standards that are in solidly in line with nationally expected levels and achieve well overall. Teacher assessments in 2003 verify this at the end of Year 2. They also show that higher attaining pupils do particularly well in the aspect of physical processes. The school is aware that pupils are particularly interested in electricity and provide good opportunities for them to work on extension tasks in this aspect of the curriculum. Pupils’ knowledge of circuits and circuit breakers is good. They use switches, bulbs and batteries with confidence and can explain very clearly what happens to break the flow of electricity.

p.23

Commentary

Many pupils are interested because they have dads who work in professions where this knowledge is used. The school responds to this by providing relevant work to match pupils’ experiences.

p.23

Commentary

46. Pupils have ample opportunity to carry out investigations. They make well-informed predictions using their scientific knowledge and understanding and devise ways to test the predictions they make. They have a good understanding of what constitutes a fair test and explain clearly why fair testing is important. Pupils make good links between what they learn in science and other subjects, for example geography and music. During the inspection, their knowledge of sound was clearly demonstrated when they talked about pitch in music. Environmental issues and an understanding of recycling processes were strongly emphasised through the special events week.

p.23

Commentary

47. Science is well taught. Teaching in Year 2 has been carefully arranged to make optimum use of time and resources. Teaching assistants are effectively deployed to support learning and allow the teacher to focus on a particular group for assessment purposes. During science lessons, teaching assistants from Year 2 work with Year 1 pupils to make this possible. As a result there is good opportunity for the teachers to monitor pupils’ application of scientific skills. Where skills are noted to be weaker, the teacher has an immediate pointer for planning future learning. This effective model has raised standards and will be applied to Year 1 lessons in the future. St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 24

p.23

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is satisfactory.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils show positive attitudes and are very interested in their work. • Information about pupils' progress is not yet used well enough to plan for future learning.

p.24

Commentary

48. Pupils reach standards in information and communication technology that are in line with those expected and all pupils achieve satisfactorily. By the end of Year 2 pupils confidently and accurately use computers and a wide range of suitable programs. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported by programs to support basic literacy and numeracy. During the inspection, teachers use sound demonstration of the skills to be practised by pupils in Year 1, for instance creating a poster advertising recycling and pupils in Year 2 redrafting a written message to be sent to a visitor to the school. Teaching assistants are effectively deployed and, together with the teachers, intervene well to support pupils' learning. Work is well planned so that skills are systematically taught and pupils’ knowledge is appropriately developed. Pupils are encouraged to collaborate in pairs and the majority of

p.24

Commentary

them respond very well to this. The subject is satisfactorily led and managed, but as yet limited use is made of the information of how well pupils are doing to plan for future learning. The plan for development in ICT does not contain clear indicators of plans to raise standards.

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

49. The skills pupils learn in information and communication technology sessions are used appropriately in other subjects. In response to a request by the parents’ association, pupils in Year 2 used survey information on food and plotted this on a graph. Skills are used well in art, religious education, geography and history. Pupils used the Internet to research information on Samuel Pepys and Guy Fawkes, for example.

p.24

HUMANITIES

During the week of the inspection it was impossible to sample lessons in all subjects as the school was involved with a special events week linked to the theme of recycling. Judgements are therefore based on evidence gathered from discussions with teachers and pupils, samples of work and scrutiny of planning.

p.24

Religious education

The provision for religious education is satisfactory.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject is well led and managed. • There is good emphasis given to the development of pupils’ spiritual and cultural development through the subject. • The capacity for improvement is good.

p.24

Commentary

St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 25 50. The provision for religious education has improved since the last inspection and pupils now achieve suitably to reach standards that are in line with the expectations of the Agreed Syllabus. Although only one lesson was observed, planning for religious education clearly shows coverage of all elements of the agreed programme and past work indicates that plans are adhered to. Pupils talk knowledgably of the things they have studied and they show an understanding of cultures linked to religions and describe the similarities and differences. Teaching is good and leads to this clear understanding. Pupils are confident to talk about what they believe and are already beginning to establish viewpoints on very profound issues such as what is holiness and service to others. This is a direct result of the school’s very good promotion of self-esteem and confidence that helps pupils to understand their right to

p.25

Commentary

opinion and personal belief. Spirituality is well developed in this way.

p.25

Commentary

51. The subject co-ordinator is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. She has used the Locally Agreed Syllabus well to implement a programme of study that is interesting for pupils and supportive to teachers. She recognises the great potential to promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through religious education and this is a key focus of her work. Through her co-ordination the subject has great capacity for improvement in the future.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Key skills in geography and history are well taught. • Good links are made between the subjects so that learning is meaningful. • Pupils enjoy their work and this helps them to remember facts well.

p.25

Commentary

52. Standards in both subjects are in line with national expectations by the end of Year 2. Pupils achieve well on their starting levels overall, because they make particularly good gains in learning the skills necessary to find out for themselves and make links between what they learn in the two subjects. In one history lesson seen, pupils consolidated and extended their understanding of the passing of time as they explored the history of a house. The teacher made good use of a time line to illustrate key events. Pupils recognised how specific events in history changed the way that people lived, for example the invention of motorcars. In discussion, pupils make good links between their learning in history and geography. For example, pupils know that geographical features of towns change as time goes by because of new inventions and events. They know how to support their learning in both subjects by

p.25

Commentary

using the Internet and books and by asking people questions. Issues related to the environment are well covered in events such as the themed week during the inspection. Pupils were given very valuable opportunities to think about waste and recycling through a range of wonderful experiences involving drama, dance, art, design and technology and music. This contributes very well to their social and spiritual development and increases their understanding of good citizenship.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

53. Although the special week at school meant that specific lessons in design and technology, music and physical education could not be widely sampled, pupils were involved in a range of activities where they demonstrated their developing skills. Provision in music and physical education is good. In design and technology provision is satisfactory. Pupils sing very tunefully and with real enthusiasm. Opportunities to sing greatly enhance pupils’ spiritual development. During an assembly, pupils sang to each other, looking directly into their partners’ eyes, to reinforce how each individual is special. In a musical performance using instruments made from recycled articles, even the youngest children showed a very good St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 26 feel for high and loud notes and made the connection between the change in note pitch and the length of the tube that was used. In this session, pupils sang along very well to a difficult

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

jazz tune, holding the tune and keeping good time. In a dance session, the teacher led the pupils very well in producing exceptionally good robotic movements to lively music. Pupils were encouraged to move at high and low levels, change direction and alter speed. They develop good performance skills through such activities. Facial expressions were very well used to enhance to their dance work. Standards in both music and physical education easily meet the nationally expected levels.

p.26

Art and design

The overall provision for art and design is good .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well to reach standards that are above the national expectations. • Artwork is used very effectively to create attractive displays around the school. • Skills are taught well so that pupils feel confident to experiment and be original.

p.26

Commentary

54. Pupils achieve well in art and reach standards that are above the nationally expected levels. The wide range of artwork displayed throughout the school gives clear evidence of these standards and pupils make good progress in learning artistic skills balanced with developing an understanding of artists, their influences and their work. Pupils use a range of media and techniques to create interesting work. All pupils develop a range of skills in drawing and painting, printing, and three-dimensional works in paper, collage and clay. They develop their speaking and listening skills through discussion related to their artwork during lessons. Very good support is given to individuals to improve their technique and to develop their ideas. Girls and boys alike have very positive attitudes towards their work and they display real pleasure in showing their work to adults and each other.

p.26

Commentary

55. Teaching in art is good. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and teach artistic skills effectively. Good use of visitors is made to enhance the curriculum and the co-ordinator is instrumental in encouraging cross-curricular work that adds to pupils’ learning in other subjects. Leadership and management are good. St. Stephen’s CE Infant School - 27

p.26

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 2 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 2 Attendance 5 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 1 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 2 The quality of teaching 2 How well pupils learn 2 The quality of assessment 2 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 2 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 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 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 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 4 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