Christ Church, Church of England Infant School, Downend

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 15 th - 17 th November 2004

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SCHOOL

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

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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. Christ Church C of E Infant School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant School category: Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils: 4 to 7 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 221 School address: Christchurch Avenue Downend Bristol Postcode: BS16 5TG Telephone number: (01454) 866 562 Fax number: (01454) 866 575 Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr David Coles

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 26 th April 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Christ Church is an average sized infant school on the outskirts of Bristol. About one third of the pupils come from Downend, which is a pleasant residential area of mainly private housing. Most other pupils come from within the Bristol boundary where there is a wide variation of private and social housing. There is no unemployment in the region, but the actual number of pupils eligible for free school meals, at just under three per cent, does not reflect accurately the socio-economic status of the families which is broadly average. The large majority of pupils are of white UK heritage, but there are a small minority of pupils with Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Caribbean, African and mixed backgrounds. There are a small number of pupils who use English as an additional language but few are at an early stage of acquisition. The number of pupils with special educational needs is 19; their needs include moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional behaviour problems,

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

hearing and speech impairment and physical disabilities. Children start school at the beginning of the academic year in which they will be five. Most have some pre-school experience in a variety of different settings and attainment on entry is average. The vast majority of pupils transfer to the junior school, which is about a quarter of a mile away. Pupils are accommodated in one of eight classes which are grouped by age. There are slightly more boys than girls. The school has won a Basic Skills Quality Mark award and its prestigious website was awarded high recognition in 2003. Christ Church C of E Infant School - 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 21872 Mrs L Brackstone Lead inspector The Foundation Stage English Geography History English as an additional language 9079 Mrs A Moss Lay inspector 22790 Mrs J Pinney Team inspector Science Art and design Design and technology Music Physical education 23917 Mr T Clarke Team inspector Special educational needs Mathematics Information and communication technology Religious education

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The inspection contractor was: Tribal PPI Barley House Oakfield Grove Clifton Bristol BS8 2BN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’, which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637 833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Christ Church C of E Infant School - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 9 - 14

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Christ Church is a good school where all children achieve well. Leadership and management are of very high quality and all staff work very well together as a team. Teaching is good ; the planned curriculum is stimulating and this enables all pupils to achieve well. Consequently, by the end of Year 2, overall standards are above average. The school provides good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Pupils achieve well and standards attained in reading, writing, mathematics and science are above average. In art and design and information and communication technology (ICT) they are above average. • The leadership and management of the headteacher, key staff and the governing body are of very high quality. • The quality of teaching and learning is good. Pupil assessment is of high quality. • Pupils’ behaviour is good and they have positive attitudes to learning. • All pupils have equal access to a stimulating curriculum, which provides very good opportunities for enrichment activities. However, the time made available for literacy and numeracy is too long. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • The school cultivates pupils’ personal development very well. • Support, care and pupil guidance are of very high quality, with the school very actively seeking the views of the pupils.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Improvement since the last inspection in April 1999 has been good with all key issues being tackled effectively. In addition, standards are much better in religious education and ICT, the quality of teaching and learning is more consistent and the provision for personal development and curricular provision has improved.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

reading C B B B writing C B C C mathematics D B C C Key: A – well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is good overall. Although the 2004 Year 2 national test results, as shown in the above table, indicate that standards have declined, the drop reflects a cohort that had many more boys than girls. A significant minority of these pupils had varying degrees of special educational needs. Inspection evidence indicates that there are no differences in the attainment between boys and girls or of any particular ethnic group. Pupils with special educational needs and those who are gifted and talented also achieve as Christ Church C of E Infant School - 5 well as their peers. Pupils start school with attainment as expected for this age group and they achieve well in the Foundation Stage. By the start of Year 1 of the National Curriculum, overall attainment is in line with expected levels in all areas of learning. Pupils’ achievement is good in Years 1 and 2 and by the end of Year 2 they attain above average

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Standards in speaking and listening are average. Pupils also achieve well in art and design and information and communication technology. By the end of Year 2, standards in history and geography are as expected. Standards in religious education meet the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. No judgements are made on standards in the other subjects.

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Pupils’ personal qualities are good overall and their spiritual, moral, social and

cultural development is very effective. Pupils have good attitudes to their work; they are eager to please and keen to succeed. They are confident and all pupils work and play together happily. Behaviour is good. Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory.

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The school provides a good quality of education. The quality of teaching and

learning is good throughout the school. High standards of behaviour are consistently expected and staff treat all pupils fairly. Teaching assistants contribute effectively to the quality of lessons. Teachers have good subject knowledge and they plan their lessons to ensure that the pupils acquire appropriate knowledge and skills. Pupils are well challenged through the good use of questioning skills and this ensures that they are encouraged to apply their skills. Teaching methods are good and staff encourage the pupils to work both independently and co-operatively. Procedures to check and track pupils’ progress are very good. Pupils have a very clear understanding about how they can improve. The curriculum reflects well the requirements of the National Curriculum and is very well enriched by a highly effective programme of extra-curricular activities. However, some sessions, particularly literacy and numeracy, are too long. Support for pupils with special

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The school provides a good quality of education. The quality of teaching and

educational needs is good and their learning is carefully planned. Resources are good and the accommodation is of high quality and looked after very well. Links with local schools and the local community are very good. There are particularly strong links with the Junior School. Many parents work effectively with the school and support their children very well in their learning.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall, leadership and management are very good. The headteacher has a very clear educational vision for the school, which she shares with her very committed staff and the very supportive and knowledgeable governing body. Governors fulfil all their statutory requirements.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents’ views of the school are very good. Parents particularly like way the teachers are so approachable and feel that their children are very well looked after. Pupils’ views are also very positive. They feel very supported and know that if they have a problem someone in school will help them because ‘all the teachers are really kind to us’. Pupils really like the school environment because ‘every part is nice cos it is decorated and there is a big playground’. Christ Church C of E Infant School - 6

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Ensure that the time allocated to teaching sessions in Years 1 and 2 is appropriate. *

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

*The school has already identified this in its improvement plan. Christ Church C of E Infant School - 7

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Standards achieved are good. Achievement is good in Reception and children reach the expected levels by the time they are ready to start Year 1. Achievement is good in Years 1 and 2 and, by the time they leave this school, standards are good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is good because of good teaching and the high quality leadership and management. • There are no differences in the attainment between boys and girls, of any ethnic minority groups, the gifted and talented or those for whom English is an additional language. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well. • Pupils competently use their literacy, numeracy and computer skills to help them achieve well across the curriculum.

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Commentary

1. Children start school with skills in all areas of learning that are as expected for their age group. They achieve well because the quality of teaching is good and the leadership and management of the Foundation Stage is very good. By the end of Reception, they have met the recommended learning goals for children of their age in all areas of learning.

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Commentary

2. In the 2004 Year 2 national test results, standards in reading were above average and have been well maintained since the previous year. This is because the school works very closely with parents and carers who support the pupils’ reading skills well. Standards in writing were average, which represented a decline since the previous year when they were above average. Standards in mathematics were average and this also represented a decline since 2003 when they were above average. This was because there was a large proportion of boys in this cohort who were not as able as the previous group of Year 2 pupils. There are no national tests for speaking and listening and science. However, in the teacher assessment tests for speaking and listening, standards were average and this was similar to the previous year. In science the number of pupils attaining the expected level was below average but average numbers attained the higher level. According to recently published national

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Commentary

data the trend in the school’s average National Curriculum point score has been below the national trend from 2000 to 2004. However, this is because there have been two year groups, clearly identified by the school, who have had a negative impact on the overall results trend.

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Commentary

3. Inspection findings indicate that by the end of Year 2, standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science are above average. Speaking and listening skills are as expected for this age group. Standards in art and design and information and communication technology (ICT) are above national expectations. Standards in Christ Church C of E Infant School - 8 history and geography are as expected for pupils of this age. Pupils also attain the expected level in the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. Standards in ICT and religious education have improved since the last inspection because there has been a whole school focus on these subjects.

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Commentary

4. Pupils achieve well because the quality of teaching is good and pupils systematically develop their knowledge and skills. Progress is very carefully checked and monitored and this ensures that their learning is consistently on track. The very good leadership and management of the headteacher and her key staff impact very positively on the pupils’ achievement because they are always striving to provide them with the very best education. Parents are justifiably pleased with the achievement their children make at Christ Church.

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Commentary

5. Pupils with special educational needs, those who are gifted and talented and those for whom English is an additional language achieve well in relation to their prior attainment because they are provided with an interesting range of activities that ensure that they work at their own level. Inspection evidence found no differences in the attainment of different ethnic groups or between the achievement of boys and girls.

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Commentary

6. Pupils confidently use their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills across the curriculum. For instance, pupils use their computer skills to reinforce their knowledge in English, history and religious education and games support counting skills and help pupils to recognise numbers. Their mathematical competence is used well to develop skills in science and geography. Pupils also use their literacy skills well to enhance their learning across the curriculum.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004 1 Standards in: School results National results reading 16.8 (16.9) 15.8 (15.7) writing 14.9 (15.4) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 16.6 (17.4) 16.2 (16.3) There were 75 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ behaviour and their attitudes to school are good. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall. Pupil attendance and punctuality is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ good attitudes to learning and good behaviour in the classroom help them to achieve well. This confirms the views of parents sought prior to the inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

1 All levels of the National Curriculum are awarded a points score. The average score for all pupils taking the test is used to grade schools in each year. The expected average points at age seven is 15.6. Tables are adjusted to reflect the national average score before grading. The grades are shown in the summary. Christ Church C of E Infant School - 9 • The very good relationships between pupils and between pupils and staff are the result of the very caring ethos of the school and the very good example set by the staff. • Overall, the spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects of the pupils’ development are fostered very well. Pupils’ cultural development is particularly good because the school takes very positive steps to ensure that pupils experience the traditions of a wide range of cultures. • Pupils are becoming confident members of the school because they are being given an increasing number of opportunities to take responsibility.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has very good strategies for monitoring attendance.

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Commentary

7. Pupils have good attitudes to their work and collaborate well with other children. They listen attentively, are keen to answer questions and undertake tasks enthusiastically. This takes place particularly when teachers plan lessons that pupils find interesting and set appropriately challenging tasks that ensure that pupils of all levels of attainment have the opportunity to achieve well.

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Commentary

8. Standards of behaviour are good in the classroom and around the school and are sometimes very good. At playtimes pupils play harmoniously together. All pupils agree class and playground rules. They are fully aware of the high standards expected and insisted upon by all staff. The very caring ethos of the school results in pupils knowing right from wrong and showing consideration for others. No signs of aggressive behaviour were seen and both parents and pupils confirmed that real bullying does not occur. They also confirmed that they were confident that any instances of inappropriate behaviour are dealt with quickly and efficiently. Racial harmony is promoted very well. There has been one, short, fixed-term exclusion during the past year. The inspection team judged that the school’s action had been used as part of the behaviour policy as a necessary strategy for managing pupils with challenging behaviour.

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Commentary

9. Pupils are increasingly encouraged to become independent and willingly take on a range of responsibilities appropriate to their age. These range from acting as class helpers to being members of the school council. The school council meets every week and now includes representatives from the Reception classes. Every pupil has the opportunity to sit on the council. They take their responsibilities of living in a community seriously and achieve well, developing increasingly good levels of maturity as they move through the school.

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Commentary

10. Pupils work very well in pairs and in groups. They show respect for the feelings of others and enjoy the activities they engage in. Staff give a very positive lead in engendering very good relationships, for example by giving praise and encouragement at every opportunity as well as acting as very good role models. The school ensures that every pupil is included.

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Commentary

11. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development overall is very good and this is an improvement since the previous inspection. The very good ethos of the school helps to promote spiritual, moral and social development and subjects such as personal, social and health education lessons make a very good contribution. Christ Church C of E Infant School - 10 Pupils also collect money for charities and are involved with the Salvation Army. The school ensures that pupils experience the traditions of a wide range of cultures as well as their own and these experiences are very well promoted in lessons, including history, geography, religious education and literacy. All major festivals are celebrated. Pupils have recently made, for example, sweets and decorations for Diwali and have been visited by dancers from different countries and a Rabbi.

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Commentary

12. Attendance levels at the school have risen recently and are now just above the national average. The previous unsatisfactory attendance levels were due mainly to a significant minority of parents taking their children out of school for holidays in term time. The school now makes the promoting of better attendance a priority and has developed very good ways of monitoring and analysing trends. Parents are now better informed of the importance of high levels of attendance and that absenteeism can have a detrimental effect on pupils’ attainment, progress and personal development. The punctuality of pupils is satisfactory.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.6 School data 0.2 National data 5.1 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census Number of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

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Commentary

White – British 198 1 0 White – any other White background 3 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 2 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 1 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 3 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 1 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 2 0 0 Christ Church C of E Infant School - 11 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 2 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 1 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 3 0 0 Black or Black British – African 2 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 1 0 0 Any other ethnic group 2 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education. Teaching and learning are good and pupils are very carefully assessed to ensure that they are achieving well. The curriculum provides a good base for learning and is very well enriched by a stimulating range of extra- curricular activities. However, some lessons, particularly literacy and numeracy sessions, are too long and this does not promote high quality learning situations. Pupils are very well cared for and the guidance they receive is of a very good quality. Parents’ contributions to the pupils’ learning are of high quality.

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Teaching and learning

The overall quality of teaching is good throughout the school. Assessment procedures and the information gained from them are used very well to help the pupils in their learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers have good subject knowledge and the lessons planned ensure that the pupils acquire appropriate knowledge and skills. • Pupils are well challenged through the good use of questioning skills and this ensures that they are encouraged to apply their skills. • Teaching assistants are used well to support pupils. • Teachers and teaching staff ensure that all pupils are treated fairly. • Teaching methods are good and staff encourage the pupils to work both independently and co-operatively. • Most teachers have high expectations of behaviour through efficient organisation and the consistent implementation of the behaviour policy. • Procedures to check and track pupils’ progress are very good. Teachers use this information very well in their future planning. Pupils have a clear understanding about how they can improve.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 33 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

0 (0%) 8 (24%) 18 (55%) 7 (21%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen. Christ Church C of E Infant School - 12 13. At the time of the last inspection, although the teaching was judged good overall, there was some unsatisfactory teaching. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed during this inspection and over half of the lessons observed were of good quality. Consequently, there has been a good improvement since the last inspection and the team are able to confirm the positive view that parents have regarding the quality of teaching.

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Commentary

14. Teachers are very sensitive to the needs of each individual pupil and use humour to make learning fun. This was evident in a mixed Year 1/2 literacy session where the pupils were learning about the importance of writing instructions. The teacher suggested that soup could be made using a boy or girl and indicated the need for some rather interesting ingredients. The pupils really enjoyed this activity and developed a clear idea of the features of a recipe. The session had a relaxed and friendly atmosphere and this had a positive impact on the achievement of the children. Consequently, the lesson also helped to build very good relationships with their teacher and aided their confidence and ability to express their views and opinions.

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Commentary

15. Lessons are thoughtfully planned and teachers make sure that tasks are modified appropriately to match pupils’ varying stages of development. For example, pupils in Year 2 are organised into ability groups for science. Teachers always identify clear learning objectives, which identify new skills to be taught. This was evident in a good physical development session in a Reception class where the children clearly understood that they were going to develop their techniques for ‘rocking and rolling’.

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Commentary

16. Most teachers have very high expectations of behaviour and insist that all pupils must work hard at all times. This is very effectively achieved through efficient organisation and the consistent implementation of the behaviour policy. For instance, in several good and very good quality history lessons in Year 1, where there were visiting speakers, the teachers expected all the pupils to sit and concentrate carefully. Good behaviour is rewarded well. Pupils are also well challenged through the very good use of questioning skills and this ensures that they are encouraged to apply their skills.

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Commentary

17. Good use is made of teaching assistants and other support in the classrooms to help pupils’ increase their understanding. They work very well alongside the class teachers and effectively interact with children, ensuring that individuals increase their understanding. Teachers and teaching staff ensure that all pupils are treated fairly.

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Commentary

18. Teaching methods are good and staff encourage the pupils to work both independently and co-operatively. This provides them with good opportunities to understand new skills through discussion with their peers. The pupils are quite clear about the appropriate noise level when they are required to work in pairs. For example, teachers encourage the pupils to talk to a partner about specific skills being developed in the lesson, but the level of chat is well controlled so that it is clear that they are being productive.

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Commentary

19. A very good range of teaching resources is used, which motivates the interest of the pupils in their learning. For instance, in a Year 2 class very effective use is made of electronic presentations to motivate and interest the pupils in a wide variety of Christ Church C of E Infant School - 13 lessons. Sessions generally move at a brisk pace, but occasionally pupils are required to sit on the carpet area for too long and they become restless. 20. Teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good. Teachers are aware of the pupils’ learning targets although they do not always make reference to them in their daily planning. Pupils are given very good, skilled help and encouragement from the experienced and committed teaching assistants, who understand well the needs and abilities of the pupils. However, their expertise is not always fully employed in the planning of appropriate learning activities for the pupils. Overall, the good provision

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Commentary

and support given to those pupils who need it is a clear reflection of the school’s caring ethos and commitment to inclusion.

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Commentary

21. The arrangements for assessment throughout the school are very good and have improved well since the last inspection when they were highlighted as a key issue. In Reception, the adults note the learning that takes place when the children work and they have developed very good systems to monitor this progress over time. In English, mathematics and science the assessment procedures are very good and the information gained is used very effectively to provide appropriately challenging work. In other subjects, pupils’ learning is assessed regularly and carefully. Teachers evaluate what individuals have achieved overall in relation to national expectations. Many opportunities are used to encourage pupils to assess their own work and that of their peers. For example, in a good physical development lesson in a Reception class the children were encouraged to watch how well their classmates could hop, skip and

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Commentary

22. The use of specific targets in English and mathematics has developed well and is having a positive impact on the pupils’ achievement. The quality of marking is inconsistent, but is satisfactory overall. It is very good in English where points for improvement are recorded on the next page to be used by the pupil.

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The curriculum

Curricular opportunities are good. Opportunities for enrichment are very good. The accommodation is of high quality and resources are good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision for personal, social and health education is good. • The provision for extra-curricular and enrichment activities is very good. • The provision for special educational needs is good. • The match of teachers to the curriculum is good. • The accommodation is very good and resources are good overall. • The planned literacy and numeracy sessions take up too much time on the timetable.

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Commentary

23. The quality and range of learning opportunities offered to pupils are good. The school appropriately follows the national guidelines for the Foundation Stage curriculum that is carefully planned to meet the needs of these young children in Reception. The school’s curriculum provides a good base for pupils’ learning in Years 1 and 2. Planning is based firmly on the National Curriculum and the locally agreed Christ Church C of E Infant School - 14 syllabus for religious education. A very good programme of visits and visitors helps to make learning more meaningful and interesting. However, the timing of lessons is not always as balanced as it might be. Lengthy, consecutive morning sessions of English and mathematics do not always help all pupils to maintain concentration and interest or maximise learning. The school is aware of this and has plans in place to introduce a more creative approach to the curriculum.

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Commentary

24. Provision for pupils with special educational needs, for those who use English as a second language and for pupils from ethnic minorities is good. It is one of the strengths of the school. Reference to individual education plans, discussions with the special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO), class teachers and teaching assistants indicate that pupils are provided for well and make good progress towards meeting their individual learning targets. Provision is made very well for those pupils who have specific learning difficulties in English and mathematics. The provision for those pupils who have statements of special needs is equally comprehensive and detailed and they make the same good progress towards targets set.

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Commentary

25. Detailed plans are in place, which largely reflect national subject guidelines. Planning for each term is good. Weekly and daily planning gives clear detail of lesson content and progressive development of skills.

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Commentary

26. The provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is good. Personal development is promoted on a day-to-day basis through the good care and attention that all staff pay to all pupils. Overall the curriculum successfully promotes the school’s very caring ethos and the intellectual, physical and personal development of the pupils. It prepares them very well for the next stage of their education.

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Commentary

27. A very good range of enrichment activities enhances the curriculum and widens pupils’ learning opportunities. Parents are very appreciative of the provision of these activities. Many pupils are involved in clubs, which staff organise and supervise. Good use is made of the locality to support topic work and pupils’ experiences are further widened by an impressive number of visits and visitors.

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Commentary

28. The match of teachers to the curriculum is good, with part-time teachers employed to allow for the teaching of English, mathematics and science in groups of similar ability. Whilst in Years 1 and 2 the match of support staff is also good, in Reception it is only satisfactory because some times in the afternoon teachers are without assistance. The contribution of the well qualified and experienced teaching assistants, particularly when involved with less able pupils, those whose first language is not English or who are from ethnic minority backgrounds or have special educational needs, is significant. The good progress that these pupils make owes much to their informed, patient support.

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Commentary

29. The accommodation is very good, with a spacious building and a number of specialist areas such as the computer suite, library, hall, swimming pool and outdoor activity/investigation area. As a learning environment, the school is much enhanced by very engaging, well-presented displays celebrating pupils’ efforts and achievements. It is maintained to a very high standard by the caretaker and cleaners. The quality and quantity of teaching resources are good overall, with the provision for ICT being very good. Christ Church C of E Infant School - 15

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Care, guidance and support

Provision for the care, welfare, health and safety of pupils is very good and supports pupils’ learning very well. The guidance for their personal development is good and pupils are very well involved in the work of the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils feel very secure and cared for in school. They have very good and trusting relationships with all adults in the school. • They achieve well because their progress is closely monitored. • The school seeks the views of the pupils and acts on them when appropriate. • Children are introduced to school life very well.

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Commentary

30. The school provides a happy environment that is conducive to learning. Close attention is paid to health and safety issues. Pupils’ healthy and safe living is well promoted through the personal, social and health education programme. Child protection procedures are very good and there is good liaison with other agencies. Designated members of staff are up to date in aspects of first aid and risk assessments are undertaken regularly. 31. Teachers and support staff know the pupils and their families very well. They are sensitive to the pupils’ individual needs and are thus able to provide good support and guidance. Assessment procedures are very good overall and academic progress is very well recorded. However, personal progress is not recorded as systematically as academic progress and procedures are more informal. Nevertheless, these informal procedures are effective. The very good relationships between pupils and staff

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Commentary

encourage pupils to raise any concerns they may have, knowing that they will be dealt with sympathetically. Targets are set regularly and are communicated to parents. The pupils enjoy coming to school and they say that the staff are very kind. The parents spoken to during the inspection described the school as being ‘very caring’. All pupils are highly valued and their views are actively sought on a regular, formal basis through the school council. Every pupil has the opportunity to sit on the council. For example, they have looked at the behaviour policy together and decided on names for the corridors.

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Commentary

32. Very good induction arrangements ensure that children settle happily into school. The children are introduced into their classes in small groups on a part-time basis over a period of six weeks. This ensures that all the children are given adequate time to settle into a new routine. It also enables the acclimatising process from a very small nursery setting to the very different nature of school life to take place steadily. There are also very good links with the local junior school. This ensures that pupils are well prepared and are able to move confidently to the next stage in their education.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Christ Church C of E Infant School - 16 The partnership with parents, links with the community and links with other schools and colleges are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are very supportive of the school and appreciate what it provides for their children. • Parents support their children’s learning at school and at home very effectively and this makes a very positive contribution to their achievement. • The very good links with the community and other schools and colleges help to enrich the curriculum and ensure that pupils transfer happily on to their next stage of education.

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Commentary

33. Parents are very satisfied with the school. They feel very comfortable about approaching it and are very happy with the procedures to deal with any concerns or complaints. They feel that their children are encouraged to be mature and they appreciate the range of extra-curricular activities. Parents also feel that the school is well led and managed, the quality of teaching is good and that the pupils make good progress. They also confirm that their children like coming to school. The inspection team agrees with all these views.

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Commentary

34. Parents make a very good contribution to their children’s learning by, for example, providing good help in the classrooms and helping to supervise swimming lessons. They also hear their children read at home. They attend the sessions arranged by the school for ‘keeping up with your children’ and for learning how to help pupils with reading. The Friends of Christ Church School is a group of very enthusiastic, hard- working parents. They are also friends of the nearby junior school and have organised social and fund raising events in order to be able to buy equipment to help in the children’s learning in both schools. The school also has an excellent award- winning website that is very informative, for example about the curriculum and lets parents know how they can become involved in the school.

p.18

Commentary

35. Although a very small minority of parents did not feel well informed about the progress of their children, the inspection team judged that parents are very well informed through consultation sessions and good annual reports. Targets for numeracy, literacy and ICT are communicated to parents and they are also well informed about the school through the prospectus, a regular newsletter and frequent other correspondence. They are also very well informed about the curriculum and topics that the pupils will be studying. Parents appreciate that they are welcome to discuss their children at any convenient time. Their views are regularly sought, for example during parents’ meetings and parents spoken to during the inspection said that they were confident that any appropriate suggestions would be listened to and valued.

p.18

Commentary

36. The very good links with the community include very good involvement with the Church, the Salvation Army and Rolls Royce. Pupils have visited, for example, the local library, shops and sheltered accommodation. Pupils have performed for local residents and delivered harvest gifts. Members of the community, such as the fire Christ Church C of E Infant School - 17 brigade, dancers and the British Legion, visit the school. There are also very good links with the wider community and the pupils visit, for example, Cwmcarn in Wales, the American Museum in Bath and Westonbirt Arboretum.

p.18

Commentary

37. The school takes students from a local university for their initial teacher training. Links with local schools are productive and support pupils’ learning as the school gains access to additional activities for pupils and training for staff. There are particularly strong links with the local junior school and these links also ensure that there are very good mechanisms in place to help pupils to move easily on to the next stage in their education.

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership of the headteacher, key staff and governors is very good. The school is very well managed.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher is a very good leader. • The role of the subject leaders is very well developed. • The school is managed very effectively. • Governance is very good.

p.19

Commentary

38. The headteacher leads the school very well in a calm and purposeful manner. The acting deputy head and key staff support her very effectively, ensuring that the school is thoroughly inclusive in its provision. A very strong team has been created who all share and fully reflect the aims of the school in their work. This reflects the views expressed by the vast majority of parents prior to the inspection.

p.19

Commentary

39. The management of the special needs provision is good. The co-ordinator is well qualified and oversees the organisation of provision across the school. In association with other teachers she ensures that individual needs are met and liaises regularly with concerned agencies. Early contact is made with all parents as soon as concerns are noted about their children and there is evidence of parental involvement in all stages of the Code of Practice.

p.19

Commentary

40. This school self-evaluates very well. Subject co-ordination is highly developed and leaders carefully track and record the progress pupils make. This provides a clear picture of how well individuals and groups of pupils are doing. Teaching and learning are also monitored effectively, particularly in English and mathematics. The information gained is then very effectively evaluated and then areas for development are carefully included in the school improvement plan and within action plans for individual subjects. These plans include specific details about agreed priorities and provide clear criteria for measuring success. Areas indentified for improvement are also very closely reflected in the performance management objectives for the staff, ensuring that the process is rigorous and consistent. Professional development opportunities for staff are very good and closely linked to the needs of individuals.

p.19

Commentary

This means that staff retention is very good and the school has no problems Christ Church C of E Infant School - 18 attracting new personnel. The headteacher and governors have also worked very hard to achieve a balance between work and life at home and this has been very successfully achieved. Induction procedures for new staff are very good and teachers starting their career feel very well supported and valued. The school is a very good provider for initial teacher training and students benefit greatly from the experience they gain at Christ Church.

p.19

Commentary

41. The governing body fulfils all its requirements and discharges its duties effectively through a system of committees. Governors are extremely supportive of the school and each governor has a valuable link with a particular subject or aspect of the school. Governors make very good use of their own professional expertise and use this knowledge to benefit the school. They are kept up to date and this enables them to sensitively challenge the senior management. Governors have a very good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They are very well involved in shaping the future direction of the school. This is particularly evident through their work with the local junior school governing body and by their consultation with parents.

p.20

Commentary

42. The quality of financial planning is very good. The school manages its budget very well and spending is related to ensuring that all pupils achieve as well as they can within a happy and caring environment. Careful records are maintained and any minor issues raised in the latest audit have been rectified. The financial committee, the very efficient school administrator and the headteacher monitor the school’s financial position very carefully. The governors are well aware of the need to ensure best value and they evaluate the cost-effectiveness of spending decisions. The school had a small carry-over figure from last year’s budget, which they have used to help towards the rolling programme of improving the accommodation.

p.20

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 530,355 Balance from previous year 34,515 Total expenditure 529,710 Balance carried forward to the next year 35,160

p.20

Commentary

Expenditure per pupil 2,365 Christ Church C of E Infant School - 19

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in all areas of learning is good .

p.21

The main strengths and weaknesses are:

• All children achieve well in the Foundation Stage and, by the end of Reception, standards in all areas of learning meet nationally agreed levels for this age group. • Teaching is good overall. • The very good induction procedures help the children to settle in well. • Teaching assistants are very well used. • Leadership of the Foundation Stage is very good. • Accommodation is very good and has improved very well since the last inspection. • The outdoor area is used very efficiently to promote all areas of learning. • The curriculum is well planned and interesting resources are used very well. • Procedures for assessing children are of high quality and used very effectively to plan future activities.

p.21

Commentary

43. In their personal, social and emotional development the children start to show increasing independence as they settle into the school routines. Their development is enhanced well by the very effective induction procedures. Most quickly gain confidence in their classrooms and around the school environment. A large majority of the children start to become independent and like to try new activities. Good relationships are rapidly established between adults and children. The concept of taking turns and sharing is growing, they have a developing understanding of right and wrong and this helps the children work alongside their friends. The teaching staff give the children lots of praise and encouragement and this helps them to be motivated in their learning. This was evident when one Reception teacher felt that her class needed to pat themselves on the back because they had succeeded to undress in good time for their physical development lesson. Consequently, by the

p.21

Commentary

end of the Reception Year most children will have attained the expected standard in personal, social and emotional development and achieved well. This is because teaching is good and provision in the Foundation Stage is so very well managed.

p.21

Commentary

44. In communication, language and literacy , the teachers have a good understanding of the way young children learn. The co-ordinator checks that regular assessments are carried out to ensure that the well-planned, interesting activities have focused objectives that are suited to the children's individual needs. As a result, all children achieve well including those with special needs, from ethnic minorities and those with English as an additional language. Standards are variable when children start school, but a significant minority have poorly developed speech. The teachers and their assistants provide good opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills through role-play and discussion. Children are learning to listen carefully and express themselves clearly, as when they talk with a partner about geographical features that they can see in a series of pictures. At this early stage in the school year, few

p.21

Commentary

Christ Church C of E Infant School - 20 children are reading independently, but skills are developing well as they are systematically introduced to letters of the alphabet and to familiar words. Children are given frequent opportunities to develop their writing skills. For example, children who were practising writing capital letters made good progress, as they were gently encouraged to form the letters correctly. All staff work together as an effective team to ensure the children are well supported. Most children achieve the expected standards by the end of their time in Reception because the teaching is of consistently good quality.

p.22

Commentary

45. Provision in mathematical development is good because the teaching is of consistently high quality. Teachers clearly understand the needs of these young children and provide lots of practical activities. The children quickly learn the names of two-dimensional shapes because their mathematical development groups consist of rectangles, triangles and squares. Most of the children can count up to five and the more capable confidently recognise numbers up to 10. Teachers place great emphasis on the development of mathematical language and this promotes learning well. For example, the children are encouraged to recognise ‘more and less than’. This was evident when they were comparing different containers of orange squash and were required to use the appropriate language to describe the amount in each beaker. Teachers encourage the children to work out very simple problems and this helps them use the knowledge they have gained in practical and everyday situations.

p.22

Commentary

By the end of Reception, most children will have attained the expected level and have achieved well.

p.22

Commentary

46. Achievement in knowledge and understanding of the world is well developed because teaching is good. Teachers ensure that children have access to a wide range of experiences. For example, they have studied bulbs growing, described the flavours of different foods and talked about the members of their family. The Foundation Stage is very well managed so that all available resources are used. For instance, good use is made of the school environment to develop children's understanding of the wider world. This was evident when they walked around the grounds to identify natural and man-made features. Children have started to understand about their own and other cultures, as when they made Mendhi patterns in celebration of the Hindu festival of Diwali. The children enjoy playing with construction toys and using tools to mould and manipulate play dough. In one lesson, children were making very good

p.22

Commentary

progress in their knowledge and understanding of the world as they made group collages of geographical scenes. They worked extremely well with each other, deciding what features to include in their pictures. The children were provided with a very good range of resources from which they confidently cut out and joined materials. Staff intervened appropriately, ensuring the children could explain what they were doing and how they might improve. Children reach national expectations in this area of learning by the end of Reception and all achieve well.

p.22

Commentary

47. In physical development children start school with a very wide range of abilities. A significant minority are well co-ordinated, but others have appropriate standards of physical skills that are developing well. By the end of Reception the vast majority of children have attained the expected level for their age. The good quality teaching enables them to achieve well. Physical development lessons in the hall are organised so that skills can be progressively taught. Teaching assistants use this time well to assess the children’s progress and their various stages of development. Most of the Christ Church C of E Infant School - 21 children move with confidence and quickly learn to jump, hop and skip. They use a good range of apparatus to travel over, under and through and this helps them with balance and co-ordination skills. The children gradually learn to use all available space and become aware of each other. Teachers encourage them to think about

p.22

Commentary

why they need to exercise and they start to recognise a difference in their heart rate when they are active. The children also use a range of small and large equipment in the well-equipped safe and secure outdoor area. This represents a good improvement since the last inspection when the outdoor area was considered a weakness. Teaching assistants effectively discuss with them what they are doing and this further promotes their physical skills.

p.23

Commentary

48. Teachers provide a rich and interesting curriculum, which develops the children’s creative development well. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Classrooms have stimulating role-play areas such as a ‘Chinese Restaurant’ where the children can serve each other meals and a ‘Doctor’s Surgery’ where appointments are made to discuss important health issues! Teachers and support assistants sensitively intervene to promote language and further develop their imagination. The children are provided with a good range of resources in which to develop their creative skills. They paint pictures with developing confidence, use coloured pencils to draw with and use different materials to create patterns. The children have started to remember some simple songs and explore the sounds made by different musical instruments. They are developing an understanding of the concept of ‘silence’ and this is promoted

p.23

Commentary

very well by effective teaching methods. By the end of Reception most children will have attained the expected levels and the more capable will have exceeded it.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is good. • Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. • Teaching is good. • Subject leadership is very good. • Resources are used very well to make lessons interesting. • The very positive links with parents impact well on standards.

p.23

Commentary

49. Standards in speaking and listening are average and this is similar to the results in the 2004 teacher assessment tests. Standards in reading are above average and have been well maintained at this level since the Year 2 national tests of 2004. Standards in writing are above average. This indicates a good improvement since the results of 2004 when standards were average. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, those who use English as an additional language and ethnic minority groups, achieve well. Although the school identified differences in the attainment of boys and girls in the 2004 Year 2 group of pupils that had a significant Christ Church C of E Infant School - 22 number of boys with special educational needs, no differences were noted during the inspection. At the time of the last inspection planning was considered unsatisfactory and the quality of pupils’ writing was judged to be underdeveloped. These

p.23

Commentary

weaknesses have been rectified and standards have been well maintained since then.

p.24

Commentary

50. Despite good teaching in the Foundation Stage many pupils start Year 1 of the National Curriculum with standards in speaking and listening that are below the expected level. The development of these skills is emphasised in all lessons. Most pupils listen attentively to their teachers who help them develop their speech through the use of open-ended questioning. Achievement is particularly effective when the pupils are given opportunities to discuss issues raised within the lesson with a partner.

p.24

Commentary

51. Pupils achieve well in reading. Most Year 2 pupils are fairly fluent and the more capable are beginning to read expressively. All enjoy and understand a wide range of books and discuss the text. The pupils identify unknown words by looking at the pictures or by identifying letter sounds and this represents a good improvement since the last inspection when it was felt that the pupils did not know sufficient strategies to work out unknown words. Pupils talk confidently about a range of favourite story books, but they also understand that books can be used to find out information. Story sacks, which can be taken home and shared with parents, promote reading skills very well and have a positive impact on achievement.

p.24

Commentary

52. Achievement is good in writing. Most Year 2 pupils understand that full stops and capital letters are essential features of a sentence. They use a good range of adjectives such as describing an alien as ‘gooey, green and sloppy’. Stories are made interesting to the reader through the use of effective sentences to start off their writing. For example, one pupil wrote that ‘it happened on a day just like any other….’. Similes and metaphors are used well in poetry and this was evident when one pupil described ‘autumn is as red as a rose’. Pupils write with confidence and are not inhibited by their insecurities with spellings. This means that both the more capable and less capable pupils can work effectively at their own level. For instance, a less capable pupil confidently wrote that ‘At half term I went to my cusus hous and ter is a litul biby cusus and I pley with him’.

p.24

Commentary

53. Teaching is good overall. Learning objectives are shared with the pupils and this helps them evaluate their learning. Teachers question the pupils well and this helps them develop their knowledge and provides good information on how all the pupils are achieving within their different levels. Good use is made of teaching assistants and student teachers to support individuals. Most teachers have high expectations of behaviour and this helps the pupils to have positive attitudes to learning. Lessons are most effective when a range of interesting resources are used to promote learning. This was evident in a very good Year 2 lesson when high quality use was made of an interactive whiteboard. The pupils were motivated because they were actively involved in their learning. Assessment procedures are used very effectively in English and this ensures that teachers plan for individual needs and all pupils understand

p.24

Commentary

what they need to do to improve. The quality of marking has improved since the last inspection and is now consistent across the school. Christ Church C of E Infant School - 23 54. The subject is very well led and managed by the knowledgeable co-ordinator. She analyses test results and monitors the quality of teaching and learning through lesson observations and work sampling. The subject leader uses the information gained to inform teachers and establish strategies for improvement. She has worked very hard to establish a positive relationship between home and school, which enables parents and carers to fully support in the reading process. Resources are good overall and this is because the subject manager is proactive in identifying key areas that need improvements.

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

55. The pupils use their writing skills well across the curriculum to support other areas. For example, they write up their science investigations and record their historical research.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average at the end of Year 2. • All pupils, including those from ethnic minorities and those who use English as an additional language or have special educational needs, make good progress and achieve well. • Teaching is good. • Mathematics is co-ordinated well. • The use of time is occasionally unsatisfactory.

p.25

Commentary

56. The good standards seen in mathematics are similar to those when the school was last inspected. In the 2003 Year 2 national tests, results for pupils were above average. The 2004 Year 2 national test results were average, but reflect a weaker year group. An analysis of current work, although early in the term, shows that many pupils are working above the expected levels, even in data handling, which is not strictly part of the Year 1 and Year 2 curriculum. The National Numeracy Strategy is well established, with lessons planned to include a mental or oral starter, a main learning activity and a final recap session. The brisk, challenging mental activities are a feature of all lessons. Pupils enjoy these activities; they respond eagerly and as a result become more confident and proficient at making accurate calculations.

p.25

Commentary

57. Progress is good and achievement is promoted well by allocating pupils to ability groups and using information gathered from lessons to provide them with appropriate work. Since children enter the school with standards that are just in line with the average and leave with standards that are above average, they achieve well overall.

p.25

Commentary

58. Teaching and learning are good overall in every year. Numeracy skills are taught thoroughly and accurately. Lessons are well planned to ensure progression and good account is taken of pupils’ individual needs. Pupils are given targets, which are Christ Church C of E Infant School - 24 updated regularly, so that suggestions for improvement are always helpful. Teaching assistants are used well in effective teamwork, usually, but not always, to support pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds and those with special educational needs or whose first language is not English. As a consequence of this informed support these pupils make good progress in relation to their capabilities. Good use is made of resources, but in particular the skilful use of interactive whiteboards considerably enhances the effectiveness of the good teaching. Questions are used well to extend understanding and encourage pupils to consider different strategies for solving

p.25

Commentary

problems, which most do successfully. However, some lessons appear to be too long for less capable pupils to maintain concentration and in these pupils do not always make the progress that they are capable of.

p.26

Commentary

59. The leadership and management of mathematics are good. The acting co-ordinator has a strong vision for the subject; he is most enthusiastic and diligent. Assessment procedures provide a very good range of information, which is carefully analysed to identify areas of strength and those needing improvement.

p.26

Mathematics across the curriculum

60. The use of mathematics across the curriculum is satisfactory. Opportunities for pupils to investigate, solve problems and apply their skills in everyday contexts are not fully developed. There are some examples of the use of numeracy when recording in science, measuring in design and technology and creating time lines in history. However, in a school noticeable for its good quality displays, there is a lack of presentations celebrating pupils’ achievements and investigations in numeracy across all subjects. The school has begun to redesign the curriculum in order to integrate all subjects more fully.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well as a result of good teaching. • Pupils are given good opportunities to investigate for themselves. • Tracking and checking procedures are good and are used well to plan work that meets pupils’ individual needs. • Leadership and management are good.

p.26

Commentary

61. Standards are above average and pupils achieve well. In the teacher assessments at the end of Year 2 in 2004, the pupils’ attainment was broadly average. Inspection evidence indicates that standards are higher this year, mainly because of the higher ability of this year group. There are no significant differences in attainment between boys and girls. Pupils with special educational needs, those with English as an additional language, those who are from ethnic minority groups and the gifted and talented, achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. The good standards of the previous inspection have been maintained. Christ Church C of E Infant School - 25 62. Pupils make good progress overall, particularly because in lessons they achieve well through good opportunities to apply their scientific knowledge in practical investigation and discovery. For example, in a Year 1 lesson, pupils developed well

p.26

Commentary

their understanding of light as they used shadow puppets to investigate how light sources could vary. In Year 2, pupils relished the challenge of making a bulb light up. By the end of the lesson, most understood that a complete circuit was needed before the light bulb would work. Through their individual investigations, the more capable pupils understood that if more than one bulb was used in series, the electricity could be shared but would become dimmer. By Year 2, pupils name the parts of the body and understand that animals and humans grow as they become more adult. They know that humans need the right types of food to stay healthy and that exercise is beneficial for well-being. Pupils make predictions regarding their investigations and provide an answer about the results. They record their results using simple charts and diagrams and in writing.

p.27

Commentary

63. Teaching and learning are good. Lessons are well prepared, with good resources. Teachers have good knowledge of the subject. They demonstrate high expectations, providing interesting activities so pupils show interest and enthusiasm for their work. Good relationships prevail, so pupils are keen to work hard and behave well. Teachers focus clearly on the use of technical vocabulary, ensuring that pupils use the correct vocabulary in discussions. Questioning is used well to enhance understanding and encourage the development of ideas. The use of ICT to enhance learning is satisfactory.

p.27

Commentary

64. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and knows what needs to be done to move the subject forward. Assessment is good. Analysis of test results and tracking procedures is used well to enable teachers to focus more clearly on weaker areas of the curriculum and hence to begin to raise standards. Teachers assess their pupils carefully and use the information to group the pupils into sets according to their ability and to establish support groups for those who are identified as underachieving. The subject leader is aware that the evaluation of teaching in order to establish consistency in delivery of the subject across the school is an area for future development. The annual science week provides good links with other areas of the curriculum and enriches pupils’ learning.

p.27

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

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

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have improved since the last inspection. • The teaching of ICT skills is good overall; its use across all subjects is good. • Subject leadership and management are good. • Interactive whiteboards and digital cameras are being used well by teachers. • The prize winning school website is an exciting innovation. • The quality and range of resources is very good. Christ Church C of E Infant School - 26

p.27

Commentary

65. Standards in ICT are above national expectations in Year 2 and achievement for all pupils is good. The subject has been a focus of the school development plan and this has resulted in considerable investment in the subject, both in the purchase of hardware and in the training of staff. This has proved very effective in raising standards in ICT since the last inspection and improving the use of ICT across all subjects. Pupils are confident when logging on and off and they can save and retrieve information. Accessing the Internet and interrogating programs to collect information are undertaken regularly. In class, pupils are very familiar with the interactive whiteboards and were seen in a number of lessons using them very effectively to develop and extend understanding. During the inspection no dedicated ICT lessons were observed, but pupils were seen using ICT as it should be used, as an interesting resource to help learning and communication, rather than as an

p.28

Commentary

isolated subject. Younger pupils are confident in using software programs and all have experience of programming and controlling a floor robot.

p.28

Commentary

66. The school has adopted the nationally approved scheme of work and has adapted it so that the subject is well integrated into the curriculum as a whole. Discussions with pupils, planning documents and observations indicate that ICT is used regularly in all classrooms and in the computer suite. There is clear evidence also of the technology being used throughout the school for administrative and assessment purposes. Pupils are able to develop their skills during breaks and in an after school club. They clearly enjoy using the equipment and many extend their knowledge of ICT at home. The school’s outstanding prize-winning web site is an excellent resource for learning and developing pupils’ expertise and knowledge.

p.28

Commentary

67. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. In the lessons seen, although not dedicated ICT lessons, teaching was characterised by good levels of understanding and knowledge because of the successful training of all staff through national and in-house initiatives. Consequently pupils benefited from confident instruction, particularly from the effective use of the digital projector and interactive whiteboards when demonstrating tasks and reinforcing understanding. Pupils of all capabilities receive good support from skilled teaching assistants and other helpers. There were examples during the inspection of them giving informed, patient assistance to pupils having difficulties and by so doing ensuring that they had full access to the activities.

p.28

Commentary

68. The subject co-ordinator is providing good leadership and planning the further use of technology across all subjects. The school ICT development plan is a very detailed farsighted document, which reinforces the school’s commitment to involving technology in all areas of learning and administration. Resources are very good and they are used well to enhance pupils’ skills and learning.

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

69. At the time of the last inspection it was noted that ICT was not being used well enough to support other subjects. It is now widely used in many subjects. Literacy and numeracy particularly are supported well and during the inspection ICT was seen being used to support science, history and religious education. The school Christ Church C of E Infant School - 27 development plan indicates the intention to involve further the use of ICT across the whole curriculum. The school web site is a very good resource in this regard.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good links are made with numeracy and ICT. • Good use is made of the local area. • Subject co-ordination is very good. • Assessment is good.

p.29

COMMENTARY

70. By the end of Year 2, standards meet the national expectations for geography and achievement is good for all pupils. Their good achievement is particularly noticeable when they talk about geographical features around them and by the way they use their knowledge and skills of other subjects such as numeracy and ICT to promote their learning. Standards have been well maintained since the last inspection. Pupils recognise simple maps of the area around school and identify key features such as car parks, major roads and buildings. They understand the differences in the houses in their local environment and label different types of houses.

p.29

COMMENTARY

71. Teaching is good because pupils are motivated and this helps them develop their geographical skills systematically. Very effective links are made with numeracy and ICT. For instance, the pupils have carried out traffic surveys and recorded the flow using tally charts. They have also counted the colour of vehicles observed during the survey and created a block graph using a computer software program. Good links have also been established with literacy. This is evident in the work pupils carry out which is based on the story of Katie Morag who lives on an imaginary Scottish island. Pupils compare the different types of houses, transport and land use on this island with that of the local area of Downend. Procedures for assessment are good and used well to inform teachers’ future planning.

p.29

COMMENTARY

72. The subject is very well led and managed. Teaching and learning have been carefully monitored through lesson observations and discussions with pupils. Resources are adequate and good use is made of the local area as a teaching aid.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• History is taught well. • Literacy skills are used effectively to promote learning. Christ Church C of E Infant School - 28 • The co-ordinator is very knowledgeable and is keen to interest pupils in the past. • Very good use is made of interesting resources. • Assessment is good.

p.29

Commentary

73. Pupils achieve well and overall standards, by the end of Year 2, are as expected for this age group. In discussion about historical aspects and features of the past, their practical understanding is above that expected for this age group. This is an improvement since the last inspection and is as a result of the way in which teachers make their lessons very interesting. They make the past become alive and, consequently, all pupils really enjoy these lessons immensely and gain a great deal from them. This was evident in a very good Year 1 lesson where the pupils met ‘Florence Nightingale’. This famous person from the past, who was in fact an extremely creative teaching assistant, told the pupils all about her life. The pupils then asked her a wide range of sensible questions and were clearly fascinated by her work in hospitals long ago.

p.30

Commentary

74. An additional strength of the teaching is the way in which the teachers encourage the use of speaking and listening skills very well. For instance, in another Year 1 lesson the teacher helped to develop the pupils’ listening skills well as they listened to a nurse tell them about her experiences in hospitals today compared to those experienced by Florence Nightingale.

p.30

Commentary

75. Pupils written work is as expected in Year 2. This is an improvement since the last inspection when the quality and amount of written work was judged to be unsatisfactory in some classes. Pupils appropriately record the differences between the past and present. They also write about famous people such as Guy Fawkes and Louis Braille and describe the significance of Remembrance Day. Procedures for assessing the historical gains in pupils’ knowledge are used well by teachers to extend their skills.

p.30

Commentary

76. History is very well led and managed by a subject leader who feels passionately that history must be made interesting and experiences must relate to the pupils. She has been instrumental in organising a range of ways to make the programmes of study more creative. For instance, the pupils have visited an Edwardian house for the day, which has been linked very well with making stained glass windows in art and design, sewing needlework samplers in design and technology and learning all about the games played by children during this period of time in history. The subject leader has collected a good range of historical artefacts that are used in role-play situations. She has also introduced story sacks with a historical theme that can be shared at home.

p.30

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have improved since the last inspection. Christ Church C of E Infant School - 29 • The subject makes a good contribution towards pupils’ personal and cultural development. • The subject co-ordinator has received good input from the local education authority.

p.30

COMMENTARY

77. It is clear from the three lessons observed, talking to pupils and looking at their work, that achievement is satisfactory and most pupils are attaining the expected levels in the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. Pupils are developing a positive respect for beliefs other than their own. They are introduced to symbols of different religions representing Islam, Sikhism, Judaism and Hinduism. Their knowledge of Christianity is strong. The issues raised in the previous inspection have been addressed comprehensively and now the full requirements of religious education are being taught.

p.31

COMMENTARY

78. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, although some better teaching was seen during the inspection. Teachers have good subject knowledge and generally use resources well to present interesting and exciting lessons. During the inspection, as part of ‘Celebrations’ pupils were learning about how Hindus celebrate Diwali. They remembered well the story of Rama and Sita and gasped at the wonderful lighting of buildings displayed on the interactive whiteboard. The presentation and significance of a colourfully embroidered ‘Toran’ intrigued a Year 1 class. Pupils were enthralled when a teaching assistant expertly adorned the teacher with a surprisingly long and colourful sari! Others in the class were fully involved in tasting and commenting upon a range of Indian delicacies presented expertly by the classroom assistant.

p.31

COMMENTARY

79. The subject is led and managed satisfactorily. The co-ordinator has been well supported by the local authority adviser when producing a revised scheme of work, which combines commercially published plans with the locally agreed focus of ‘Mystery and Meaning’. In turn, the religious education programme is linked to the personal, social and health education and citizenship (PSHCE) scheme of work for delivery in school. The revised planning fully addresses the concerns expressed in the last inspection.

p.31

MAIN STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

• Pupils achieve well and reach good standards. • The quality of teaching is good. • Pupils have good attitudes towards the subject. • The subject makes a very good contribution to pupils' cultural and spiritual development. • Leadership and management are good.

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COMMENTARY

Christ Church C of E Infant School - 30 80. Standards in art and design have improved since the last inspection. They are above those expected at the end of Year 2 and achievement is good. The curriculum is interesting, creative and well planned. Throughout the school, pupils learn systematically to use their observational skills and explore colour and texture through various different media and techniques, including computer software programs.

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COMMENTARY

81. Pupils are enthusiastic and confident about their work, whether they are designing and making a ‘Toran’ in Year 1 or, in Year 2, mixing watercolours for accurate skin tone in portraits. For their age, pupils have good knowledge of a range of artists and the techniques they used. They develop a very good understanding of how art differs from country to country, reflecting different lives and faiths. For example, Year 1 pupils demonstrate good understanding of the characteristics of Indian art as they recall that small mirrors are regularly incorporated in garments and that elephants feature regularly in designs.

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COMMENTARY

82. Pupils receive good teaching and this helps them to achieve well. Good resources provide pupils with good opportunity to investigate a wide variety of materials and are also used very well to increase their interest in art and design. For example, Year 1 pupils expressed wonder as they were shown the intricate workmanship on an Indian wedding skirt, making a very valuable contribution to their spiritual development. Teachers have a good knowledge of the subject, they are confident in their teaching and their expectations of the pupils are high. They plan well so pupils receive lively lessons and are well motivated to work hard. Tasks are suitably challenging for pupils' needs, ensuring that all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs, those who use English as an additional language, those who are from ethnic minority groups and the gifted and talented, achieve well in relation to their prior attainment.

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COMMENTARY

83. The good leadership of the subject contributes to the good standards and achievement throughout the school and accounts for the good improvement since the last inspection. Through the annual arts week, pupils have been given the opportunity to explore ideas and meaning in the work of a visiting artist, sculptor and photographer. This makes a valuable contribution to their learning.

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COMMENTARY

84. Work was sampled in design and technology , music and physical education . No lessons were seen. Discussions with staff indicate that the National Curriculum is appropriately planned and implemented. Pupils listen to different types of music as they enter the hall for assembly and sing tunefully when accompanied by a guitar. Pupils have created puppets in response to a visit by a theatre group and have carefully evaluated their plans. They also enjoy using a range of fixing methods to make moveable parts such as arms and legs. The school uses its own swimming pool during the summer months to teach swimming to all its pupils. This means that nearly all pupils can confidently swim by the time they leave Year 2. The subject leader for physical education is very proactive and is keen to increase the time spent on physical activities. Consequently, a good range of extra-curricular activities, such

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COMMENTARY

as tennis, football and a health and fitness club, has been introduced which the pupils enjoy.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

85. Personal, social and health education is a valuable extension to the school’s curriculum and helps to enhance the pupils’ awareness of the school’s high Christ Church C of E Infant School - 31 expectations of their behaviour and attitudes. The health education programme is successfully woven into the curriculum and staff deal effectively with any particular issues when and where they arise. The school’s very good commitment to inclusion guides pupils’ social development. Staff provide good role models in the way that they value the opinions and contributions of all pupils during lessons and discussions. Christ Church C of E Infant School - 32

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2 Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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