Bottesford Infant School

BOTTESFORD INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 5 th – 8 th July 2004

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BOTTESFORD INFANT SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 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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BOTTESFORD 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. Bottesford Infant School 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant School School category: Community Age range of pupils: 5-7 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 190

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Manor Road Bottesford Scunthorpe North Lincolnshire Postcode: DN16 3PB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01724 862483 Fax number: 01724 851839

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Cllr J R Dickinson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: October 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This average sized community infant school is popular with parents and there is always pressure for places at the school. Recent awards include an Achievement Award, a Healthy School Award and a Basic Skills Award. Currently there are 190 pupils on roll, 97 boys and 93 girls in seven classes. All except one with Year 1 and 2 pupils are single-age classes. About a third of all pupils are from out of the normal school catchment area. There are very few children from ethnic minority backgrounds and only one who speaks English as an additional language. An hour of additional support is provided for this pupil. The attainment of most children on entry to the school is in line with that normally expected.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The number eligible for free school meals, 2.4 per cent, is below average. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs is also below the national average with 11.6 per cent on the register and the proportion with a statement of special educational needs is below average. The school provides for about half of these pupils from its own resources but additional help has been sought from specialists for those who have moderate learning difficulties and those with physical problems. The mobility of pupils is not significant with 10 pupils joining and five leaving the school during term time last year. Bottesford Infant School 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 25344 Mr J J Peacock Lead inspector English Science Art and design Design and technology Physical education Religious education Special educational needs English as an additional language 32678 Mrs K Dodd. Lay inspector 30834 Mrs A Lowson Team inspector Foundation Stage Mathematics Information and communication technology Geography History Music

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Eclipse Education (UK) Limited 14 Enterprise House Kingsway Team Valley Gateshead Tyne & Wear NE11 0SR

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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). Bottesford Infant School 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 9

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a very effective school where high standards are being successfully maintained, year on year. There is a solid commitment from all staff to provide a worthwhile education for pupils and as a result of the very good quality of teaching, most achieve very well in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. The highly professional headteacher has high aspirations and an excellent sense of purpose. Her clear vision ensures the needs of individual pupils are extremely well catered for. Parents have a high regard for the school and there is pressure for places each year. Governors are fully supportive and have become more actively involved since the previous inspection. Overall, the school is providing very good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The very good leadership and management of the headteacher and key staff are largely responsible for the sustained high standards at the school. • The very effective liaison between teachers and the well-trained support staff has a positive effect on pupils' level of achievement. • The very rich curriculum provides all pupils with meaningful first hand learning experiences • Children get a flying start to their education because of the strength of provision in the Foundation Stage. • Pupils' personal development is promoted very effectively. The outcome is reflected in pupils' very good attitudes and behaviour. • Parents justifiably hold the school in high regard and work hard with staff to support pupils' learning.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The level of improvement since the previous inspection has been good. Under the expert guidance of the current headteacher, all three key issues have been turned into significant strengths. The management of pupils in class, for example, is very good. Marking has been improved significantly along with assessment procedures and all subject co-ordinators have clear roles and very effectively monitor and evaluate all aspects of their subject areas. As a result, the quality of teaching has also improved and high standards are successfully being maintained.

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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 A A* A* A Writing A A A* A* Mathematics A A A A Key: A* - very high ; A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils achieve very well. In the national tests, pupils' performance is impressive, with high standards being maintained over time. In 2003, pupils' performance was in the top five per cent nationally for reading and writing and well above average in mathematics. Pupils' performance is also rated highly when compared to that of pupils in similar schools. In the teacher assessments in science, standards were above average. Pupil absence accounted for the lower performance. Inspection evidence shows that in English, mathematics and science, standards are well above average. This is a reflection of the quality of teaching and the high level of parental interest and support. Those with learning difficulties or the very few who speak English as an additional language also achieve very well because of the very good quality of provision for them. Pupils achieve well in information and communication technology (ICT) and standards are above those

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

expected. In religious education, pupils also achieve well. All demonstrate a good knowledge about other religions, for example. There was insufficient evidence to judge provision or overall standards Bottesford Infant School 5 in other subjects. Very good opportunities are planned for all pupils to use their literacy and numeracy skills and computers in most lessons. Overall, children in the Foundation Stage achieve very well with many producing work of a high quality. All children, including the lower attaining children attain the early learning goals in each of the six areas of learning before the end of their reception year. Children achieve very well in three of the six areas of learning due to the quality of provision and attain standards, which are well above those expected.

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Pupils' personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development,

are very good. Attendance levels in the last full year were above average and there were no exclusions. Pupils' behaviour is very good and all have a very good attitude to learning.

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

very good. The very good procedures for assessment have been maintained since the previous inspection, however the use teachers make of assessment information has been improved upon. Teaching has improved significantly since the previous inspection. Teachers and the well-trained support staff work very effectively as a team. All the teaching seen during the inspection was either good or very good! This resulted in the quality of learning for individual pupils being of a similarly high standard. The effective use of support staff and planning interesting links between the different subjects are particular strengths. All teachers insist on and get high standards of behaviour in lessons. Resources, particularly computers and the new computer linked smartboards are used very effectively throughout and make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning. Teachers teach literacy skills and the technical aspects of writing very well but insufficient time was allowed in a few

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

literacy lessons for pupils to write and demonstrate their knowledge. The assessment of pupils’ learning is a strength. Future targets, based on a wealth of information, are discussed with pupils and their parents and designed to build effectively on previous learning. The staff provide pupils with a very good level of care, support and guidance.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are very good. Governance is good. All statutory requirements are met. The highly respected headteacher has made a huge impact on the management of the school, empowering key staff such as the knowledgeable deputy headteacher to play a vital role in developing different aspects such as assessment. The management of subjects is very good with all co-ordinators working extremely hard. Monitoring and evaluation procedures are highly effective and there is an excellent commitment to training by all staff. The commitment by all staff to equality of opportunity for all, and to meeting the needs of individual pupils is excellent.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have very positive views about the school. There were no areas of concern expressed at the meeting for parents or in the returned questionnaires. Pupils were equally positive in their questionnaire, completed prior to the inspection. A small number of older pupils were over-anxious about some pupils not meeting the high expectations for behaviour in school.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

No major areas of weakness were identified during the inspection. Bottesford Infant School 6

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Overall, pupils' level of achievement is very good. Most children enter the school with levels of attainment which are in line with those normally seen. As a result of very good teaching, children in the Foundation Stage also achieve very well. By the end of Year 2, pupils attain standards, which are well above average in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. Overall, the trend in the school's results in the national tests in Year 2 is broadly in line with the national trend of improvement.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in the core subjects have been maintained at well above average since the previous inspection. • Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language achieve very well because of the quality of provision for them. • In the national tests in 2003, pupils' overall performance was very high for reading and writing, being in the top five per cent nationally. It was well above average in mathematics. • Pupils work hard and produce a good amount of work in most subjects. However, more time for writing is needed in a few literacy lessons. • Pupils use computers confidently to support their learning in most subjects. • Children's achievement in the Foundation Stage is very good, overall. This is mostly due to the high incidence of very good teaching in the reception classes.

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Commentary

1 In the previous inspection, children in the Foundation Stage made good progress in two of the six areas of learning. The quality of teaching has improved significantly and, as a result, children’s overall level of achievement is very good. They achieve very well in three of the six areas; communication, language and literacy, mathematics and in their knowledge and understanding of the world. Children achieve well in all other areas ensuring that all attain the early learning goals in all areas before the end of their reception year. The teaching of speaking and listening skills and early reading and mathematical skills, is particularly good and all children achieve particularly well in these areas, making rapid progress towards the early learning goals.

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Commentary

2 The school's overall performance in the national tests for Year 2 is impressive with well above average standards being achieved each and every year since 2000 in reading, writing and mathematics. On occasions, pupils' performance has been in the top five per cent nationally in the national tests. In the national tests in 2003, overall standards in reading and writing were very high and in mathematics they were well above average. Compared to pupils in similar schools, standards in reading and mathematics were well above average and in writing, very high being in the top five per cent. The schools own analysis of individual pupils achievements shows that only four per cent did not achieve the targets set for them and many exceeded their individual targets. This is a reflection of the quality of teaching at the school. In the 2003 to 2004 academic year, this outstanding performance was achieved in spite of a significant level of mobility with almost a quarter

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Commentary

of pupils joining the school after Year 1 and one in five having special educational needs. In the teacher assessments in science in 2003, pupils' performance was above average for pupils attaining the expected Level (99 per cent) and above average for those reaching the higher Level 3 (32 per cent). Some pupils were absent for the assessments and this affected the overall performance. The preliminary results for 2004 show that every pupil achieved the expected level, with 57 per cent achieving level 3.

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Commentary

3 Overall standards in the current Year 2 are well above average in English, mathematics and science, as they were in the previous inspection. Most pupils achieve very well thanks largely to the high incidence of good and very good teaching. Additionally, all pupils have a very good Bottesford Infant School 7 attitude to their learning and most behave in a mature and sensible manner. Nearly every parent who responded to the questionnaire sent out prior to the inspection agreed that staff expect pupils to work hard.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 18.6 (18.5) 15.7 (15.8) writing 17.8 (16.5) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 18.6 (18.7) 16.3 (16.5) There were 74 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

4 Pupils produce neatly written work in English and all other subjects. In reading, pupils have a good range of strategies to help them to read unfamiliar words, sounding out letters or breaking up words into their syllables, for example. Pupils' writing is usually technically correct. Year 1 pupils use capital letters and full stops in the correct places and Year 2 use punctuation correctly in their writing. In mathematics and science, there is a good emphasis placed on pupils finding out for themselves as they often work together in small groups to solve numerical problems or conduct investigations.

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Commentary

5 Standards in ICT are above those expected in Year 2. Pupils have good access to computers in the classrooms and half of the classes already have the new computer linked whiteboards which teachers use very well to add interest to lessons. More are to be added to the other classrooms to further improve pupils’ access to modern technology. Standards are undoubtedly rising due to the developing staff expertise and the efforts of the knowledgeable subject co-ordinator. Inspectors saw that computers were used extensively to support learning in most subjects.

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Commentary

6 In religious education, standards are above those expected in the requirements of the Locally Agreed Syllabus. Assemblies are carefully planned and support the curriculum well. The school uses visitors to add further interest to the curriculum for pupils. All pupils demonstrate a very good knowledge of other world religions as well as Christianity. There was insufficient evidence for inspectors to make a reliable judgement about standards in art and design, design and technology, geography, history, music or physical education.

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Commentary

7 The well-trained teaching assistants support pupils with special educational needs and the very few who speak English as an additional language very effectively. The work they are given is carefully planned and ensures that they achieve well in lessons and over time. For example, recording is made simple in order for a small group of pupils in Year 2 to complete the next chapter of a story. Some use a computer and others are withdrawn for individual support from the teaching assistant. Pupils with statements of special educational needs have realistic achievable targets such as spelling, reading and writing tasks. A register is maintained for the highly gifted or pupils with special talents. None are currently identified, but in the past, special tuition has been arranged for this very small number of pupils.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and personal development are very good. The school makes very good provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Attendance is good and punctuality is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are very polite to staff, visitors and one another. • High quality relationships are evident throughout school which helps raise pupils’ confidence and self esteem. • The school promotes pupils' personal development very effectively. Bottesford Infant School 8

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Commentary

8 A high expectation of pupils' behaviour is evident across school. This is established in the reception class; is respected by pupils and well promoted to parents through a home-school agreement. Positive behaviour is consistently encouraged. Pupils’ achievements, good behaviour and positive relationships are all celebrated and recognised though a number of reward systems used throughout school, and are appreciated by pupils and parents. There have been no exclusions in the last year. As a result of very good relationships between the pupils and adults, pupils join in activities with enthusiasm; they are polite, courteous and helpful to one another. For example, in a reception class assembly, pupils listen respectfully and praise one another’s achievements enthusiastically.

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Commentary

9 Pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good and this represents an improvement from the previous inspection. Pupils’ across all classes enjoy taking on small responsibilities around school such as taking registers back to the office. Older pupils enjoy being ‘playground pals’ and selling fruit at lunchtime, taking their responsibilities seriously. The school council provides a good opportunity for pupils to represent the views of others and to develop confidence and self-esteem. From their entry into school in the Foundation Stage, children are taught the difference between right and wrong and are given many opportunities to work together. In Years 1 and 2, pupils’ spiritual development is promoted through a curriculum that encourages self-awareness and an appreciation of the world around them. They are given opportunities for reflection as they make books about things that are special to them, or

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Commentary

when they write prayers to hang on small prayer trees in the Hall. In discussions, pupils know the difference between right and wrong and are aware of school rules, sanctions and rewards. They appreciate “golden time” on Friday afternoons. Teachers’ plan opportunities for pupils to work together, either in pairs or in small groups, and this has a positive effect on their social development. The School Council encourages pupils to be aware of their responsibilities to others. The use of visitors into school widens pupils’ experiences of the multicultural nature of society. In discussion, pupils show good awareness of other cultures and religions. They are able to identify pupils in their school who are from other countries or who worship in different ways and feel that they learn new things from them. Older pupils were able to make comparisons between Hindu and Christian wedding ceremonies, but also noted what the similarities were.

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Commentary

10 Attendance has improved steadily over the last three years and in the last full reporting year was above the national average. Parents and pupils report that children are happy to come to school. Lessons start promptly because punctuality is very good and registration is efficient.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year 95.0%

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.9 School data 0.1 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

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll White – British 184 White – any other White background 2 Asian or Asian British – Indian 2 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 1 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 1 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Bottesford Infant School 9

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is very good. All, including those with special educational needs and the few who speak English as an additional language are supported very well in lessons. The well- trained teaching assistants add significantly to the quality of provision. Children in the Foundation Stage get a very good start to their education because of the very good quality teaching in the reception classes.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are very good. Assessment procedures are very effective and give teachers a wealth of information that they use very well in their planning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers make very good use of the extremely conscientious teaching assistants to support pupils learning. • Teachers' planning is extremely detailed and includes good links between different subject areas. • All teachers have high expectations of pupils and they respond accordingly to produce work of a high standard. • The careful assessment of individual pupils achievements is a strength of the school. • Modern technology such as computers, cameras and the new interactive whiteboards are used very effectively to support pupils learning.

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Commentary

11 The previous inspection in October 1998 reported that teaching was good but teachers' marking and the discipline and control of pupils came in for some criticism. Since then, the current headteacher has transformed the quality of teaching by empowering subject co-ordinators and giving them clear roles and responsibilities to ensure the quality of provision in their subject is as good as it can be. All staff now feel responsible for improving quality and work extremely hard to provide pupils with a worthwhile curriculum and interesting work, which challenges them. Each week, training sessions are held and there is pressure from each co-ordinator for their subject to be featured, These weekly sessions give all staff time to reflect on their performance and to iron out any perceived areas of weakness. Staff work very effectively as a team and collectively monitor and evaluate all aspects of their teaching in some depth. As a result, all the teaching seen during the

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Commentary

inspection was either good or very good.

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Commentary

12 In the Foundation Stage, the quality of teaching in the reception classes ensures that all children get off to a flying start. Almost all of the teaching seen in the reception classes was very good. As a result, children settle in quickly and by the end of their reception year, all have achieved very well compared to their starting point. Teachers concentrate on promoting literacy and numeracy skills and as a result of their detailed planning in these areas, the teaching of speaking and listening skills and early reading and mathematical skills, is particularly effective and is a strength of the provision. Children quickly attain the early learning goals in these areas and produce work of a high standard.

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Commentary

13 Almost half of the lessons seen were very good. Exceptionally detailed planning, well- thought out tasks which successfully motivated and interested pupils and high expectations, coupled with the very good use of support staff, ensured that pupils’ full attention was guaranteed and as a result, learning was very effective in these lessons. Equality of opportunity is a key consideration for all staff and support or guidance is always on hand for any pupil who needs it. The exceptionally close and trusting relationships pupils have with their teachers help promote a very good climate for learning in the school. Discipline and control are now strong features in virtually all lessons.

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Commentary

14 The latest curriculum guidance has been adopted by the school and detailed schemes of work set out clearly learning for each year group. This helps teachers' lesson planning and they Bottesford Infant School 10 work closely together to ensure that pupils' learning is a continuous process. Literacy and numeracy are taught very effectively, enabling pupils to achieve well above average standards each year. However, insufficient opportunities are planned for pupils to write in a few literacy sessions. These sessions are usually from the beginning of the school day until assembly time at twenty past ten. This is a long session for pupils to listen to and respond to their teacher in a purely oral session. All teachers teach the technical aspects of spelling and punctuation very well but one or two have over reacted to comments about an over emphasis on writing and do not give pupils enough time to write in their lessons. In these lessons, pupils are expected to listen to teachers and

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Commentary

maintain their level of concentration for a lengthy period. Most manage to do this successfully. In their planning, teachers link skills from one subject to others very effectively. In a religious education lesson, for example, pupils have to draw on their mathematical knowledge and design and technology skills when making a new school badge using non-religious symbols.

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Commentary

15 The new 'smartboards' are only installed in half of the classrooms. However, all staff are able to make very effective use of these modern teaching aids by projecting through a laptop computer. Plans are well advanced to install the full system in all classes shortly. All teachers make good use of computers and carefully plan opportunities for pupils to use them to support their learning in all subject areas. They research facts about other countries in geography, for example, and use their writing skills to record information for history topics or produce graphs following their investigations into hearing sounds. Year 1 pupils enjoyed using disposable cameras to take pictures of their sculptures in natural materials.

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Commentary

16 The assessment of pupils' achievement is undertaken regularly and in depth for the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. Results of assessments from pupils' termly work and their performance in the national tests are carefully analysed. Assessment information is used very effectively by teachers to modify their planning for future work and to track individual pupils' progress from year-to-year. Specific learning targets are planned for pupils from the results of the detailed assessments, ensuring all pupils build progressively on their previous learning. These targets are communicated very well to individual pupils and their parents in order to involve them more and give a better understanding of what needs to be achieved. In the non-core subjects, assessment procedures are just as rigorous. A detailed assessment is undertaken for all these subjects at the end of each terms work. It gives teachers a wealth of information about all pupils

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Commentary

and a clear assessment into the effectiveness of their teaching.

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Commentary

17 Teachers and teaching assistants know the pupils with special educational needs well and pupils' work in lessons is very well planned, taking account of any specific targets for individual pupils. Teachers take care to ensure that these pupils have equal access to subjects and all activities. The variety of approaches to ability sets contributes well to meeting individual needs. Individual work is appropriate to ensure pupils know what they have to do and most is marked with supportive comments. The good support system ensures pupils have every opportunity to learn as effectively and independently as possible. Continual assessment and regular reviews contributes well to individual education plans and targets. There is a very good relationship with parents and other professionals.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 28 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

0 8 20 0 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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The Curriculum

The school provides a very good curriculum. The curriculum is very well planned to develop connections across subjects and areas of learning and thereby makes the curriculum relevant and interesting for all pupils. Opportunities for curriculum enrichment, through the use of visitors into Bottesford Infant School 11 school, are very good. Resources are good and are used well to support learning. The school’s accommodation is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is based on making thoughtful connections across subjects and this provides all pupils with an interesting range of learning activities. • Pupils with special educational needs are very well provided for in school. • Modern technology is used very effectively to support learning in all subjects. • The Foundation Stage curriculum is very good. • Provision for personal, social and health education is very good. • Staffing, the accommodation and quality of learning resources all add significantly to the quality of the curriculum.

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Commentary

18 Teaching and learning support staff plan together to provide a curriculum based on meaningful links between the different subject areas. This needs careful planning and is not an easy task, but it has been done successfully and is monitored very rigorously by the headteacher, who ensures that skills within each subject are taught with sufficient depth. The way the curriculum is planned results in lessons that are not only interesting, but also enable pupils to make relevant connections between subjects.

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Commentary

19 The provision to meet special educational needs and to ensure equality of opportunity for all is very good. The special educational needs register identifies the needs of pupils very well and the close liaison between the very experienced and hard working special educational needs co- ordinator and staff ensure planning and monitoring is comprehensive. Each class has a detailed file of information for each pupil, which ensures a sharing of information.

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Commentary

20 The curriculum is very well supported by the effective use of new technology. For example, ICT skills are used to support learning in all subjects. Examples of pupils’ work abound in which they have used their developing computer skills, and this is a key strength in preparing pupils well for living in a technological society. The purchase and installation of smartboards has been successful in extending opportunities for teaching and learning. However, some smartboards have been installed too high up, making their use by the pupils difficult and this is frustrating for both teachers and pupils.

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Commentary

21 The Foundation Stage curriculum is very good and consequently, children benefit from a wide variety of experiences that are well planned and organised. Learning resources and accommodation are good for the younger children in the school, although the outdoors accommodation has no soft surface area, which does pose some restrictions when planning more challenging physical activities.

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Commentary

22 The school makes very good provision for pupils’ personal, health and social education. Personal responsibility and independence is developed well through the school’s well-structured provision. The school was the first in the area to have an Infant School Council, which takes its responsibilities very seriously and takes a very active part in school developments. Pupils know that there views are important and are not afraid to give their opinions about different aspects of school life. All show confidence when talking to visitors or asking questions in lessons. The local vicar ran out of time in one lesson as pupils had so many things to ask him about.

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Commentary

23 Opportunities to enrich and enliven the curriculum are extensive. For example, the school has taken part in a wide range of community events, resulting in a Community Week. Extra- curricular sports activities are provided through the school’s links with a local football team and a dance teacher. There is a computer club for children and their families and a regular library club.

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Commentary

24 There are sufficient numbers of teaching staff to meet the demands of the curriculum. There is a very good number of learning support staff, who are very well trained. All learning Bottesford Infant School 12 support staff are involved in lesson planning, pupils assessments, and they take the lead in some activities. Lunchtime supervisory staff are also given formal training and have produced very useful booklets containing games and activities for playtimes. There is very good liaison between all staff, and this has a positive effect on pupils’ overall achievement. Learning resources are good in most subjects and they are used well to support learning in lessons. The accommodation is good overall and there are many very attractive displays of pupils’ work.

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Care, guidance and support

Provision for ensuring the care, welfare, health and safety is very good. The school gives very good support and guidance to pupils and involves them very well in its work and development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils benefit from the very good and trusting relationships they have with adults in the school. • There are very good procedures for listening to pupils' views. • Arrangements for settling children into full time school and for transferring to the junior schools are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

25 Relationships between adults and pupils are very good. All staff give high priority to caring for pupil’s well being and this is seen by parents as a strength of the school. This support is often extended to include families of pupils. Staff know their pupils very well and this helps them to give the right kind of support at the right time. Pupils are encouraged by staff to help one another. The very positive atmosphere makes pupils feel happy, secure and valued at school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

26 Very good procedures for Child Protection are in place. All staff in school, including lunchtime assistants, have received training and this is reviewed regularly. Good procedures are in place to safeguard pupils’ use of the Internet and these have been agreed with parents. Good assessment of potential risks is undertaken to ensure the safety of pupils, for example, on school trips and around the school. All staff endeavour to ensure pupils work in a safe environment. However, on one occasion during the inspection, pupils were allowed to take part in a physical education lesson wearing jewellery. The school was awarded Healthy school status in 2002 and continue to work hard to make improvements in this area.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

27 The very good procedures for taking pupils views into account include annual pupil questionnaires and an active school council. The council has been recognised by the Local Education Authority as the first in existence in an Infant school in North Lincolnshire. Membership changes each term, includes boys and girls and is open to pupils of all capabilities. Pupils know that their views are important and will be taken seriously by adults.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

28 The school supports children in the reception classes through very good induction programmes. The sensitive arrangements are popular with parents, who agree that their children are helped to settle quickly into their new surroundings. Careful consideration is also given to those pupils who join school at other times in the school year. All are helped to find new friends and quickly made to feel part of the school. This gives them the confidence to take a full part in classroom activities and to work closely with other pupils in smaller groups. Pupils in Year 2 are prepared very well for the transfer to their junior school. Teachers take great care to ensure that information about pupils’ achievements and their targets for future learning are passed on to the new school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

29 Links with other supporting professionals are very good. The education welfare officer, speech therapist and Special Educational Needs service are all regular visitors. The close links between professionals, staff and parents ensure that pupils receive the support they need to benefit fully from their education. Classroom assistants support pupils who find learning difficult very well. Bottesford Infant School 13

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Partnerships with parents, other school and the community

The schools links with parents, the community and other schools are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents receive very high quality information about their children’s education, which helps them to support learning at school and at home. • Parents are encouraged to be fully involved in all aspects of school life and value the close relationship they have with the staff. • The school is an integral part of the local community.

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Commentary

30 The reputation of the school in the locality is very good. Parents know about the very high standards of education achieved and the demand for places is very high.

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Commentary

31 The school warmly welcomes parents and they respond well by getting involved in their child’s education. Some parents’ help in school and others support the various fund raising and social events organised by the Friends Association (FOBIS). The school involves parents in the work of the school by seeking their views on a wide range of issues. Each year, parents complete a questionnaire and the results suggest that they have a very good opinion of the school.

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Commentary

32 The school provides a detailed package of information to new parents to help them get the most out of their child’s education. There are three parent evenings a year and pupils annual written reports help parents to know how well their children are getting on at school and what they need to do to help them to improve. They provide parents with information about achievement, targets and personal development. Curriculum evenings are held each term so that parents can find out more about what and how their children learn at school and these have been well attended. As a result, parents are knowledgeable and make a big contribution to pupils learning.

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Commentary

33 The school reaches out very well into the local community. The annual ‘community week’ is popular with pupils and parents and provides very good enrichment to the quality of pupils’ education; for example, pupils enjoyed visits from the fire service and road safety groups. Good links have been established with churches in the locality. Harvest Festival is held in the church and the local minister leads an assembly each month. Local pensioner groups are invited into school to watch the pupils' Christmas concert. The school opens the building for parents each week to use the computer facilities, but this is not generally well attended. The Bottesford pre-school group is based in the school but more could be done to promote the use of the building by the community in order to generate additional funds for the school.

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Commentary

34 The school is active in working with pre-school groups. Children are given many opportunities to come into school, for example, to take part in assemblies and see school concerts, ensuring a stress free transfer as children move into formal education. There are well thought out arrangements for pupils who transfer to junior school. Beneficial links have also been established with many other educational establishments, such as local colleges and Hull University. Students and work experience placements regularly provide extra help for pupils. The school continually looks for opportunities to develop its links with other schools that will offer enrichment for pupils. Currently, links with a third world village and school are being developed.

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall, leadership and management are very good. The leadership of the headteacher and key staff is very good. The governance of the school is good and management is very good. All statutory requirements are met. Bottesford Infant School 14

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has an excellent sense of purpose and high aspirations for pupils’ academic and personal development. • Leaders have created highly effective teams. As a result, the leadership and coordination of subject areas is very good. • There is an excellent commitment by all staff to equality of opportunity for individual pupils and the needs of those who have special educational needs. • The school's self-evaluation procedures are excellent. • Monitoring performance data, analysing it and taking effective action is a major strength of the school. Governors are more actively involved nowadays. • The professional development of staff is excellent and this is largely responsible for the quality of teaching. • Staff have a heavy workload and some of the procedures could easily be refined to reduce this considerably.

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Commentary

35 In the previous inspection, leadership and management were described as good. The current headteacher, appointed shortly after the last inspection, has been instrumental in raising expectations and further improving all aspects of leadership and management. She empowers staff very effectively and inspires loyalty from all who work at the school. Governors admire her transparency and openness and staff appreciate the genuine warmth of her praise for their work. Her dedication and commitment have a positive effect on the way the school operates. She is an excellent role model for staff and pupils. Parents are very appreciative of her leadership, with virtually all saying that the school is well led in the questionnaire for parents. The relationship with parents is a major aid to pupils learning. The headteacher has high aspirations for all pupils and is very supportive of pupils or their parents when the need arises. There is a genuine commitment to

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Commentary

inclusion, equality of opportunity and concern for the needs of individual pupils. Although very few speak English as an additional language, expertise is provided to advise staff and support pupils in their learning. As a result, all are fully included in lessons.

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Commentary

36 The management of the provision for pupils with special educational needs by the co- ordinator (SENCO) is very good. Together with the headteacher, she successfully promotes a supportive caring ethos in which individual pupils feel safe and valued. Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported in lessons. Parents are fully involved and very well informed about the targets for their children and the progress they make towards them. The SENCO is well organised and carefully maintains all records about individual pupils on the special educational needs register. The management of inclusion is excellent, ensuring equality of opportunity for all. Care is taken to ensure that pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, who may have difficulty with English, fully understand what is expected of them.

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Commentary

37 The detailed and careful analysis of all aspects of the school’s work is impressive. The previous key issue about the role of subject co-ordinators, for example, has now been turned into a strength of the school. Staff who are responsible for the management of the different subject areas create highly effective teams and monitor and evaluate all aspects of their subjects in depth. Any areas of weakness are quickly spotted and efficiently dealt with. This accounts for the sustained high standards and quality of teaching. All three key issues raised in the previous inspection have received just as much attention and all three have been turned into strengths. The management of pupils in class is very good. Teaching assistants support teachers most effectively in ensuring high standards of behaviour. The role of co-ordinators has been exceptionally well developed and the assessment and marking of pupils' work are carefully undertaken. Under the guidance of the

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Commentary

exceptionally talented headteacher, the school has achieved a good level of improvement since 1998 and is now a very effective school. Taking account of the standards achieved, the very good quality of teaching and learning and strength of leadership and management, along with the average costs per pupil, it is providing very good value for money. Bottesford Infant School 15 38 Very effective procedures are in place to monitor and evaluate standards, individual pupils' achievements and the quality of teaching and learning. Each year an action plan is formulated for each subject and it is the co-ordinators' responsibility to report directly to the governing body. Weekly staff training sessions are held and there is always strong competition from co-ordinators to gain a slot at these for their subject. In order to ease this pressure and the workload of staff, the requirement that all subjects have to be put under the spotlight each year needs to be reviewed.

p.16

Commentary

39 Other particular aids to pupils learning are parents' support for the school and the quality of teaching and non-teaching staff. The partnership between class teachers and teaching assistants is noteworthy. Training sessions are regularly provided for teaching assistants and lunchtime staff and this ensures that they can give valuable support to individual pupils in lessons as well as supporting teachers in the planning and preparation. No significant barriers to learning exist as the proactive staff are quick to react and make sure that nothing hinders pupils' progress.

p.17

Commentary

40 In the previous report, governors were reported as being supportive but some were not taking a sufficiently active role in managing the school. As this is an infant school, children only attend for three years and some parent governors leave with their children, often mid way through their term in office. About half of the governors have been replaced during the past two years. As a result of added responsibilities and clearly defined roles provided by the very astute headteacher, newer and longer serving governors now demonstrate a strong determination to continue to play an active part in the life of the school. They have a great diversity of skills and challenge the school in what it plans to do to ensure that decisions benefit all users. They offer strong support to the headteacher. Governors have a clear understanding of all aspects of the school’s work. Individual governors take responsibility for different subject areas and most visit the school on a regular basis

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Commentary

in order to keep themselves up to date with developments.

p.17

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.17

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 486,796 Balance from previous year 12,064 Total expenditure 469,076 Balance carried forward to the next 29,784 Expenditure per pupil 2,266

p.17

Financial information

41 School spending decisions relate closely to identified priorities for improvement. In the last full financial year for which accounts are available, the school's contingency budget was well within acceptable limits. Bottesford Infant School 16

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

42 The school makes very good provision for children in the Foundation Stage. Overall, the quality of teaching is very good. The majority of children enter the school with skills that are typical for their age, but at least a quarter of the children have skills that are below those normally expected. A small percentage of children enter the school with significant special educational needs. The school has no nursery, so children come straight into the two reception classes. By the end of the reception year, all children, including those with special educational needs have learnt new skills quickly and all have achieved very well in relation to their prior attainment level. All achieve the early learning goals in personal, social and emotional development and in physical and creative development before the end of their reception year. Children make rapid progress and achieve very well in language, literacy and communication, mathematical development, and in their

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

knowledge and understanding of the world, producing work of a high standard. Their level of achievement is a result of very good teaching in these areas of learning. The teaching of speaking and listening skills and early reading and mathematical skills, is particularly good and is a strength of the provision.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

43 The Foundation Stage is led and managed very effectively. There were no major areas to improve from the previous inspection, but there have been good improvements nonetheless, particularly in the quality of teaching, as staff are now more used to planning activities within the Foundation Stage curriculum. A key strength is the way the co-ordinator liases with all staff and this results in a very effective teaching team. Learning support staff are well trained and very effective. Those children with special educational needs are supported very well and as a result, these children form trusting relationships with adults and achieve very well against the targets set for them. Those children who enter school with little or no English, are supported well by a bi-lingual teacher as well as all adults and other children. As a result, these children learn new vocabulary rapidly, make friends easily and achieve very well. Learning resources for the Foundation Stage are

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

good and used well to provide interesting activities. The accommodation is spacious and well used. However, outdoors, there is no soft-surface play area. This has rightly been identified as an area for improvement.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are given very good opportunities to develop their independence. • Rules and routines are few, but children are encouraged to be considerate to others in all they do.

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Commentary

44 This area of learning is taught well and all children attain the early learning goals before the end of their reception year. They achieve well in their ability to act responsibly and be independent, which is a result of the many opportunities they are given. For example, the curriculum is planned and organised so that during some sessions, children can choose between a range of activities. Children know that they will be directed to some activities, where they will work with the class teacher or a member of the learning support staff. However, they also have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of self-directed activities, mainly based on the extension of social, creative or physical skills. Children respond very well to this structure and show a growing maturity as they take part in role-play activities with others. Children respond well to the simple, but well- established rules and routines and show consideration to others as they share resources and take

p.18

LANGUAGE, LITERACY AND COMMUNICATION

Provision in language, literacy and communication is very good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teaching of speaking and listening skills is very good and children learn new vocabulary quickly. Over 50 per cent of children are working at standards well above those expected for their age. • Early reading skills are taught very well and almost 60 per cent of children reach standards above those expected for their age.

p.19

Commentary

45 The majority of children are likely to reach standards well above those expected, particularly in their speaking and listening and early reading skills. Achievement of all children in these areas, particularly the lower attaining children, is very good. Overall, the quality of teaching is very good. The support for those children with special educational needs or who are less confident speakers is very good. Learning support staff work hand in hand with the class teachers to plan activities which will develop new vocabulary and give children plenty of opportunity to talk to others. Consequently, most children are quite articulate.

p.19

Commentary

46 The teaching of early reading and comprehension skills is very good. Children achieve very well because lessons are very well structured to build on what they already know and can do. Learning support staff are very well trained and are used effectively to work with small groups of children to give “booster” support for short periods of 10 minutes. This is a very effective strategy, which results in most children being able to read and understand a range of non-fiction books. Children know how books are organised, can identify the author and illustrator, (or appreciate when a photographer is supplying the images, rather than an illustrator), and know how to use a contents page.

p.19

Commentary

47 Children’s writing skills are developed very well. They are taught to use a joined script from the outset. This is effective and means that handwriting skills develop quickly. The success of this initiative can be seen in Years 1 and 2 with examples of independent writing for a range of purposes, such as writing simple stories or recording events. However, higher attaining children in reception would benefit from more opportunities to write independently and these children could achieve even higher standards.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are given very good opportunities to learn from practical experiences to solve problems. • Teachers use resources very well to teach new concepts and deepen knowledge and understanding.

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Commentary

48 Children achieve very well in their mathematical ability, particularly in their ability to use correct mathematical vocabulary and to use practical activities to solve problems. Teaching is very good and, as a result, most attain standards that are well above those expected. Lessons are planned very effectively to make the best use of the accommodation and learning support staff to provide a wide range of activities based upon practical activities. Those children with special educational needs, or who are learning English as an additional language, have tasks and activities planned for them. As a result, these children achieve very well against the targets set for them. In a Bottesford Infant School 18 lesson on developing positional language outdoors, children were given small plastic mini-beasts, which they placed “behind, on top of, beside, or in front of” a small wall and by so doing, showed

p.19

Commentary

good understanding of mathematical language. Teachers use new technology well to teach new skills, for example, a smartboard was used well to teach the concept of “more than” and “less than”.

p.20

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A very good range of interesting activities are planned to provide interesting learning experiences. • Resources are used very effectively to deepen knowledge and understanding.

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Commentary

49 Teaching is very good and as a result, children achieve very well. The standard of much of their work is well above that expected for their age. Children achieve very well because of the wide variety of appropriate and very interesting activities that are planned for them. Teachers use a variety of learning resources well to enable children to learn by first hand learning experiences. For example, in one lesson, early science skills developed as children gazed intently at how a large African snail moved across a smooth surface. They noted that the snail “slides” and leaves a “slimy trail” behind. Children’s eyes sparkled with wonder as they observed the snail make its silvery trail and used its feelers to explore the world around it. In geography, children learn to identify the key features of their own homes and note things about their school environment that they like, or dislike. In design and technology, children build models using a good range of construction kits. They

p.20

Commentary

designed and made their own small ships, then tested them to see how far they would travel by blowing air through straws. ICT skills develop as children use the computer mouse to click and drag to make 2D shapes on the screen.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are given good opportunities to use a range of tools and equipment to develop finer control skills. • There is no soft-play area outdoors, which does place some restrictions on what activities can take place.

p.20

Commentary

50 Most children achieve the early learning goals before the end of their reception year. Teaching is good. All children achieve well because they are closely monitored when they are learning a new skill and this means that errors are quickly picked up and put right. Outdoors, a good range of very interesting and often unusual activities, is available for children to develop their ability to control finer movements. For example, large boards contain a wide variety of locks and chains, which children have to open by carefully manipulating small keys. They are encouraged to plait or weave ribbons and string to develop finer control skills. However, the provision of challenging climbing and balancing activities is limited because there is no soft surface to ensure safety. In the hall, more formal lessons take place, where children develop ball skills. Those children with special educational needs are given very good one-to-one support if this is needed,

p.20

Commentary

which ensures their full inclusion in activities. Bottesford Infant School 19

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers plan many opportunities for children to use role-play to develop their creative and imaginative skills. • A good range of resources is used to give children the opportunity to explore new techniques using a wide range of tools and media.

p.21

Commentary

51 Children achieve well, attaining the early learning goals before the end of their reception year. The quality of teaching is good and a key strength is the way activities are planned to develop pupils’ creativity through role-play, music, dance and art and design. Children develop the knowledge of different types of shops in their community as they set up shops such as florists and travel agents. Currently, one role-play area is set up as a “safari area”, with a tent, barbecue and books about wild African animals! Imaginative skills develop well as children engage in these activities. In one lesson, children worked with learning support staff to explore the use of clay as they made mini-beasts. They were taught to use correct terminology, such as “slip” to describe the clay and were taught how to join pieces of clay to each other by wetting each piece first to form a bond. Bottesford Infant School 20

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most pupils achieve very well and standards are consistently well above average. • The quality of teaching is very good. As a result, all pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language do very well in English. • The subject is very well led and managed. • Assessment procedures are rigorous and give teachers a lot of useful information about pupils achievements. • Parental encouragement and support is valued as it contributes to the overall standards attained, particularly in reading.

p.22

Commentary

52 The level of improvement since the previous inspection has been good with aspects such as pupils' attitudes, the quality of teaching and subject management all being better than they were. This has helped to maintain the high standards pupils achieve in English despite significant mobility in some year groups and varying numbers with special educational needs.

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Commentary

53 Standards are well above average when compared to national levels of attainment in Year 2 in reading, writing and speaking and listening. In fact, pupils' performance in the national tests in 2003 in writing was in the top five per cent nationally and the proportion achieving the higher Level 3 in reading was also in this top bracket. This high standard is a result of the very effective way the subject is led and managed. This in turn ensures that all teaching is at least good. A test of the quality of the consistently good quality of teaching is the achievement of all pupils. Detailed assessments which carefully tracks pupils’ progress shows that 37 per cent of pupils achieved above the level predicted for them in reading. In writing, 69 per cent of pupils achieved better than expected of them. In both areas, only four per cent achieved below the level expected for them. This is remarkable as a quarter of the pupils did not start in reception and one in five are on the

p.22

Commentary

schools special educational needs register.

p.22

Commentary

54 Teachers demonstrate a very good knowledge of the national literacy strategy. They share learning objectives with pupils so all are clear about what they are going to learn and what is expected of them. As a result pupils make very good gains in their knowledge and develop their literacy skills very well. Pupils are encouraged to use individual whiteboards for spellings and to practise sentences with punctuation. This helps to maintain pupils' concentration and keep all fully involved in lessons. However, on occasions, pupils are asked to write sentences on these as part of their task in lessons instead of using paper. Their writing is not as neat and work produced like this is wiped clean, losing all record of it. In a Year 1 lesson on alliterative sentences, for example, pupils work was not seen by the teacher before being cleaned off the whiteboards. All teachers ensure that the technical aspects of English are taught very effectively and their detailed planning,

p.22

Commentary

based on a wealth of assessment information means that skills are taught to pupils in a systematic way. Teachers use skills pupils have learnt in English well to support learning in other subject areas. In design and technology, for example, pupils list tools and materials and in physical education, they are asked to evaluate one another's performance in dance.

p.22

Commentary

55 The school gives great emphasis to reading and allocates time each day for pupils to read for pleasure. Parental support for reading at home is significant and this is undoubtedly helping pupils of all ages to achieve the high standards, which they do. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about books and read an extensive range. They use good strategies to decode new words and clearly understand inference in text. In discussions with pupils it is clear that teachers encourage pupils to be diverse in their choices of literature. In one class, the reading material was science reference books and pupils often undertake research from the Internet. Bottesford Infant School 21 56 Pupils throughout the school listen attentively in lessons. They gain confidence speaking in front of the whole school during whole school assemblies. Reception children are often asked to say a prayer for everyone at the end of an assembly and during the inspection, this was done very

p.22

Commentary

confidently and well. In class discussion sessions, most are able to express themselves very well.

p.23

Commentary

57 Writing standards are very good and all pupils, including some of the youngest in reception successfully join their handwriting. Careful scrutiny of pupils’ writing shows convincingly that it is technically accurate and pupils have learned the basics of grammar and punctuation. In a few of the literacy sessions, teachers spent the bulk of the lesson using the computer linked whiteboard and in oral sessions with pupils. Insufficient time was allocated for pupils to write at length or on their own. Pupils use their writing skills well in lessons involving other subjects such as history and geography.

p.23

Commentary

58 The co-ordinator is experienced and knowledgeable and is quite clear about the strengths and weaknesses of the subject through regular monitoring of teachers' planning, their teaching and the standards pupils achieve in their work. She has good opportunities to monitor teaching and learning and each year an action plan is drawn up for the subject to improve any aspects that are not as strong as others.

p.23

Language and literacy across the curriculum

59 This school is very skilled at using other areas of its curriculum for pupils to practise and consolidate the skills they learn in their literacy lessons. Their reading skills support their work in other subjects such as science when researching information in books or on the computer about predators in Africa.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• All pupils achieve very well, particularly in their ability to solve problems through practical activities. • Teachers use ICT very well to teach new mathematical skills. • A lot of work is done on worksheets and whilst these are of good quality, there is some negative effect on the development of pupils’ recording skills. • Leadership and management of the subject is very good and this has had a positive effect on the professional development of all staff.

p.23

Commentary

60 Standards in the current Year 2 classes are well above national expectations and analysis of data indicates that this represents a very good level of achievement for this group of pupils. High standards are being consistently achieved because the quality of teaching is very good and teachers have high expectations of what they expect their pupils to do. The evidence from the scrutiny of pupils’ work and from the observation of lessons indicates that pupils are confident in their ability to tackle a range of problems, particularly number problems. For example, in one lesson in Year 2, pupils could mentally calculate a division problem, using fractions. Higher attaining pupils noticed that when calculating, operations could be reversed. The scrutiny of work indicates that pupils in Year 1 are given challenging activities to deepen their knowledge and this prepares them well for Year 2.

p.23

Commentary

61 A very good feature of mathematics teaching throughout the school is the teachers’ confident use of new technology. In lessons, smartboards, if available, are used effectively to teach new skills. This engages the interest of all pupils and has a positive effect on how well they achieve in lessons. Throughout the school, displays of work indicate that pupils are skilful in their use of computers to present information in the form of charts and graphs. Pupils with special educational Bottesford Infant School 22 needs are given very good support in lessons when they are using computers, either from learning support staff or by being seated next to more confident pupils, who help them tackle new learning successfully. Similarly, pupils who are learning English as an additional language learn English vocabulary, as well as new mathematical skills, as they sit and work with other children.

p.23

Commentary

62 The sampling of pupils’ work indicates many significant strengths in teaching, particularly in the quality of marking and in the assessment of what pupils know and can do. Both are very good and are much improved since the previous inspection. However, a lot of pupils’ work is done on work sheets and whilst these are often of good quality, giving pupils challenging activities, their use does mean that pupils have fewer opportunities to learn how to record their own work and this is an area that could be improved.

p.24

Commentary

63 The subject is led and managed very well. The co-ordinator makes very effective use of assessment data to track the progress of individual pupils. Those pupils who are deemed to not be making sufficient progress are carefully monitored and are then given short “booster” sessions on key skills. This applies to pupils of all ability levels and has a very positive effect on pupils’ overall achievement. The co-ordinator samples pupils’ work from each class each term and monitors teachers’ planning and their marking of pupils’ work. The quality of teaching is checked by direct observation of lessons. The school invests in the professional development of all staff, including learning support staff, who are very well trained and make a positive contribution in lessons. The co-ordinator provides mathematics workshops for parents and carers. These are very well structured and are aimed at showing parents how to develop and extend basic numeracy skills with

p.24

Commentary

their children. All issues from the previous inspection have been rigorously tackled and good improvements made, particularly in the quantity and quality of learning resources, which are now good.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

64 This aspect of the curriculum is good. There are many examples of graphs and tables to record data collected in science, geography, music and unusually, in one class to show information about the pupils’ feelings. Teachers plan numeracy links with other subjects well and as a result, effective opportunities are given to pupils to extend key skills in the use of numbers and the interpretation and presentation of information.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are well above average. • All pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve very well. • Assessment procedures are very effective. • Teachers' planning is meticulous and includes good links with other subject areas. • The subject is very well led and managed.

p.24

Commentary

65 Although only two science lessons were seen, there was a wealth of evidence from national test results, science displays in classrooms and teachers' detailed planning files to make secure judgements about standards and the quality of teaching and learning. Standards in Year 2 have been maintained at well above average since the previous inspection. School tracking of individual pupils' progress shows that all, including those with special educational needs achieve very well in the subject. This is because leadership of the subject is so effective and the overall quality of teaching is very good. In the 2003 teacher assessments, 99 per cent of pupils achieved the expected level with 32 per cent achieving at the higher Level 3. It needed just one more pupil to raise the overall performance from above average to well above. In the unvalidated figures for 2004, pupils overall performance improved with 98 per cent attaining the expected level but 57 per

p.24

Commentary

Bottesford Infant School 23 cent achieving Level 3. There is no significant difference in the performance of girls and boys in science.

p.25

Commentary

66 The emphasis on a practical approach in all classes offers pupils a wide range of well- planned learning opportunities as they conduct experiments or investigations themselves. In a good Year 1 lesson seen, pupils enjoyed testing how far away they could hear sounds such as a cycle bell or buzzer on the school playground. All worked sensibly in small groups. Pupils had to draw on skills from other areas of the curriculum such as mathematics for measuring distances, recording data and producing graphs using computers. In Year 2, pupils had to research information about animals sense of hearing using reference books and the Internet. This successfully promoted their literacy and technology skills.

p.25

Commentary

67 The scrutiny of work showed that all aspects of the curriculum are covered in some depth and that pupils in all classes have lots of opportunity to conduct experiments or investigations for themselves. This practical approach captures the interest of pupils and helps their understanding. There were records of pupils' attempts to test magnets, grow seeds and classify materials, for example. All pupils cover topics on health and growth and have a firm understanding about a healthy lifestyle. In physical education, pupils were able to clearly explain why they warmed up before exercise and the effect exercise had on their bodies.

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Commentary

68 Teachers make good use of the well-trained teaching assistants in the classroom to ensure that groups are well supported. The support available for pupils with special educational needs is very good and as a result, these pupils are able to work alongside other pupils and complete the work expected of them. In one class, a pupil who did not have a very good command of English was given individual support throughout to make sure that he was able to take a full part in the lesson. Teachers' planning is very good. It ensures that lessons are interesting, enjoyable and usually challenging for pupils of all ability levels. In the lessons seen, teachers were enthusiastic and motivated pupils very well. Pupils, according to one teacher, were going to have a fantastic time finding out about predators and prey in Africa and were invited to have a wonderful explore of information after watching a short video. Assessment procedures are very thorough. The class

p.25

Commentary

teachers maintain detailed records of each pupils' level of achievement as they move through the school and these show clearly the gains each pupil makes.

p.25

Commentary

69 The effectiveness of subject management is largely responsible for improving the quality of teaching since the previous inspection and helping to maintain the high standards. Most subjects, including science, have benefited from a stable staffing situation and co-ordinators who have had time to thoroughly monitor and evaluate their subjects over the past few years. Any weaknesses have been eradicated by all staff working as a team. The headteacher and co-ordinator take joint responsibility for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning each term and this is undertaken in depth. Records of monitoring visits are very detailed and clearly highlight areas for further improvement. Resources for science are good, enabling all pupils to have access to sufficient magnets, electrical and other scientific equipment when doing investigations.

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is good .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• New resources are being used to teach new skills quickly and this has a positive effect on achievement. • The use of ICT skills to support learning in other subjects is very good and is a key strength of the subject. • The subject is led and managed very well and this is improving standards quickly. • Some smartboards have been placed too high in the classrooms, which makes their use by pupils difficult. Bottesford Infant School 24

p.25

Commentary

70 Standards are above national expectations for the subject and have been maintained since the previous inspection. All pupils achieve well and they are learning new skills quickly. This is because new resources, such as classroom smartboards, are being introduced and teachers are using them effectively to teach new skills to the whole class. For example, in a class with Year 1 and 2 pupils, the teacher used the smartboard to show pupils how to read and write web page addresses on the Internet. Pupils noted that all web pages start with www. and that they are written in lower case letters. They went on to investigate web links after typing in a web address. Learning support staff are well trained and give active support in lessons to those pupils who need extra help, which ensures these pupils achieve as well as others do.

p.26

Commentary

71 The scrutiny of pupils work in books and folders and on display around the school indicates that a real strength of the subject is the way lessons are planned to make the best use of ICT skills to support learning in all subjects. This was noted as a strength in the previous inspection, and since then, has been further embedded into the curriculum. The quality of teachers’ planning is very good and contains opportunities for the teaching of direct skills using the smartboard, if available, or for pupils to work independently or with others, to extend their knowledge and skills using computers or lap-tops. Teachers’ do this very well and this is a key strength of their teaching in the subject. Evidence on display in classrooms and around the school indicates how successful this is in supporting learning.

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Commentary

72 The subject is led and managed very well. A new policy has been written to take into account all the new developments in school and the procedures for assessment are very good. Individual pupils are tracked and their skills assessed at the end of each unit of work. All teaching is checked, with detailed feedback given. A clear action plan has been written, detailing future priorities for the subject, which are relevant and realistic.

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Commentary

73 Resources for the subject are good and improving, for example, some computers in the Foundation Stage are ready to be replaced. Of great benefit to teaching and learning are the classroom smartboards and these will be placed in all classrooms as the budget allows. However, in some classrooms, smartboards have been installed too high up, which means that pupils cannot access them easily. This makes learning more difficult for both teachers and their pupils. The school has recognised this problem and is hoping to get this addressed soon.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

74 This is very good. Teachers plan lessons very well to make the best use of new technology to support learning in all subjects. Examples of pupils’ work abound throughout the school, indicating that they are using their new skills well to increase their knowledge and understanding in all subjects. For example , pupils use new technology in mathematics to explore shape, tessellation or symmetry and use it extensively to make graphs and charts, either in mathematics or in science. In literacy, pupils practise word processing skills as they make drafts of their writing, whilst in music, sounds are explored, recorded and graphs produced to show the range of sounds the instruments made. Digital cameras are used extensively to record pupils’ on going and completed work, so both pupils and teachers have a clear record of their achievements.

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HUMANITIES

75 Work in history and geography was sampled and so no overall judgement has been made on the quality of provision, the standards pupils’ reach, or on the quality of teaching. Two lessons were seen in geography but no lessons were observed in history. However, subject co-ordinator’s files were scrutinised, pupils’ work was sampled and a scrutiny of work on display throughout the school was undertaken.

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HUMANITIES

76 In the two lessons seen in geography , the quality of teaching was good. Lessons were very well planned and teachers’ made effective use of resources. In Year 2, pupils know that the island of Struay does not really exist but they have been given good opportunities in homework to Bottesford Infant School 25 find out about a similar island off the Scottish coastline. Literacy, numeracy and information and communication skills are used well to support learning, although there are very few examples of pupils’ written work in the subject. The subject is led and managed very well. The co-ordinator checks the quality of teaching by observing lessons and samples pupils’ work throughout the school, which enables her to have a very good overview of the subject.

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HUMANITIES

77 In history , whilst no lessons were seen, evidence from work around the school indicates that teachers make effective use of historical artefacts to deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding about the past. Pupils’ work on display show that they have a growing understanding of chronology as they complete time-lines to display the main historical events from 1604 to 2004. Pupils’ appreciate that historians use research and evidence to find out about the past and as a result, decided to place everyday objects from school into a “time capsule” when new classrooms were built, for future historians to discover! The enthusiastic subject co-ordinator has a very clear view of future priorities for the subject.

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Religious Education

Provision in religious education is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good emphasis is given to teaching all about the Christian faith. • The teaching of other world faiths is very good and pupils have a good knowledge of them. • The subject is very well led and managed.

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Commentary

78 Standards have improved since the previous inspection. They are generally above the expectations of the Locally Agreed Syllabus with all pupils achieving well in the subject. Pupils have a particularly good knowledge of the ceremonies and customs associated with other world religions such as Hinduism.

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Commentary

79 The quality of teaching is good. All teachers plan lessons carefully and make good use of the wide range of religious artefacts in lessons. As a result, pupils gain a good understanding of Christianity. Only three lessons were observed and one of these was taken by the vicar of St Peter's ad Vincula Church. Pupils listened attentively as they were shown symbols of the Christian faith and the different robes for church ceremonies. All were keen to ask questions and demonstrated a good knowledge of the local church, its features and ceremonies such as Harvest and christenings. In the two lessons with Year 1 pupils, there was a useful discussion about religious symbols for their own and other religions. Pupils demonstrated a good level of knowledge and understanding and were able to sort the different symbols, identifying those that were not religious. In one class, pupils were quick to recognise the two symbols worn by their teacher, a

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Commentary

cross and her wedding ring. Very good links were made with other subjects such as English, and design and technology as pupils tried to design a new school badge using symbols. A lot of work covered in religious education lessons centres around discussions and this effectively promotes pupils speaking and listening skills.

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Commentary

80 Pupils are encouraged to discuss Christian principles such as tolerance and to apply these ideas to their own life. They know many stories from the Bible, including the story of Noah. Assemblies successfully promote the importance of belonging to a community and the impact this has in terms of friendship and care. All around the school, there are thoughtful touches to reinforce pupils' social and moral obligations. Each class has a set of agreed rules, for example and in the hall, pupils can attach their own personal prayers to the prayer tree. All contribute to books entitled 'Our feeling good book' and one called 'A perfect world'.

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Commentary

81 The subject leader ensures that enough emphasis is given to faiths other than Christianity so pupils are well prepared for the multi-cultural and multi-faith society in which we live. During the inspection, the school dining centre provided some delicious Indian food instead of the usual school Bottesford Infant School 26 dinner for pupils to try, giving them a first hand experience of food from another culture. All aspects of the subject are very carefully monitored and evaluated each term and an action plan is prepared to further develop the quality of provision. Pupil’s work is rigorously assessed and the information is used effectively to plan future learning.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

82 In art and design, design and technology, music and physical education, insufficient lessons were seen to enable overall judgements to be made about the quality of provision or standards.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

83 Art and design was sampled by looking at displays and talking to pupils in the two lessons observed. Pupils say they enjoy art and design and in both lessons, all pupils worked hard to complete their sculptures, effectively using the good range of quality resources which are available. In Year 1, they used natural materials such as sand, shells and twigs and proudly photographed the finished work using disposable cameras. Year 2 pupils examined a sculpture by Picasso called 'The Violin' and tried to reproduce it in his style. Good links with other subjects are evident in teachers' planning. Pupils use speaking and listening skills when describing what they like about other pupils work and their knowledge of materials from science to decide on those that are natural and those that are man-made.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

84 Teachers' detailed records ensure a steady progression of skills and knowledge as pupils move through the school. The co-ordinator shows the same enthusiasm and attention to detail as the co-ordinators for all other subjects and an action plan is prepared annually to ensure the continuous development of the subject.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

85 Design and technology was sampled by looking at displays, pupils’ work and talking with pupils. In Years 1 and 2, pupils learn how important it is to plan and design before making things such as wheeled vehicles, greeting cards with moving parts or models suitable for taking Cinderella to the ball! A thorough evaluation of the finished models or artefacts is made. Both these processes involve pupils drawing on their literacy skills. However, worksheets with limited space for writing restrict the amount pupils can write. Past work shows designs for playground equipment, animal heads and toys based on nursery rhymes. The level of resources is good, giving pupils a wide choice of materials. In the two lessons seen, there very were good links between design and technology, religious education and mathematics. Pupils also made good use of computers to try out some designs. Year 1 and Year 2 pupils designed a dreamcoat for Joseph with a repeating

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

pattern. They were encouraged to use hexagonal and other mathematical shapes as part of their designs.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

86 Teaching was good in both lessons and all pupils’ work was marked carefully. Pupil’s attainment and progress are rigorously assessed at the end of each teaching unit. Assessment information is carefully analysed to inform future teaching and learning.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

87 Only one lesson of music was seen and so it was not possible to make an overall judgement on provision or on the quality of teaching. In the lesson seen in Year 2, the quality of teaching was very good. The lesson was very well planned and the teacher ensured that pupils used, and understood, correct musical terminology. The evidence of work on display throughout the school indicates that pupils are taught to compose short pieces of music by using graphical notation. The conscientious subject co-ordinator has ensured that all issues from the previous inspection have been fully addressed. The quality of teaching throughout the school is checked by direct observation and the policy and scheme of work gives very good guidance to staff.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

88 Only three physical education lessons were seen and all of these were dance sessions in the main hall. Pupils listen carefully to instructions and behave very well. Boys and girls were equally enthusiastic about performing. All achieved well and standards were generally better than those normally seen in each of the lessons. The quality of teaching was never less than good and on one occasion, very good. In this Year 1 lesson, the theme was the weather and the seasons. Pupils responded well to music and imagined that they were falling leaves. In groups, they took Bottesford Infant School 27 turns to 'fall' from the tree. The subject knowledge of the teacher was very good and her concentration never wavered. Pupils were motivated by her sense of purpose and knew exactly what was expected from her clear instructions. All produced some interesting responses to music and there was no shortage of volunteers to perform.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

89 An analysis of teachers’ planning shows that the school staff work hard to successfully provide a good range of activities as well as dance. There is a detailed scheme of work, which closely follows the latest national guidance. It ensures that pupils have sufficient opportunities for all aspects of the subject. Pupils' attainment and progress are assessed carefully at the end of each term with very good procedures. Space indoors is good. Although the hall is used for many purposes, there is still plenty of room for physical education lessons to take place in safety. However, teachers are not always rigorous enough to ensure that pupils’ jewellery is removed before activities start and staff should try to wear appropriate clothing and footwear for lessons.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP (PSHCE)

90 Parents at the meeting prior to the inspection were full of praise for the way the school helps pupils to develop both socially and academically. Carefully formulated policies and detailed planning shows that the school places much importance to promoting pupils’ personal and social skills and their awareness of citizenship. This is achieved through very good links with the community and initiatives such as the school's pupil council. Through this, pupils learn to take on responsibility and play their part in the day-to-day organisation of the school. Clear policies exist for the promotion of pupils' awareness about racial equality, drugs and for their sex education and relationships. The school is very good at teaching pupils how to keep themselves safe and well; for example, all are taught about the benefits of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP (PSHCE)

91 School assemblies are well planned and provide pupils with time to reflect on a range of issues such as being frightened or sad. All listened carefully, for example as the Methodist minister told the story of Noah and the significance of a rainbow; God's promise not to flood the world again. Parents regularly attend school assemblies and during the inspection, there was an exceptionally good turnout to watch the reception class explain what they had found out about different minibeasts such as worms, caterpillars and snails. Bottesford Infant School 28

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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 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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