Bramley Sunnyside Infant School

BRAMLEY SUNNYSIDE INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 27 – 29 September 2004

p.1

BRAMLEY SUNNYSIDE INFANT SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 2 - September 2004 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

p.1

BRAMLEY SUNNYSIDE 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. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 3 - September 2004

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 – 7 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 277

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Flanderwell Lane Bramley Rotherham South Yorkshire Postcode: S66 3QW

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01709 543061 Fax number: 01709 701990

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr E Kelsey

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 17 May 1999

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Bramley Sunnyside Infant School is a larger than average school for 3 to 7 year old pupils, situated on the outskirts of Rotherham. In its provision, accommodation and arrangements, the school makes a clear distinction between the Foundation Stage (for children in the nursery and reception years) and Years 1 and 2. Children in the Foundation Stage are taught in mixed age classes and those in Years 1 and 2 in single age classes – with three parallel classes for each year group.

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has very few spare places. There are 277 pupils on roll, with 48 of these attending part- time for the first year in the Foundation Stage. The great majority of pupils is of white British ethnic background, with a small number of Chinese and Indian heritage. One pupil with Cantonese and two pupils with Hindi as their home language are in the early stages of learning English. On admission to the Foundation Stage Unit, the attainments of children vary but are average overall. The number of pupils in the school with special educational needs is broadly average (20%), with most of these pupils experiencing moderate learning difficulties and some with specific speech and language difficulties. One pupil has a formal statement of special educational need.

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school buildings have been recently extended and refurbished. A new headteacher was appointed in September 2004. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 4 - September 2004

p.3

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

22380 Mrs P K Parrish Lead inspector English Art and design Music Special educational needs English as an additional language 8922 Mrs B McIntosh Lay inspector 29504 Mrs A S Herring Team inspector Mathematics Design and technology Religious education Areas of learning in the Foundation Stage 22113 Mrs A L King Team inspector Science Information and communication technology Geography History Physical education

p.4

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Nord Anglia School Inspection Services Anglia House Carrs Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 2LA

p.4

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 5 - September 2004

p.4

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

p.5

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

p.5

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

p.5

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 31

Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 6 - September 2004

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

The school provides a sound education , overall, with good provision for the children aged three and four. Teaching is satisfactory, overall, with strengths in developing pupils’ personal skills. Standards are average by the end of Year 2. Achievement is good for the children in the Foundation Stage Unit but slows to satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. The new headteacher has a clear view on what the school needs to do to strengthen its provision in order to raise standards further. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

p.6

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses

• Throughout the school, children enjoy learning. Very good and trusting relationships ensure that children are happy, and interesting activities help them to concentrate well on their work. • The Foundation Stage Unit is very well led and managed and teaching in these early years is very good, with considerable strengths in providing for the children’s personal development, their speaking and listening skills and their knowledge and understanding of the world. • Systems for checking the quality of teaching and learning are under-developed in Years 1 and 2 and, consequently, opportunities are missed to raise standards further. The new headteacher is providing a more rigorous analysis of the school’s provision. • Provision is good for information and communication technology (ICT) through the school and computer skills are well integrated into most subjects.

p.6

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses

Since the last inspection in May 1999, standards show satisfactory improvement overall. Although the school qualified for a School Achievement Award in 2001, national test results have fluctuated since then and have barely kept pace with the national trend. The progress of higher attaining pupils has made sound improvement, which was an issue in the last inspection. Very good improvements have been made in the Foundation Stage, with a new building replacing poor accommodation, and newly organised provision of high quality. The school has maintained good provision for ICT.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004 reading C C D E writing E D C C mathematics C C C B Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory, overall. Children’s attainments on admission to the Foundation Stage are average. Achievement is good in the early years in school for all children, including those with special educational needs and those in the early stages of learning English. As they enter Year 1 in the main school, the children’s attainments meet the goals set for the age group in all areas of learning and are above average in their personal, Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 7 - September 2004 social and emotional development, their speaking skills and their knowledge and understanding of the world.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

By the end of Year 2, attainment is generally average. In reading, standards are average although a change in teaching methods, combined with an above average number of pupils with special educational needs, led to a dip in results for 2004. Nevertheless, in writing, results in 2004 show continued steady improvement and standards are now average. In mathematics, standards remain Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 8 - September 2004 average, as they have been for the past three years, and in 2004 are just above the average for similar schools. All pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve satisfactorily, including higher attaining pupils, those with special educational needs and those in the early stages of learning English.

p.7

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal development is a strong aspect of the school’s provision. Consequently, pupils have good attitudes to learning and their behaviour is very good in lessons at all times. The school’s provision for developing pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good, overall . While provision is very good for moral and social development, and good for spiritual development, it is satisfactory for cultural development. Pupils are not provided with enough opportunities to learn about major world faiths in addition to Christianity. The school makes insufficient use of visitors and visits to give pupils first hand experiences of other cultures. Attendance is satisfactory and punctuality is good.

p.8

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory . Teaching and learning are satisfactory but vary through the school. In the Foundation Stage, teaching is very good. In Years 1 and 2, teaching is satisfactory, overall, but good for ICT. Pupils’ learning is not always evaluated fully in Years 1 and 2 in order to provide a clear understanding of successes and what needs to be done to improve learning further. There is room to improve the pace of learning in literacy and numeracy. For example, pupils are slow to achieve conventional spellings.

p.8

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is satisfactory, overall, and good in the Foundation Unit. The school takes pride in providing interesting activities for learning and so pupils are well motivated to learn. There are few opportunities to extend pupils’ interests outside lessons. In Years 1 and 2, time is not always allocated efficiently to enable pupils to do their best. Arrangements for ensuring pupils’ welfare, health and safety are good. Partnerships with parents and the local community are satisfactory.

p.8

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory, overall. The governors and senior management team have focused most recently on the building and successful operation of the new Foundation Stage Unit. There is a good team spirit and, throughout the school, the staff are strongly committed to do well for the pupils. Over time, the main school has kept to set ways of doing things without sufficient review of their effectiveness. This has slowed the pace of improvement for the older children.

p.8

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are generally very satisfied with the work of the school. A small number expressed concern about the new arrangements for mixed age classes in the Foundation Stage. Their worries are unfounded; arrangements are very effective. Pupils mostly thoroughly enjoy school and learning.

p.8

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are:

p.8

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• implement effective assessment and marking systems and use to raise standards further; Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 9 - September 2004 • establish a rigorous system for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 10 - September 2004

p.8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement is satisfactory, overall, and good for the children in the Foundation Stage. Standards are average, overall, but rising for the children in Foundation Stage Unit.

p.10

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are on an upward trend in the Foundation Stage Unit; children are achieving well and, for the first time, most will complete a full two years within the newly organised unit. • Although standards are average by the end of Year 2, results in national tests have fluctuated over the past three years. • For information and communication technology (ICT), standards are average but improving. Improvements in provision mean that pupils are now achieving well. • Weaknesses in assessment, marking and some teaching methods in use are limiting pupils’ achievement.

p.10

Commentary

1. On admission to school, the attainments of most children are average, although a significant number have lower than average language skills. Recent significant improvements in provision for the Foundation Stage (nursery and reception children) and very good teaching mean that children achieve well, showing good improvement since the last inspection. On transfer to Year 1 this year, most children met the learning goals set nationally and most exceeded those for personal, social and emotional development and for knowledge and understanding of the world. Shortcomings in speaking skills are largely resolved by the end of the Foundation Stage. This shows improving standards, that are likely to be higher next year as the improvements in provision impact fully on standards.

p.10

Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004

p.10

Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 15.0 (16.2) 15.8 (15.7) writing 14.7 (14.3) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 16.8 (16.8) 16.2 (16.3) There were 80 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

p.10

Commentary

2. Standards observed in Year 2 during the inspection were average in reading, writing, mathematics and all other subjects inspected. Although the school achieved national awards for improved results in 2000 and 2001, test results over the past three years have fluctuated. Targets set have been relatively modest and the overall trend has been lower than for most schools nationally. Compared to similar schools, results for 2004 were just above average in mathematics, average in writing but well below average in reading. These results show little overall improvement in mathematics, but a slight change in the Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 11 - September 2004 average threshold nationally. In writing, results show continued steady improvement, rewarding the school’s efforts to raise standards over the past two years. The school attributes the significant fall in reading results to a higher than average number of pupils

p.10

Commentary

with special educational needs and changes in teaching methods that have now been reversed. However, weaknesses in the use of assessment, the marking of pupils’ work and in some aspects of teaching are limiting pupils’ achievement. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 12 - September 2004 3. Most pupils with special educational needs achieve satisfactorily and some pupils achieve well, sometimes going on to attain average levels in National Curriculum tests. The input of trained teaching assistants into extra practice for reading and learning letter sounds is paying off well. Pupils with behaviour difficulties achieve well. The pupils with English as an additional language achieve satisfactorily overall. They benefit from the school’s effective provision for personal development and speaking and listening and generally make good progress verbally. Their skills in reading and writing are slower to develop, due to shortcomings in the school’s teaching methods.

p.11

Commentary

4. In the past, girls have tended to achieve more than boys, with the difference wider than that reported nationally. The school has worked to improve boys’ attainment and the latest results indicate little difference between the attainment of boys and girls in mathematics. In English, the gap remains in reading but there was significant improvement at the top end of the results, with more boys than girls achieving the above average level, (level 3). The lack of assessment systems makes it difficult to check comparisons in other subjects.

p.12

Commentary

5. The use of literacy, numeracy and ICT across other subjects is satisfactory. Teachers try to ensure plenty of practice in writing and this is helping to raise standards. Some opportunities are missed to promote reading skills through incidental opportunities. For example, the words to songs are not displayed in school assemblies and most teachers do not display the learning objectives for lessons. Similarly, there is more to be done to include mathematics and data analysis more frequently in subjects such as science and design and technology. The new computers and interactive whiteboards are generally put to good use. Pupils are proficient in operating graphic programs in art and design, for example. There are times in literacy and numeracy lessons, however, when opportunities are missed to incorporate computer programs as a means of extending pupils’ skills.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils have good attitudes to school and their behaviour is very good. They are growing in maturity, because the school fosters their personal development well. Arrangements for promoting the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils are good overall. Pupils’ attendance is satisfactory and punctuality is good.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

• Pupils’ good attitudes help them to learn effectively. • Very good relationships help to create a happy learning environment. • High expectations of behaviour are set and achieved; the school deals very effectively with all forms of harassment. • Pupils’ spiritual development is good. • Pupils have a satisfactory awareness of other cultures; their understanding about other faiths and living in a multi-cultural society could be further developed.

p.12

Commentary

6. Pupils like coming to school and are keen to learn. They think that teachers make learning fun and they enjoy the variety of experiences that the school offers. Pupils of all ages work well independently and concentrate on their tasks. When contributing to discussions or explaining their methods of calculation, they are not afraid to make mistakes because they know their answers are valued. Pupils with special educational Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 13 - September 2004 needs have equally positive attitudes to learning and are helped to take a full and active part in lessons. The school is particularly successful in helping pupils with specific behaviour difficulties to move forward. A positive attitude to work is encouraged from the moment the children start school in the Foundation Stage Unit. Children achieve very well and attainment is above the expected Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 14 - September 2004

p.12

Commentary

levels in personal, social and emotional development. The children’s enjoyment of activities is very evident from their laughter and eager participation. After only a short time back at school after their summer break, they were very well behaved and settled in their routines and learning.

p.14

Commentary

7. The school gives a very high priority to pupils’ social and moral development and helps them to become mature and responsible. Relationships are very good throughout the school because the pupils have a good understanding of their responsibilities to each other within the school community. This helps to create a happy learning environment. Pupils have a very clear understanding of the differences between right and wrong and almost always try to do what they know is right. Bullying is not perceived to be a problem by pupils or parents but they feel that if any form of harassment does occur, it is taken most seriously and dealt with very effectively by staff. There have been no exclusions during the last school year. This shows the school is successful in promoting good behaviour and an indication of its commitment to inclusion.

p.14

Commentary

8. Pupils’ confidence and self-esteem are fostered by the caring atmosphere in school. Pupils get on very well together and collaborate very well in play and work. They are very friendly, polite and welcoming, greeting visitors with a cheerful smile. They hold doors open for each other and are quick to say sorry when the need arises. Pupils are very well behaved in the dining room and chat amicably together.

p.14

Commentary

9. Spiritual development is an integral part of the curriculum and school assemblies and is planned around themes that are relevant to the pupils. This helps pupils to reflect upon their personal feelings, values and beliefs. Class discussions give good opportunities for pupils to listen to varied opinions that may not match their own and they show respect for the differing views of others. Spirituality is highlighted well through singing, art and attention to the wonders of nature, such as making a collage based on the creation of the world. Pupils are naturally inquisitive and when studying a landscape by Constable wanted to know every detail about how the colours and different effects had been created. A painting by Picasso inspired pupils to create symbols that would remind everyone to be loving and kind.

p.14

Commentary

10. Pupils have a good understanding of their own cultural traditions but their knowledge of the diversity and richness of other cultures is no more than satisfactory. This is enhanced by work in subjects, such as geography, history, art and music. In religious education, there are missed opportunities to learn more about other faiths and religions. Pupils have too few experiences of mixing or communicating with people representing other faiths or indeed visiting places of interest that would help them to learn about living in a multi-cultural society.

p.14

Commentary

11. During the last year, 2003-04, the school has reduced its level of authorised absence significantly. Targets set by the local education authority have been met. This has been achieved to some extent by the reduction of family holidays taken during term time. Parents are quick to inform the school when their child is absent and any unexplained absences are followed up rigorously. Punctuality is good and the morning session gets off to a prompt start although lessons do not always start on time during the day. For example, there is often time slippage after assembly and break-time.

p.14

Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year 2002/03 (%) Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 15 - September 2004 Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 6.0 School data 0.2 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. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 16 - September 2004

p.14

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides its pupils with a satisfactory quality of education. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good and has improved very well since the last inspection. Provision for Years 1 and 2 has not fully kept pace with improvements nationally since the last inspection, except in provision for ICT, which remains good. The school’s strengths are mainly in the care it takes for pupils’ personal development.

p.16

Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are very good, overall, in the Foundation Stage and satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. Assessment systems are good in the Foundation Stage and provide useful feedback to staff and a good basis of information for future plans. In Years 1 and 2, assessment systems are not established in most subjects and its use as a basis for planning is unsatisfactory, overall.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers in the Foundation Stage have a very good understanding of how young children learn and plan carefully to meet the children’s identified needs. • Assessment systems are unsatisfactory in Years 1 and 2; teachers have insufficient information to help them promote good improvement. • Written work is not marked well enough in Years 1 and 2, and pupils do not know enough about their strengths and how they can improve. There is room to challenge pupils further to improve the pace of learning. • The arrangements for groups of pupils in classes in Years 1 and 2 to work on different subjects each afternoon reduces the effectiveness of teaching and learning. • The good number of adults in most lessons enhances pupils’ learning and provides good support for pupils with special educational needs.

p.16

Commentary

12. Improvements made recently in arrangements for the Foundation Stage have been led and managed exceptionally well by the co-ordinator. Teaching is never less than good, and is very good, overall. Good assessment procedures, based on close observations, show that staff have a clear view of the children’s needs. The staff team is keen to use this information to provide a good challenge and effective support for all children, including those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language. Throughout the day, there is a good balance between the direct teaching of skills to groups of children of different ages and needs, and giving children the freedom to choose from a good range of activities, well matched to their stage of learning. There is a very good emphasis on addressing the identified weaknesses in children’s speaking and listening skills by talking to children, whatever the activity, engaging them in thoughtful

p.16

Commentary

discussion to help them to think things through. A very good range of resources is used well to help children learn. For example, the attractive and authentic model of a ‘dinosaur world’ provided a good focus for children’s imagination, knowledge and understanding and the development of finding out and recording information.

p.16

Commentary

13. In Years 1 and 2, teachers take the pupils’ personal development forward well and continue to provide good opportunities for the development of speaking and listening. Pupils are managed well and approach their work with confidence and interest. They are Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 17 - September 2004 able to concentrate for a considerable time with or without adult support. Pupils with specific behavioural difficulties are supported sensitively and effectively, by teachers and support staff, and consequently achieve well. The good number of adults present in most lessons enhances pupils’ learning, mainly through enabling good opportunities for discussion. Sometimes teachers’ management strategies are not effective enough to ensure that pupils use time fully for work, without queuing for an adult’s attention. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 18 - September 2004 14. The school’s practice of fragmenting the afternoon timetable, with different groups of

p.16

Commentary

pupils in each class working on different subjects, is reducing the quality of teaching and learning. This affects attainment in subjects such as art and design, design and technology and, in some classes, religious education. In these subjects especially the teaching is separated from the task for learning for most groups of pupils. Those who take up the task on subsequent days are disadvantaged and usually achieve considerably less. Teaching points raised with groups of pupils benefiting from direct teaching, such as the technicalities of mixing shades and tints of colour in artwork, are not made available to all. The summary session in such lessons is inefficient in pulling together and assessing the learning that has been achieved in all the different subjects in hand.

p.18

Commentary

15. Assessment of pupils’ progress is not used sufficiently well as a basis for tailoring teaching plans. Teachers tend to set the same activity for learning, on different days, for pupils with varying needs, with the amount of adult support being the only variable. There are times when this is effective but generally there is room to challenge higher attaining pupils more and to support lower attaining pupils more constructively in order to improve the pace of learning. In literacy lessons in Year 1, for example, all pupils used the same set of instructions, at different stages in the week, as a basis for making cheese sandwiches. These were not closely matched to the skills of lower attaining pupils, especially, and although they thoroughly enjoyed making sandwiches, little progress was made with reading. The school’s practice of not dating pupils’ work and rarely marking it makes it difficult for pupils to understand their strengths and where they need to improve.

p.18

Commentary

It also makes it difficult for teachers and senior managers to analyse pupils’ progress thoroughly and efficiently. The lack of assessment systems in subjects other than English and ICT is an unsatisfactory situation. Opportunities are not taken sufficiently in Years 1 and 2 to delegate assessment tasks to teaching assistants, who are in a prime position to make notes on pupils’ responses and progress during whole class teaching sessions.

p.18

Commentary

16. Learning objectives set for lessons and for work to be tackled by pupils in separate groups are not always sufficiently specific and are rarely shared with pupils. This is one of the significant differences between the satisfactory teaching and that of good or better quality. In the lessons where teaching was very good, teachers kept pupils well informed on the focus for learning and tracked the objectives persistently through to the end of lessons. The school is keen to improve standards and has introduced writing targets in order to involve pupils more constructively in their own learning. These are effective where teaching is good and pupils are frequently given specific feedback on their successes.

p.18

Commentary

17. For pupils with special educational needs, individual education plans are set, according to national guidance. Although these are satisfactory in identifying pupils’ areas of need, they are not generally sufficiently specific to provide a clear programme for teaching and learning for the term in reading and writing. Teaching assistants working with these pupils on an individual basis usually devise a sensible programme for building skills but these are not always linked to teaching within class literacy lessons. The school’s understanding of how to improve spelling is limited and affects pupils with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language especially.

p.18

Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 45 lessons Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 19 - September 2004 Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.18

Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 20 - September 2004

p.19

The curriculum

The curriculum is satisfactory for pupils in Years 1 and 2 and good for children in the Foundation Stage. A satisfactory range of enrichment activities is provided. Accommodation and resources are good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the Foundation Stage experience an exciting and stimulating range of learning activities that are well matched to their needs and ensure good progression. • Although the curriculum for pupils in Years 1 and 2 is appropriately broad and balanced, there are some shortcomings in the arrangements for teaching in some subjects that limit pupils’ progression. Time is not always used efficiently. • The school’s weak strategies for teaching conventional spelling limits the progress especially of those with special educational needs. • Pupils enjoy a good range of visits that bring their learning alive but there are no further opportunities to extend their interests outside lessons. • A good range of resources is used well to motivate pupils and capture their imagination.

p.20

Commentary

18. The curriculum meets the statutory requirements and all the subjects of the National Curriculum are taught, including provision for religious education and collective worship. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is very well matched to the national guidelines and the needs of young children.

p.20

Commentary

19. The school has a strong philosophy of providing pupils with interesting activities and experiences and this is one of the reasons why children like school. Rapt attention is often generated through the imaginative use of resources. For example, children in the Foundation Stage were thoroughly engrossed in their learning when sharing special photographs and souvenirs. Pupils in Year 1 were amazed when they could see a pupil’s taste buds when examining his tongue with a digital microscope. Pupils speak with enthusiasm about the exciting visits that provide a useful stimulus to assist their learning in the classroom. Those who recently visited the National Railway Museum said they enjoyed the visit because it gave them lots of ideas to help them with their writing.

p.20

Commentary

20. Time is not always used well enough, from planning the timetable to starting lessons on time. The school’s preference for organising a mix of subjects for classes in Years 1 and 2 each afternoon does not benefit the children’s learning. This affects learning in art and design, design and technology and, sometimes, religious education. In these subjects especially, the quality of pupils’ work suffers because they are not always able to follow up on the teaching in the same lesson. In turn, the teacher finds it difficult to promote good progression when, sometimes, five subjects are proceeding at the same time.

p.20

Commentary

21. The five short sessions of physical education each week mean that there is not enough time for sustained activity as well as appropriate ‘warm up’ and ‘cool down’ sessions at the start and end of lessons. In a lesson observed, the weekly session allocated for practical mathematics was an ineffective use of time and provided insufficient challenge for the higher attaining pupils especially. In addition, there are regular time slippages during the day following assemblies and break-times and, as a result, some lessons lose time and others are sometimes too brief to be productive. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 21 - September 2004 22. Good provision is made, overall, for the pupils with special educational needs. Their personal development is well managed and this promotes good, and sometimes very good, progress for those with behaviour difficulties. Good strategies keep the pupils with concentration

p.20

Commentary

Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 22 - September 2004 difficulties focused well on learning. Extra adult support is provided frequently to promote learning for pupils with special educational needs in literacy but the school’s weak strategies for promoting correct spelling limit their progress in Years 1 and 2. Nevertheless, the school is successful in promoting all pupils’ speaking and listening skills, which provides a firm foundation for learning in all subjects. The pupils in the early stages of learning English as an additional language benefit from this strength and, consequently, make good progress with communication skills.

p.22

Commentary

23. The accommodation has improved significantly since the last inspection and pupils and staff now enjoy good, very well maintained facilities. Resources available to support the curriculum are generally good in quantity and quality, well organised and readily available to staff and pupils. Provision for the teaching of ICT is good, having been recently improved, with better equipment and staff training. As a result teaching and learning are good and pupils achieve well. Additionally, interactive whiteboards are available in most classrooms, providing pupils with a greater range of visual and practical experiences.

p.22

Care, guidance and support

Arrangements for ensuring pupils’ welfare, health and safety are good. The school provides pupils with satisfactory support, advice and guidance. The way the school seeks and acts upon pupils’ views is satisfactory.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school is a very welcoming place where pupils are cared for well and helped to mature and gain in confidence. • The arrangements to help children settle into the Foundation Stage classes are good. • Information from teachers’ assessment is not used well enough to involve pupils in discussing their own learning. • There are limited opportunities for pupils to regularly express their views about the school and what should be improved.

p.22

Commentary

24. Pupils are safe and secure at school and the good attention paid to their care, welfare and safety allows them to enjoy their learning. All staff work hard to make the school a very welcoming place for pupils. Pupils find their teachers kind and helpful and clearly like coming to school. Daily routines are well planned and pupils are carefully supervised when at work or at play. At lunchtimes, clear systems are well established and this ensures a continuity of pupils’ welfare and safety. Records are kept of risk assessments of all aspects of the school and problems highlighted are dealt with promptly. On a practical day-to-day level, the staff and caretaker are vigilant in checking the building to ensure a safe working environment for the children and promptly deal with any hazards found.

p.22

Commentary

25. There are good arrangements to help the children settle quickly and happily into the routines of the Foundation Stage Unit. The staff establish early links with parents through a series of well planned visits to school and gather information about the children in order to maximise support and guidance. The staff are welcoming, and the friendly atmosphere as children arrive with their parents at the start of each session gives them confidence to quickly settle into their tasks. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 23 - September 2004 26. The school is always ready to listen to pupils and offer good personal support as their needs arise. Relationships throughout the school are very good so pupils feel secure and know there is always someone to whom they can turn for help. Child protection procedures are satisfactory and staff are aware of what to do if they have any concerns about the children in Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 24 - September 2004

p.22

Commentary

their care. Training has been organised to ensure staff are fully up to date with child protection issues. Pupils with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language are helped to take a full and active part in the lessons. Although the school provides well for the pupils’ personal development, information to pupils’ about their academic achievements is limited. Overall standards in literacy and numeracy are tracked satisfactorily and useful targets help pupils in Years 1 and 2 to improve their writing. However, written work is not always marked and teachers provide only limited feedback to pupils, either verbally or in written comments, to help them understand their successes and what they need to do to improve further.

p.24

Commentary

27. Pupils can express their views and ideas informally through class discussions or directly to a teacher. However, there are no formal ways, such as through a school council, for all pupils to contribute their suggestions to school improvement and the decision-making processes.

p.24

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The partnership with parents is satisfactory. Links with the community and other schools are also satisfactory.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has good relationships with parents. • The new headteacher has made a good start in communicating with parents. • Links to ensure the continuity of pupils’ learning between Years 2 and 3 could be better.

p.24

Commentary

28. Parents have positive views about the school and the education it provides for their children. Before the start of the school day the classrooms are alive and busy with parents and carers working productively alongside their children on planned activities. Teachers and support staff are on hand for parents to discuss any concerns and help them to understand the work the children are doing. The number of parents involved is high and this is a very beneficial time because it helps develop parental interest and a good understanding of the children’s work. Parents said they appreciated the friendly, welcoming tone of the introductory letter sent out by the new headteacher. They particularly liked her comments that all are welcome no matter how small the problem. The new weekly newsletters have been well received and the list of dates for forthcoming events for the autumn term means that parents can organise time to attend events well in

p.24

Commentary

29. Information provided for parents is satisfactory overall. The headteacher has rightly identified the need to update the prospectus. The annual reports to parents give a satisfactory summary of their children’s achievements but do not include targets for future learning. The homework booklets are of good quality and provide useful guidance for parents on how to support their children’s learning at home.

p.24

Commentary

30. Meetings for parents that provide information about their children’s progress and events where children are directly involved are very well attended. A small number of parents help in school but there are many who offer assistance on educational visits. Although there is no fund-raising committee, parents are generous in their support of events that Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 25 - September 2004 the school organises. There is a programme of initiatives in place to provide a range of opportunities for parents to become more involved in their children’s learning. For example, a Family Literacy course with crèche facilities and an art exhibition of children’s work.

p.24

Commentary

31. The school benefits from liaison with a range of other schools. There are regular opportunities for the sharing of curricular issues and staff expertise, which contribute to improving pupils’ opportunities for learning. Although transition arrangements to the junior Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 26 - September 2004 school are satisfactory, curriculum and staff links to ensure a continuity of pupils’ learning between Years 2 and 3 are underdeveloped. The school makes satisfactory use of local resources in terms of working with people and visiting places to bring learning alive for the pupils. However, there are limited opportunities for pupils to visit local places of worship to gain first-hand experiences of other faiths and religions.

p.25

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory, overall. The new headteacher has a clear view of where the school needs to move forward. The governance of the school is satisfactory, overall.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a good team spirit; the headteacher, staff and governors are strongly committed to do well for the pupils. • The Foundation Stage Unit is led and managed very well; standards are moving forward well. • Over time, the school has kept to set ways of doing things in Years 1 and 2, without sufficient review of their effectiveness. • Subject leaders need more opportunities to be involved in monitoring and raising standards and better systems for doing so. • Governors have been involved tirelessly in giving practical support to secure improvements to the accommodation and more recently their time and commitment in the appointment of a new headteacher.

p.26

Commentary

32. The strong commitment of staff and governors to build on the school’s strengths is an asset to the recently appointed headteacher as she seeks to make further improvements to the effectiveness of the school. The recent successes evident in successfully managing significant improvements to the provision for the Foundation Stage and for ICT through the school are testament to what can be achieved with a strong lead from knowledgeable and dynamic co-ordinators. The new headteacher has a clear vision of where the school needs to move forward and suitable previous experience to put her views into practice. There is work to be done to extend the impact of the work of the senior management team through more rigorous analysis of teaching and learning and open views on the way forward.

p.26

Commentary

33. The delegation of responsibilities is unbalanced, at present, with some staff having a heavier workload than necessary and others able to cope with more. This reduces the effectiveness of the management of raising standards in some subjects and aspects of the school’s provision. Recent long-term staff absence and a significant changeover of staff has slowed development of the senior management team. Some aspects of the school’s work do not have a clear structure for leadership, such as the provision for pupils with English as an additional language and the development of the pupils’ awareness of the multicultural nature of society. For three years, the managers of the school have focused on a major building and refurbishment project. Although the benefits have been great to staff and pupils, it has left work outstanding in putting into place the improvements in monitoring teaching and learning made in recent years in most

p.26

Commentary

34. While the monitoring system is very effective in the Foundation Stage, it is unsatisfactory overall for Years 1 and 2. The co-ordination of subjects in Years 1 and 2 lacks rigour, although recent good improvements in ICT provide an example of good co-ordination. Systems for checking pupils’ progress are unsatisfactory, overall, and more could be done to identify Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 27 - September 2004 specific strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning. The school has held on to favoured methods of teaching without sufficient evidence of their success. The school improvement plan is satisfactory in that priorities for development are suitably identified but Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 28 - September 2004 strategies for action to improve teaching and learning are limited by inefficiencies in the school’s review of its provision. The principles of performance management for teachers are in

p.26

Commentary

place. Personal objectives relate well to whole-school priorities for improvement and raising standards.

p.28

Commentary

35. The school has a commitment to do well for all its pupils but is not always successful in enabling good achievement. Leadership and management of provision for the pupils with special educational needs are satisfactory, overall, and good for the pupils with behaviour difficulties. The newly appointed co-ordinator for special educational needs has not yet had sufficient opportunity to work in lessons in order to get a clear picture of where and how to make further improvements. Due to the school’s strong provision for developing pupils’ speaking skills, those in the early stages of learning English as an additional language are well supported in extending their verbal skills. Shortcomings in the school’s provision for literacy reduce the achievements in reading and writing of most pupils, including the pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language.

p.28

Commentary

36. Governors are very supportive of the school and fulfil their statutory duties. At the time of the last inspection, the part they played in the life of the school was praised. This is still the case but the way that the governing body is organised to monitor standards and check the quality of education has not kept pace with national developments. Meetings are held regularly and governors receive reports about aspects of the school but they do not find enough out for themselves to be able to make fully objective decisions. The roles and responsibilities of individual governors are insufficiently defined to help them gain a good understanding of the school’s strengths and potential weaknesses. To some extent the governing body has been hampered by extensive building works, which interrupted the school’s normal working for many months. Governors have played their part very well in giving practical support in the very many issues that have arisen in relation to the new

p.28

Commentary

build and refurbishment to the accommodation. Pupils and staff now work in a much more pleasant environment that contributes well to teaching and learning. Governors are clear about their decisions for appointing the new headteacher and share the same vision and sense of purpose for the continued development of the school.

p.28

Commentary

37. Financial planning is sound. The school’s budget is managed satisfactorily to support its priorities for improvement and is regularly monitored to ensure that spending levels are within agreed targets and respect the principles of best value.

p.28

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.28

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 627,995 Balance from previous year 15,738 Total expenditure 596,429 Balance carried forward to the next 31,565 Expenditure per pupil 2,153 Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 29 - September 2004

p.28

SUBJECTS AND COURSES

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

p.29

SUBJECTS AND COURSES

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good, with very good improvements in arrangements and facilities since the last inspection

p.29

SUBJECTS AND COURSES

The new, purpose-built Foundation Stage block successfully resolves the poor accommodation for nursery children identified in the last report. The children have easy access to an interesting outdoor area, which is used to promote their physical and social skills well. Its use to promote learning in other parts of the curriculum is a developing aspect.

p.29

SUBJECTS AND COURSES

At the time of the inspection, there were 48 children of nursery age (Foundation 1) attending part- time and 70 children of reception age (Foundation 2) attending full time. The children are taught in three mixed age classes, each led by a teacher with good support from skilled nursery nurses and classroom assistants. The arrangement is well organised and enhances the achievement of both age groups.

p.29

SUBJECTS AND COURSES

On admission, the children’s attainments are average overall, though the speaking and listening skills of some children are weaker elements. One child is in the very early stages of learning English. The quality of teaching is very good, with strengths in the provision for children’s personal, social and emotional development, and the development of speaking skills. This enables most children to achieve very well, preparing them well for entry into Year 1.

p.29

SUBJECTS AND COURSES

The establishment of the new Foundation Stage Unit has been meticulously planned and rigorous self-evaluation has enabled the unit to be successfully established in just a year. It is too soon to impact fully on overall standards but impressive improvements in children’s personal, social and emotional development and speaking and listening skills are already evident.

p.29

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A high priority is given to this aspect of the curriculum and a very calm but purposeful and productive atmosphere pervades the Foundation Stage Unit. • Relationships between all adults and children are very good. • Children respond very well to clear rules and high expectations of behaviour. • The good range of interesting activities encourages children to want to learn. • Good opportunities for children to choose purposeful activities promote a good level of independence.

p.29

Commentary

38. Children are admitted to the Foundation Stage with personal and social skills that are broadly average for their age. Very good teaching permeates all aspects of the school day and ensures that all children achieve very well. Standards are above average as the children transfer to Year 1, with most reaching and a high proportion exceeding, the early learning goals set for personal development. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 30 - September 2004 Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 31 - September 2004 39. Adults seek to make activities interesting and appealing for the children and so they are keen to come to school and they soon learn to concentrate well to finish an activity. Children with special educational needs are helped to settle to their work and some are supported by specific systems, such as photographic prompts, tailored to their needs.

p.29

Commentary

40. A strong feature is the very good relationships between all adults, which sets a good example of co-operation for the children. There is a common approach of high expectations to follow class rules that are clearly explained. For example, children quickly learn that no more than five children can go into the ‘clinic’, indicated by the number of coloured bands made available at the entrance. Good behaviour is reinforced through well focused praise, and self esteem is fostered through the We shine here board, which indicates that everyone is good at something.

p.31

Commentary

41. Children respond very well to the responsibility of choosing their own activity for part of the day and are conscientious in posting their name in the post box to show, for example, that they have had their snack. Independence is promoted very well and considerable thought has been given to the arrangement of resources to encourage children to get what they need themselves. A range of paper, for example, is readily available for children to peg on the painting easel. There are good opportunities for children to work together, as when two boys co-operated well in the water play by taking turns to hold a container steady for their partner to fill.

p.31

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Speaking and listening skills are promoted very well. • Children make good use of picture clues to make sense of stories but some find it difficult to use letter sounds to help identify possible words. • Teachers provide a good range of opportunities to encourage the development of writing skills.

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

42. Teaching is good overall and children achieve well. Most children attain the goals for this area of learning by the time they enter Year 1. Speaking and listening skills are a comparative area of weakness when children enter the nursery and so adults take every opportunity to converse with children to help them improve. Good questioning and timely interventions during investigations or play give children the opportunity to discuss and develop their ideas. This very good emphasis on developing language skills helps children at the early stages of acquiring English to achieve well. A nursery nurse skilfully encouraged a small group of nursery children to speak by producing a beautiful gold box and inviting children to speculate about its contents. Children develop good listening skills because adults make stories very interesting and listening to each other in group or class sessions is essential. Children in Foundation 2 provide very effective role models

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

43. Reading is encouraged through the interesting range of books made available, the labelling of activities and displays and by sharing books with adults, both in school and at Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 32 - September 2004 home. Children develop a real interest in books, which they are keen to share. They make sense of the stories through good use of the picture clues and join in with well- known refrains. Whilst children can identify isolated letter sounds, they find it difficult to use the initial sound to make a reasonable guess at a word in the story. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 33 - September 2004 44. Writing skills are developed well through practising writing patterns, on a large scale initially, and by having a wide range of opportunities to promote writing. This is seen in children creating books about themselves as babies, making marks to take telephone messages in the clinic or in writing simple sentences with recognisable spellings.

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

Samples of work from last year’s children in Foundation 2 show that there is very little use of the simple punctuation that might be expected from higher attaining children to help them attain even more.

p.33

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Counting skills are developed well. • Children develop a good appreciation of shape and measures through a good range of practical activities. • The early stages of calculating are less well developed.

p.33

Commentary

45. Teaching is good overall and children achieve well. Most children attain the recommended early learning goals for mathematical development by the time they transfer to Year 1. As part of the strong focus on developing oral skills, children are given every opportunity to count, be it numbers in the imaginary play or the children present in class, so children develop good counting skills. A good range of ‘real life’ activities help children to make useful direct comparisons, such as who is taller or shorter or who is first or second. Interesting activities are set up to help children to count and compare, such as when stones of varying sizes were buried ready to be ‘discovered’ by explorers. Good questions are posed to help children to solve problems, as when the teacher asks children what comes next as they alternate between standing and kneeling, or colours and shapes in pattern making. A review of the work of children in Foundation 2 last year

p.33

Commentary

shows that there are few opportunities for children to develop early calculating skills through activities such as combining sets of objects to find a total, which might be expected of the children of higher attainment.

p.33

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Practical activities have a clear focus and purpose. • Work is planned well to build on children’s own experiences. • Children use a good range of tools and construction toys. • The outdoor area is not yet fully incorporated into the planning of work in this area.

p.33

Commentary

46. Teaching is good, enabling children to gain a good understanding of the world around them through an interesting and varied range of first hand experiences, all of which have a clear Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 34 - September 2004 purpose. This is a good improvement since the last inspection when some activities were said to lack focus. Children’s understanding is above average in this area by the time they transfer to Year 1. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 35 - September 2004 47. Children learn about time as they trace their own development from babyhood and learn simple mapping skills as they draw a plan of the local area and trace their journey to school. Convincing dinosaur habitats are set up in model form, with books to enable research and booklets for the children to record their observations. Adults are on hand to pose pertinent questions that extend not only learning but also the pleasure in finding out.

p.33

Commentary

48. Children use an extensive range of construction toys to plan and make their models and to test different aspects. For example, children designed a ramp and tested how high it needed to be for the car to reach the brick tower. The use of technology is included well in planning and so children are becoming familiar with a range of equipment and are confident in using the computer, for example, to draw pictures. The interesting outdoor area is not yet fully utilised to further extend children’s knowledge and understanding in this area of learning.

p.35

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good .

p.35

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Skills are taught directly and well. • The outdoor area is used well.

p.35

Commentary

49. Teaching is good and so children achieve well, attaining the recommended early learning goals by the time they transfer to Year 1. Skills are taught directly and well, such as when the teacher demonstrated how to use scissors successfully to a small group when assessment observations indicated that they were experiencing difficulty in cutting. Children show a good awareness of space in lessons in physical education in the school hall, where good use is made of simple games to promote, for example, catching skills. Full advantage is taken of the outdoor area to promote physical skills. In particular, children in Foundation 1 learn to steer the large bikes well.

p.35

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.35

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good adult intervention improves the quality of imaginative play. • Children know a good range of songs. • Children experience a good range of materials and techniques.

p.35

Commentary

50. Teaching is good and children achieve well, attaining the learning goals set for creative development by the time they transfer to Year 1. Children enjoy working in the imaginative play and ‘small world’ areas and learning is enhanced when an adult makes a timely intervention and joins in the play. For example, children were drawn to examine the purpose of the spikes on the dinosaur’s back and then to draw them in detail. Children Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 36 - September 2004 use a good range of materials such as paint, clay and collage to develop their creative skills. The regular opportunities to sing a good range of songs develop musical skills well. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 37 - September 2004

p.35

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The good number of adults in classes leading interesting activities helps to develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills well. • Resources for reading are good but not always used effectively. • The school has worked successfully to improve standards in writing, overall, but provision for teaching spelling is weak. • Pupils’ written work is rarely marked to help guide their learning forward.

p.37

Commentary

51. Standards are average, overall, for reading, writing and speaking and listening. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory, overall, with good achievement for some pupils in speaking and listening. Since the last inspection, standards have fluctuated but improvement has been satisfactory, overall. In particular, there is now an average number of higher attaining pupils, more than at the time of the last inspection.

p.37

Commentary

52. Teaching and learning is satisfactory, overall. The school provides well for speaking and listening, with the good number of adults making a significant contribution to the plentiful dialogue that takes place in most lessons. Interesting activities generate animated discussion, such as when pupils in Year 1 made jelly and cheese sandwiches to practice their skills in writing and following instructions. Teachers organise ‘talking partners’ to allow discussion of the class text with another pupil. The frequent opportunities for speaking and listening are particularly beneficial for the pupils learning English as an additional language and they make good progress with the spoken element of the language. Pupils with special educational needs are fully involved through the good support of teachers and classroom assistants and achieve well.

p.37

Commentary

53. While most pupils achieve satisfactorily with reading, the school’s good supply of books is not always used to their best advantage. The school focuses its efforts on hearing pupils read individually, with breaks and lunchtimes included. Staff are insecure on the methods of teaching reading advocated by the National Literacy Strategy. Opportunities are frequently missed to practise reading as a whole class. Texts intended for class use are not always large enough and, consequently, significant opportunities are missed for pupils to extend their skills. However, in a very good lesson observed in Year 2, the teacher enlarged the text, using the interactive whiteboard, and highlighted words under discussion in red. This gave pupils a clear reference for learning and pupils made good progress. Teaching reading in small groups, as advocated nationally, is not fully implemented or understood. The school is aware of this shortcoming, attributing the dip

p.37

Commentary

in standards in reading in 2004 in part to a withdrawal in some classes from this method. Lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs in the early stages of reading sometimes make slower progress than they might because the books they use make the task too difficult. They are not supported routinely, for example, by the provision of books with a controlled vocabulary. Pupils with English as an additional language Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 38 - September 2004 sometimes struggle with reading for similar reasons. When teachers arrange for an adult to discuss the book with the child prior to reading, progress is better.

p.37

Commentary

54. The school has focused with significant success on improving standards in writing. The content and complexity of pupils’ writing has moved forward as a result of introducing more interesting writing tasks, more discussion prior to writing and increasing the time allocation. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 39 - September 2004 Targets are now set for each group of pupils; these are effective where they are used regularly by teachers. However, the school’s long standing philosophy of accepting for too long pupils’ unconventional but reasonable attempts at spelling has stood in the way of progress. The sounds of letters are taught thoroughly but the early stages of spelling are not dovetailed into a system that leads quickly to the correct spelling of frequently used words. Even some of the pupils of highest attainment are persistently using idiosyncratic spellings, such as, ‘heeiy’ for ‘he’. Writing is rarely marked so pupils get little precise

p.38

Commentary

feedback on their successes and where they need to focus more effort. Opportunities are missed for linking spelling practice into teaching. When working with a small group, for example, most teachers observed sounded out words orally but did not build words in written form. Teachers do not clearly inform pupils of words that are expected to be correct at each stage of learning. These methods limit the progress of all pupils but have the greatest effect on the progress of lower attaining pupils, those with special educational needs for literacy and pupils in the early stages of learning English as an additional language. Extra time is found to support pupils with special education needs with learning about letter sounds but general methods in use in the school limit their success in taking this knowledge forward. Possible support systems for promoting the writing skills of these pupils are not fully understood and sometimes their progress in

p.39

Commentary

55. The leadership and management of English are satisfactory overall. The co-ordinator has limited opportunities to observe teaching in lessons and the school’s strong attachment to set ways of teaching reading and writing have narrowed the school’s options for change in order to raise standards further. Assessment systems are satisfactory overall. They are well used to track pupils’ knowledge of letter sounds but not so well used to set learning objectives for teaching plans. Useful samples of pupils’ past work are used to set guidelines to staff on judging standards.

p.39

Language and literacy across the curriculum

56. The use of language and literacy across the curriculum is satisfactory. The school has provided more opportunities over the past year for practising literacy skills within other subjects and this has paid off in the improved content and length of most pupils’ written work. However, weaknesses in spelling pervade every subject and limit the benefits of the extra practice. Reading for research is increasingly encouraged and the school has raised its stock of non-fiction books. These books are not, however, included in the stock that pupils can choose from to practise their reading. Discussions are a good element of the majority of lessons but the practice of separating teaching and follow-up work to different days limits the depth of discussion for most groups of pupils.

p.39

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

p.39

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Assessment procedures are unsatisfactory. • Analysis of results has led to an improvement in the number of pupils attaining the average level in Year 2. • Time is not always used effectively. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 40 - September 2004

p.39

Commentary

57. Pupils attain standards that are average in Year 2. This maintains the standards identified in the last inspection. There has been some improvement in the number of pupils reaching the expected level but the number of pupils attaining the higher level has levelled out to an average proportion overall. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 41 - September 2004 58. Achievement is satisfactory as most pupils, including those with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language, make steady progress across the school from average standards at the end of reception to average at the end of Year 2. However, unsatisfactory assessment procedures do not help teachers to plan work to meet the needs of different groups of pupils more closely to accelerate their rate of progress. In some lessons, it was obvious that the work planned was not sufficiently challenging for pupils of highest attainment, who already had a good understanding of the

p.40

Commentary

lesson topic. The practice in some classes of not marking pupils’ work means that pupils do not have a clear idea of how they can improve their presentation, accuracy or understanding.

p.41

Commentary

59. Teaching and learning are satisfactory, overall, though one unsatisfactory lesson was observed. In the unsatisfactory lesson, pupils in Year 2 were involved in physical activities in the hall for a whole lesson where these would actually have formed a useful ten-minute introduction to a lesson on tens and units. The use of time generally is an area of weakness as activities often over-run leaving insufficient time for the teacher to re-focus on the learning objective at the end of the lesson and help pupils to evaluate what they have learned. Staff are making good efforts to use the recently purchased interactive whiteboards and they are being used well to help pupils understand their tasks. This was seen in Year 1, where the large number line helped pupils to recognise the meaning of ‘in between.’ The one good lesson observed was distinguished by the pace of the initial mental maths session, which helped pupils’ recall of addition facts. Analysis of pupils’

p.41

Commentary

previous work indicates that there is insufficient good teaching to increase the rate of learning from satisfactory.

p.41

Commentary

60. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. A more detailed approach to analysing test results has helped to identify and remedy gaps in the curriculum and this has helped to raise the number of pupils reaching the expected level. However, the amount of detailed analysis of teaching and learning in classrooms and in books has been limited. As a result, some relative weaknesses in classroom practice have not been fully addressed.

p.41

Mathematics across the curriculum

61. The use of mathematics in other subjects is satisfactory. Pupils practise measuring accurately in science and produce a good range of graphs in ICT.

p.41

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have good attitudes to their learning and enjoy the practical approach teachers take to the subject. • Work is not evaluated sufficiently to show pupils what they need to do to improve. • There are no effective and consistently used systems for assessment.

p.41

Commentary

62. Standards attained by Year 2 are average and achievement is sound for all groups of Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 42 - September 2004 pupils, including those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language. Samples of pupils' work indicate that they study an appropriate curriculum covering the expected elements of the National Curriculum requirements. This shows satisfactory improvement since the last inspection, when the curriculum was too heavily biased towards plants and living things. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 43 - September 2004 63. By Year 2, pupils have a suitable knowledge and understanding of science and know how to conduct simple investigations. They record their findings in their scientific work appropriately and independently, but this work is not always marked. There are few comments from class teachers on how to evaluate and improve work. Sometimes work

p.41

Commentary

is not completed and no direction is given for pupils to finish tasks. Work is generally matched appropriately to pupils' learning needs, but is not always sufficiently challenging for the higher attaining pupils. Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning and are enthusiastic, inquisitive and keen to investigate why things happen and how things work.

p.43

Commentary

64. Evidence in the long-term indicates that the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory, overall, and that pupils make sound progress. During the inspection, lessons observed in Year 1 were of good, and sometimes very good, quality. The pupils were set good levels of challenge and a good pace was maintained for learning. However, not all pupils benefited fully from this good teaching because only one group was able to follow the inspiring whole class introduction with the learning activity. Others went to work on other subjects. Although teachers try to make learning opportunities fair by rotating the group that they teach directly, the impact of teaching on learning is reduced for groups working on science on subsequent days. Where teaching observed was satisfactory, there was not enough focus on learning objectives related to forces. Consequently learning lacked depth and pupils were unclear on how to create a fair test and record

p.43

Commentary

65. Technology is sometimes used very effectively, such as in Year 1, where the use of a digital microscope made the pupil's learning fascinating, lively and fun as they took delight in examining magnified taste buds on their tongues. ICT is generally used effectively in science but some opportunities are missed, for example, to record measurements accurately when studying physical processes, such as forces.

p.43

Commentary

66. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The co-ordinator has been in post for only one term but has already identified areas for development. These appropriately include devising consistent assessment systems that provide clear methods of tracking pupils’ progress and identify ways of assessing pupils' application of their knowledge, especially to help raise attainment further for higher achieving pupils. The pupils have good opportunities to visit local places of interest, such as Eureka, the science museum, and the Railway Museum in York. These visits are used effectively by staff to promote the pupils’ learning in science.

p.43

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.43

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils make good progress because teaching and learning are generally good. • ICT is well resourced in the school and has been improved considerably since the last inspection. • Effective systems for assessing pupils' progress have been established. • The new interactive whiteboards in classrooms provide a very good resource for teachers but are in the early stages of use and have yet to fully impact on standards. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 44 - September 2004

p.43

Commentary

67. Standards are currently at the expected level for Year 2 but there are indications that standards are rising. The school has focused on improving standards in ICT in recent months, extending resources for both teachers and pupils, backed by appropriate training. Teaching is good, the pupils' achievement is now good and good progress is being made in Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 45 - September 2004 lessons. Over time, this good is likely to impact well on standards. Pupils with special educational needs are helped to make the same good progress as other pupils, as are those in the early stages of learning English.

p.44

Commentary

68. Teaching and learning are good overall. In Year 2, good instruction from teachers with high expectations and plentiful practice mean that pupils use the laptop computers productively to create their own illustrations using 'paint and fill' techniques. Pupils in Year 1 are learning to build more rapidly on their already secure skills, using the keyboard and mouse with confidence and using terminology correctly to describe the different facilities available to them on the on-screen tool bar. In both year groups, pupils are confident learners, who use ICT terminology correctly because it is reinforced regularly and emphasised effectively by staff.

p.45

Commentary

69. Leadership and management are good, with good expertise, insight and vision for the future development of the subject. The recently appointed co-ordinator has lost no time in moving provision forward to keep pace with improvements nationally and recent improvement has been good. Effective assessment procedures have been devised, giving staff a clear view of what pupils have achieved and where to focus their teaching next. The co-ordinator has produced effective guidance for staff on planning ICT sessions, which means there is a good underlying structure to planning for lessons. Teaching and learning have been monitored in lessons, which has given the co-ordinator a good overview of the strengths and areas for development in staff training. Staff development has been tackled successfully with good quality training which means several staff have quickly acquired confident skills in using new resources. Resources

p.45

Commentary

are good, up-to-date, and have been improved considerably since the last inspection.

p.45

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

70. ICT is being used effectively in other subjects. Resources are used well, for example, to support work in science, using digital cameras and a microscope. Pupils are producing work of a good standard using graphic programs to develop skills in art and design. The use of ICT in literacy and numeracy is satisfactory, with some missed opportunities to use computer programs in lessons. The pupils use their skills well on the Internet to research topics in history and geography. Teachers have made a good start on incorporating the newly installed interactive whiteboards into their work and this is improving presentation techniques and pupils’ learning significantly.

p.45

Geography and history

71. Insufficient evidence was available to provide a clear overall judgement on provision for geography and history. From the limited amount of past work available and the small number of lessons observed early in the school year, standards of work appear to be average for Year 2. Work in geography appropriately includes looking at maps and making comparisons between different locations, and recognising the different features, for example, between coastal and urban landscapes. In history, the pupils are learning about the Victorians and how to use different sources of evidence to research the past. The pupils visit museums and other local attractions, such as Worsbrough Mill, to support their work in history. In addition, these provide good opportunities for the development of pupils’ literacy and ICT skills. Pupils in both Years 1 and 2 used computers, for example, Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 46 - September 2004

p.45

Geography and history

to record observations on their visits to the Railway Museum in York. The Internet is used effectively by the pupils to research topics. There are no effective procedures in either subject for assessing pupils’ progress. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 47 - September 2004

p.46

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

p.47

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have a good understanding of Christianity. • Pupils have little knowledge of other world faiths. • The subject contributes well to pupils’ personal development. • Opportunities are missed to develop pupils’ literacy skills.

p.47

Commentary

72. By the end of Year 2, pupils attain standards that are broadly in line with the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils have a good understanding of Christianity and Bible stories and their relevance to their own lives but they have little awareness of other world faiths, other than a limited knowledge of Judaism.

p.47

Commentary

73. Achievement is satisfactory, overall, as pupils gain a good understanding through discussions in class and in assemblies. Pupils with special educational needs and those in the early stages of learning English are suitably supported and achieve similarly to other pupils. However, the lack of assessment procedures makes it difficult to plan work to suit the needs of different pupils.

p.47

Commentary

74. There has been unsatisfactory improvement since the last inspection when religious education was judged to be a strong aspect. This is due in part to the fact that pupils do not have the opportunity to record their observations in any systematic way and that the subject is not given its due recognition when included as part of the variety of activities on offer in the integrated afternoon.

p.47

Commentary

75. Teaching is satisfactory, overall. A strong aspect in one very good lesson was the opportunity for pupils to develop a clear understanding of moral issues through discussing issues of right and wrong, illustrated by stories such as the Prodigal Son or the Good Samaritan. In some classes, religious education is but one component in the integrated afternoon and consequently not all pupils follow up the initial introduction from the teacher. For example, in a class in Year 2, only one group of pupils had the chance to work with the teacher to devise rules for the class following a good discussion on the Ten Commandments, so many children did not benefit from this valuable opportunity.

p.47

Commentary

76. The subject makes a very good contribution to pupils’ personal development as in the pervading spiritual atmosphere created by music in the retelling of the story of the Creation. Visitors to school make a good contribution to pupils’ understanding in assemblies but they are largely restricted to representatives of the Anglican faith and so opportunities to develop pupils’ awareness of other cultures are missed.

p.47

Commentary

77. Leadership and management are satisfactory, overall. There is a good range of resources to support learning but the co-ordinator’s responsibilities for managing several subjects means that there has not been sufficient time allocated to impact on teaching and learning in this subject.

p.47

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 48 - September 2004

p.48

Art and design

Provision in art and design is satisfactory . Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 49 - September 2004

p.48

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ good confidence and independence enables them to concentrate well and to make individual choices when developing their work. • A good quantity of work is produced and displays of pupils’ work emphasise the value the school puts on their artwork. • Collage work is adventurous and above average in quality. • Arrangements for teaching mean that only one group of pupils benefits fully.

p.49

Commentary

78. Standards are average, overall, by the end of Year 2 and above average for work in collage. Pupils enjoy creating works of art and, where a teacher or other adult is leading the group, their achievement is good. When pupils are given the task of interpreting teaching that took place earlier in the week, standards are barely average and achievement barely satisfactory. This affects the development of the work of the pupils in Year 2 especially. The achievements of pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language vary, as they do for all other pupils. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory.

p.49

Commentary

79. Teaching and learning is satisfactory, overall, although examples of good teaching were observed. Pupils develop a sound understanding of the basic skills involved in the use of a suitable range of media, such as crayons, paints and oil pastels. Frequent practice leads to a good level of independence. By Year 2, pupils are adept at preparing and clearing their work place. Well-organised storage systems help pupils to be independent. Yearly plans ensure that most aspects of the subject are covered, although there is little evidence of three-dimensional work.

p.49

Commentary

80. Arrangements for teaching mean that pupils are taught a skill, such as colour-mixing, with the whole class watching the teacher’s demonstration. Subsequently, a group of pupils works with the teacher to put the skills into action, with sometimes good advice or use of questions to move their work forward. Pupils outside this group get their turn to practise on another day, but without the direct input of the teacher. Most of the work of these subsequent groups is of significantly lower quality and sometimes barely touches on the specific skills taught. This leads to standards in a subject that is given high priority in the school being of no more than average standards. The exception is collage work. Although pupils practise their selection, cutting and gluing skills independently, adult input is more frequent in leading the work forward. Pupils are helped to carry out their independent designs through a good range of materials and adults are on hand to help

p.49

Commentary

with stitching techniques. Pupils enjoy this work and concentrate well for long periods.

p.49

Commentary

81. Leadership and management are satisfactory, overall. The co-ordinator has a number of responsibilities and this is not a current priority for development. No observations of lessons have been arranged and standards are checked mainly by a review of displays rather than of all pieces of work in a given unit. There is no consistent system in place for checking of pupils’ skills or setting clear expectations for judging progress within different units of work. Occasional input from visiting artists, such as a potter, enhance pupils’ learning.

p.49

Design and technology

Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 50 - September 2004 There was insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on provision for design and technology. A review of pupils’ work on display indicates that skills such as sewing are taught well and that the quality of the models seen is at least satisfactory. However, there is little evidence of pupils designing their artefacts or evaluating how well they fit their purpose. The newly appointed co-ordinator has made a good start on building a scheme of work to incorporate all aspects of the subject more systematically. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 51 - September 2004

p.50

Music

No lessons were observed in music and no judgement can be made on provision. Singing heard in school assemblies was lively and tuneful, and pupils obviously enjoyed taking part. A performance by pupils in Year 2 to celebrate the end of the school year indicated that standards in playing percussion instruments are average. Class compositions sometimes include graphical scores to enable pupils to recall their music for subsequent performances. There is no system for judging pupils’ achievement in order to highlight skills for further development.

p.51

Physical education

Provision in physical education is satisfactory .

p.51

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils behave well and respond positively in lessons. • There are frequent lessons to develop physical skills, but these sessions tend to be too short to be fully effective.

p.51

Commentary

82. Standards of work in Year 2 are average. Achievement is sound and pupils make progress appropriately, including those with special educational needs.

p.51

Commentary

83. In Year 1, the pupils are learning to move with control, confidence and co-ordination but, sometimes, the pace and challenge in lessons is not sufficiently rigorous for the pupils to develop these skills fully. There are no opportunities for pupils to warm-up or cool down their muscles and pupils have limited opportunities to set up and dismantle apparatus to gain experience in how to do this properly. However, by the time the pupils are in Year 2, they learn how to put equipment away safely. In Year 2, the pupils' skills in using apparatus to move confidently and with control are secure and they can devise their own simple sequences of movements. All understand how to keep themselves safe.

p.51

Commentary

84. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Staff have a reasonable understanding of the requirements for teaching the subject, although sometimes staff do not provide an appropriate model by wearing appropriate footwear in lessons. Generally, sessions are planned satisfactorily, but in Year 1 the pupils are not always fully active during lessons, as they have to wait too long to take their turn at activities. In Year 2, there is no planned time for a 'cool down' at the end of the lesson because sessions tend to be too short to be fully effective. However, staff are vigilant in ensuring that health and safety issues are addressed, that pupils behave well, and listen when they are given instructions. Consequently, pupils have positive attitudes to their work and respond well to instructions.

p.51

Commentary

85. The curriculum for physical education is appropriately balanced, covering the expected elements of gymnastics, games and dance. There are no established assessment systems to judge what pupils have achieved and to inform future teaching and learning. Leadership and management are sound, there is an appropriate range of good quality resources, and improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 52 - September 2004

p.51

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Only one lesson was observed in personal, social and health education so no judgement can be made on the overall quality of provision. The school places great importance upon developing pupils’ personal and social development and encouraging them to keep safe and well. This makes a good contribution to the pupils’ very good behaviour and relationships throughout the school. Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 53 - September 2004 Throughout the school pupils have well planned opportunities to gain a very good understanding of right from wrong and discuss such topics as the importance of friendships. Pupils are taught through effective cross-curricular links and school assemblies and, on some occasions, there are discrete lessons. In the lesson seen, teaching was satisfactory. It gave pupils a good understanding of how to work together as a large group, listening to each other and sharing their various thoughts and ideas as a whole class.

p.52

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Bramley Sunnyside Infant School - 54 - September 2004

p.54

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 4 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 4

p.54

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

p.54

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.54

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 4 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 4 The quality of the school’s links with the community 4 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 4

p.54

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 4 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4

p.54

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.54