Crofton Hammond Infant School

CROFTON HAMMOND INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 22 - 24 February 2005

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CROFTON HAMMOND INFANT SCHOOL

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

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CROFTON HAMMOND 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. Crofton Hammond Infant - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 - 7 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 180

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Mancroft Avenue Stubbington Fareham Hampshire Postcode: PO14 2DE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01329-663733 Fax number: 01329-663797

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Dr John Mitchell

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: February 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Crofton Hammond Infant School has 180 pupils aged between 4 and 7 years. The school is located in Stubbington near Fareham in Hampshire. It is broadly average in size and serves a community that is above average in socio-economic terms. Approximately six per cent of the pupils are eligible for free school meals and this is below the national average. A below average proportion of less than five per cent of the pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds, and no pupils speak English as a language different from their mother tongue. Close to 17 per cent of the pupils have special educational needs, an average proportion; these include moderate learning and physical needs. Less than one per cent of the pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Needs, and this is a below average percentage. Overall, the attainment of children on entry to the school is generally above average. This can vary across the areas of learning. The school holds the ‘Investors in

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

People’ award. Crofton Hammond Infant - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

25217 Paul Baxter Lead inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Music 9391 Norma Ball Lay inspector 26203 Joanna Curd Team inspector Special educational needs Science Art and design Design and technology 32954 Wendy Hawkins Team inspector Foundation Stage English Physical education Religious education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Serco QAA Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU

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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). Crofton Hammond Infant - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Crofton Hammond Infant is a good school with significant strengths. The school continues to improve as newly established stability in staffing and a strongly shared ‘team’ approach to leadership and management, promoted inspirationally by the headteacher, impact with increasing success on pupils’ learning. Pupils achieve well and standards are well above average overall, in response to good and increasingly very good teaching and learning. Value for money is good.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Pupils’ very good personal qualities, including excellent relationships, are strongly promoted by the staff and make a significant contribution to their academic learning. • The vision and sense of purpose of the headteacher and the links with parents are excellent features that impact strongly on the school’s successful ethos of care and achievement. • In response to mostly good and often very good teaching, pupils achieve well and reach well above average standards by the time they leave the school. • The spiritual, moral and social development of the pupils, the provision of care, health and welfare and the partnerships with the community and other schools are very good and strengthen the pupils’ learning. • The few less successful lessons do not include enough opportunities for pupils to learn through practical activity. • Teachers’ marking in subjects other than English does not always identify sufficient

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made good improvement since the last inspection. Pupils’ achievement has been raised from satisfactory to good. All key issues for improvement, including the planned curriculum, have been addressed fully. All other areas of provision have either been improved or sustained at a very effective level. The teamwork encouraged by the headteacher and the improvement of teaching from satisfactory to good are key elements in raising pupils’ achievement.

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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 reading A A A C writing A C B C mathematics C A B D 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

Achievement is good overall . The pupils’ performance in national tests at Year 2 has risen in line with the trend found nationally. The weaker comparisons with similar schools Crofton Hammond Infant - 7 last year reflected the increased number of pupils with learning needs in that year group, and some problems with stability in staffing. Stronger provision is now promoting higher standards. Children achieve well in Reception (Year R) where their skills, especially their personal, social and emotional skills, are developed successfully. Achievement over time for pupils across the range of learning needs is good in Years 1 and 2. An increasing number of pupils are achieving very well in Year 2, where strong teaching offers a consistent challenge. Pupils with special educational needs generally achieve well. Children at the end of Year R develop skills that are above the expected early learning goals in

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

communication, language and literacy and in their mathematical and personal, social and emotional development. Standards of pupils currently in Year 2 are well above average in speaking and listening, reading, mathematics and science. Standards are above average in writing and information and communication technology (ICT).

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are very good. Pupils’ relationships are excellent and their attitudes and behaviour are very good, reflecting the warm encouragement given by caring adults. Attendance and punctuality are very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good. Teaching and learning are good overall. Teaching and learning are particularly strong in Year 2, where the challenge presented to the pupils consistently matches their ability. Teaching is very good in ICT and it is good in English, mathematics and science. Teaching and learning are occasionally constrained to a satisfactory standard due to overlong discussions that limit opportunities for practical work. Consistently good teaching, especially the development of the children’s personal, social and emotional skills, is a notable feature of the provision in Year R classes. The curriculum is good; all pupils are fully included and are encouraged to show independence in learning. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Provision for the pupils’ care, health and welfare and partnerships with the community and local schools are very good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall. The leadership of the headteacher is very good. She leads by example and works closely with the deputy headteacher, chair of governors and other senior managers. All staff and governors share the clear vision for the future and strive to promote improvement. Overall governance is very good; guided by a wise chair, governors play a very supportive role in promoting the ethos of the school and ensure that all statutory requirements are fully met. Management is good and continues to improve. It is supported by good financial controls.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Overall, parents’ views of the school are very good. Links with parents are excellent and of great benefit to pupils’ learning. Pupils questioned are very happy with the school. Pupils feel valued and say that they have very good opportunities to express their views and to be involved in their learning. Inspectors agree with these views.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED (*already targeted by the school)

Crofton Hammond Infant - 8 The most important things the school should do to improve are:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED (*already targeted by the school)

• *Improve the quality of teaching and learning in some lessons by increasing practical activity. • Improve teachers’ marking in subjects other than English. Crofton Hammond Infant - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils’ attainment is well above average by the end of Year 2. This represents good achievement for pupils, including those with special educational needs. Children achieve well in their reception year (Year R).

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most pupils achieve well as they move through the school, but in response to consistently effective teaching an increasing number are achieving very well, especially in Year 2. • The school’s strong emphasis on promoting pupils’ personal qualities, including their independence in learning, promotes their achievement successfully. • The warm support from adults enables children in Year R to achieve very well in their personal, social and emotional development.

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Commentary

1. The children’s attainment when they enter the school is generally above average, with their knowledge usually in advance of their skills. Good teaching in Year R enables most children to achieve well and reach above average standards in their communication, language and literacy and in their mathematical development by the time they enter Year 1. Children respond successfully to the consistent support from teachers and their assistants and achieve very well in their personal, social and emotional development.

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Commentary

2. Good teaching and learning, stemming from stability in staffing and effective development of teaching, continues the pupils’ good achievement in Years 1 and 2. Even stronger teaching, especially at times in Year 2, is now promoting even higher levels of progress. In Year 2, standards are well above average in reading, speaking and listening, mathematics and science. Pupils do best in the development of their communication, investigative and problem solving skills, especially when discussing their findings from practical work. The standards reached by pupils currently in Year 2 show a significant improvement over the 2004 National Curriculum tests and teachers’ assessments, and compare well with the test results and assessments seen in previous years. Results were constrained in 2004 by a greater number of pupils with special educational needs, and also because of instability in staffing restricting the

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Commentary

effectiveness of teaching and learning. The school’s very effective focus on developing the pupils’ independence is having a beneficial impact on their learning and standards and achievement are rising, especially in Year 2 where pupils are more frequently challenged to best effect. The rapidly rising and now above average standards and pupils’ enjoyment in writing and ICT illustrate this clearly.

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Commentary

3. Pupils with special educational needs are fully included in all the school’s activities and achieve as well as their peers. They make good progress in their learning and in the development of good behaviour, confidence and self-esteem. A major reason for this is the effective and caring support they receive from teaching and learning support assistants. The teachers and assistants know all the pupils well and implement well focused individual educational plans with care. A recent emphasis on the early diagnosis of special educational Crofton Hammond Infant - 10 needs has resulted in an increased budget for classroom support and has improved the quality of provision. Pupils with such needs are given appropriate and effective support earlier, improving standards and achievement through the school.

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Commentary

4. By Year 2, most pupils talk confidently and often at length about their work, read appropriate texts with enthusiasm and confidence and write meaningful sentences and stories. In mathematics, pupils readily offer ideas and suggestions and use their own strategies to solve number problems, for example when using number lines to add or subtract single and two-digit numbers from two- and three-digit numbers.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 17.0 (17.5) 15.8 (15.7) Writing 15.4 (14.5) 14.6 (14.6) Mathematics 16.9 (17.6) 16.2 (16.3) There were 54 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Very good behaviour and attitudes to learning make a significant contribution to pupils’ achievement. Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is very good, and their cultural development is good, making their personal development very good overall. Attendance and punctuality are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Excellent relationships at all levels are a feature of the school. • Pupils behave very well in class and around the school. • Very good attitudes to learning are strongly encouraged and pupils enjoy their lessons. • Pupils’ social, moral and spiritual development is very good throughout the school. • Pupils’ attendance and punctuality are very good and pupils enjoy coming to school.

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Commentary

5. Most pupils have very good attendance and arrive at school in good time each day. Pupils like their school, arrive in the mornings in a relaxed and happy manner and leave their parents confidently. Attendance has improved since the last inspection because the vast majority of parents support the school in recognising the importance of regular attendance. The school has good monitoring and follow-up procedures to check on absences but the majority of parents are very good at informing the school when children are unable to attend.

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Commentary

6. In all settings throughout the day pupils behave very well and show kindness and courtesy to each other and to all adults. They have a clear understanding that everyone is important and worthy of consideration and respect. A good example of this is the care that playtime buddies give to befriending and including children who may be alone in the playground in little groups, so they are involved in games and play with others. Relationships throughout the school are excellent and pupils and adults share a sense of the value and importance of each individual within the school community. Behaviour in lessons is very good and contributes to the very good learning atmosphere. At playtime and during the lunch break pupils are lively, happy and enjoy each other’s company very well. The school rules and class rules are well respected and Crofton Hammond Infant - 11 all pupils have a clear understanding of how they are expected to behave. Pupils join in

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Commentary

lessons with enthusiasm and interest. They enjoy learning and work hard in small or large groups as well as independently on their own tasks. They are especially happy to join in discussions and share their ideas very well because they know their contributions to lessons will be valued. Such very positive attitudes to learning are well supported by parents and help pupils to do their best in lessons and achieve well. There were no exclusions in the last school year.

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Commentary

7. Pupils have a well-developed awareness of the needs and feelings of others and this is very evident in they way they treat each other. They are concerned for others beyond their school and enthusiastically make collections for charities for the benefit of others who they see as wanting their help. The very strong social and moral development of pupils and their ability to empathise and think about the needs of those around them make an important contribution to their personal development. They follow instructions quickly and calmly because they understand there are reasons for the school codes. They respect truth and have a well-developed sense of what is fair and why bullying and aggressive behaviour are unacceptable. In assemblies, as well as in lessons and reflective times during the day, pupils have a chance to think quietly. They show joy and excitement in lessons and a sense of quiet dignity in assemblies when they listen

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Commentary

to stories and reflect in prayer. Their spiritual development is very good. In a range of subjects pupils gain a good understanding of other ways of life and different cultures. Cultural development is good and well supported by visitors who come to the school. For example, the work undertaken on learning about Hinduism has been extended by a visit from an Indian dance group. The school is very conscious of the need to provide pupils with a range of experiences and makes good use of visitors, stories and studies in lessons to both explore the spiritual dimension of life and gain an understanding and respect for other faiths and cultures.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 2.9 School data 0.1 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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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education. Teaching and learning and the planning of the curriculum are good. Links with parents are excellent. The provision for the pupils’ health and welfare and the school’s partnerships with other schools and the local community are very good.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning and the teachers’ assessment of pupils’ work are good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are particularly strong in Year 2, where the challenge presented to the pupils more consistently matches their ability. • Teaching is very good in ICT and it is good in English, mathematics and science. Crofton Hammond Infant - 12 • Consistently good teaching, especially the development of the children’s personal, social and emotional skills, is a notable feature of the provision in Year R classes. • Teachers and their assistants promote warm relationships with the pupils and value their contributions. This develops the pupils’ confidence and independence in learning • Teaching and learning are occasionally constrained to a satisfactory standard due to overlong discussions that limit opportunities for practical work. • Teachers’ marking in subjects other than English does not always identify sufficient ways of improving to the pupils.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 28 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons. 8. The quality of teaching and learning in the school has improved well since the last inspection, unsatisfactory teaching has been eliminated and teaching is now good overall. Teaching was very good in almost a third of the lessons seen, much of this in Year 2. Teaching in almost all other lessons across the school was good. This increasing level of effective teaching promotes the pupils’ good achievement and is beginning to support a cumulative amount of very good achievement. Teaching and learning are consistently good in Year R, where children receive warm and clear direction and help. The quality of teaching is very good in ICT, where all staff show very good knowledge and promote the pupils’ independence very effectively. Teaching was good overall in all other subjects where judgements could be made, including in English,

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Commentary

9. Consistently very good teaching of personal, social and emotional skills was evident in most lessons seen. This was a strong feature of all the lessons seen in Year R, where the children’s confidence as learners is encouraged successfully, for example, when working with computers, or when playing out of doors using the good range of equipment. A strengthening emphasis on developing the pupils’ independent learning skills was also evident across the school. This was a consistent feature of most of the science lessons seen, for example, in Year 2, where enthusiastic pupils investigated whether a shiny penny would shine in the dark. The careful focus on encouraging the pupils’ thinking skills and their readiness for learning through ‘brain gym’ – mental/physical exercises - were other strong elements in many lessons seen, for example, in mathematics lessons.

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Commentary

10. All adults working in the school promote warm, excellent relationships with the pupils and these underpin the enjoyment of learning evident in most lessons seen. In Year 2, for example, pupils shared computers readily, appreciated each other’s ideas and valued the teacher’s and teaching assistant’s advice and this aided their learning significantly.

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Commentary

11. Teaching and consequently pupils’ learning was constrained on occasion by overlong whole class discussions that required pupils to sit and listen and thereby limited opportunities for them to learn in a more enjoyable and effective way through practical activity. Examples of this included a physical education lesson in Year 2 and a music lesson in Year 1. Except in English, where there has been a productive focus on developing pupils’ writing, teachers’ marking is not giving enough guidance to pupils on Crofton Hammond Infant - 13 how to improve their work. As a consequence, the quality of pupils’ recorded work could be better and progress is slowed.

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Commentary

12. Children in Year R achieve well as a result of consistently good teaching in both classes. The curriculum is well integrated and meets the children's needs, with due emphasis placed on activities that encourage children to take a personal responsibility for their own learning. Assessment procedures are very good; adults keep accurate notes to feed into a system that informs planning for individuals and groups of children. Reports to parents are very good and include examples of children’s work and photographic evidence that gives parents an accurate annotated snapshot of their child’s learning. Adults manage children very well.

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Commentary

13. Teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Teaching and learning support assistants play a major role in successfully supporting these pupils. These assistants are well trained and well informed of lesson plans and pupils’ individual needs through frequent discussions with class teachers and fortnightly meetings with the school’s special educational needs co-ordinator. Their support is well focused and effective. Examples of this include a situation where the learning support assistant in a reception class carefully positioned herself to maximise the child’s learning and successfully encouraged the child’s independent interaction with others, choice of resources and careful painting of an aeroplane. In a Year 1 class the teaching assistant carefully encouraged a pupil to sit correctly on her specially modified chair and quietly explained the teacher’s instructions in ways that she could understand. The

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Commentary

practical emphasis of science work is open ended and accessible to pupils with special educational needs. However, an over-reliance on writing to record work means that pupils who find this difficult either struggle or are dependent upon assistance. This does not help their learning. 14. Gifted and talented pupils are supported effectively and receive well-planned and appropriately challenging support for their particular needs. In Year 2, the small group teaching of pupils with similar ability in mathematics represents a strong feature of this developing area of provision.

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The curriculum

The school provides a good curriculum. Enrichment of pupils’ learning is good. Accommodation inside and out is good and is spacious, attractive and well-kept. There are sufficient good quality resources and these are well organised and accessible. The teaching assistants are well organised, well trained and are valued. They are a key resource for pupils’ successful learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The growing emphasis on thinking in lessons is resulting in good and improving standards throughout the curriculum, especially in speaking and listening. • The strong emphasis on personal and social development in the reception classes results in pupils’ very good behaviour and attitudes further up the school. • Accommodation overall is attractive, well kept and conducive to pupils’ very good attitudes to learning. • Opportunities for mathematics, ICT and writing are not always used to best effect elsewhere in the curriculum. Crofton Hammond Infant - 14 • Teaching assistants are successfully developing confidence, knowledge and skills. They support teachers and pupils, especially those with special educational needs, effectively.

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Commentary

15. There is a strong emphasis on thinking throughout the curriculum and this is having a developing impact on teaching and learning. The emphasis on enquiry in science is suitable for all pupils and is resulting in high standards and good achievement. All requirements of the curriculum, including religious education, are being met. Questioning, investigating and discussion in all subjects are successfully encouraging speaking and listening throughout the curriculum. Pupils are confident and articulate. Recorded work in science and mathematics does not reflect the good and growing standards of pupils’ learning. At times there is too great an emphasis on writing in science and lower attaining pupils struggle with this. Opportunities to use numeracy and ICT in other subjects, whilst satisfactory, are still being developed. The strong emphasis on personal and social development in the Year R classes is appropriate and

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Commentary

results in well behaved and motivated pupils. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well and have full access to the whole curriculum.

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Commentary

16. Pupils’ learning is enriched well through visitors to the school and visits out. Visitors have included the school nurse, police officers, local religious ministers, the fire service, professional artists and a librarian. A Hindu Indian musician story-teller enhanced pupils’ growing awareness of other cultures and faiths. An education officer from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals delivered a very good Year 1 lesson on the range and needs of different animals. The school takes part in a national ‘Big Arts Week’ and local musical initiatives. There is relatively good attendance at a lunch-time French Club and at an after- school football club. These are run independently of the school and pupils pay to attend. A teaching assistant runs a lunch-time book club where pupils choose a book and then bring money to save up for and buy it.

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Commentary

17. The school accommodation is suitable, attractive, clean and well kept. This is conducive to pupils’ very good attitudes to learning and is maintained through their very good behaviour. Outdoor facilities are particularly spacious and well equipped with a good range of fixed climbing equipment and wooden bollards which a professional artist has transformed into a range of peg people from around the world. The central courtyard has been developed greatly since the last inspection and is now a very attractive feature of the school. Although it was too cold for pupils to use this during the inspection, it is very accessible and suitable for use at other times. The ICT suite and library are currently housed in corridors. Although this is adequate and represents good use of a limited area, it is quite cramped and movement through the school can be disruptive to lessons there. There is a good range of good quality

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Commentary

resources for every subject. Storage has been developed well and resources are now coherently organised and accessible, and this is enabling pupils’ independence in learning well.

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Commentary

18. There is now a stable and coherent team of teachers and assistants in the school. Teaching assistants correctly recognise themselves as valued and valuable members of the whole team. They meet with teachers to plan lessons and assess pupils twice weekly and with the special educational needs co-ordinator fortnightly. They support teachers and pupils, especially those with special educational needs, effectively. Additionally, each has their own specific role and responsibilities such as ordering stationery and equipment or forming part of the ICT team. Many attend training regularly and are gaining skills and confidence. In this the whole team of staff is becoming a more effective, cohesive and coherent resource for pupils’ learning.

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Care, guidance and support

Crofton Hammond Infant - 15 The school provides a very good level of care, welfare, health and safety for all pupils. Their views are regularly sought and valued and pupils are given very good guidance. Monitoring is used very well to support and extend pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• All staff assign a high priority to the care and welfare of pupils. • Pupils are very well known to staff and valued as individuals. • The school council provides a very effective voice for pupils and their views are important to the school.

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Commentary

19. The school provides a safe and very caring environment for pupils. Good arrangements are made for pupils who are unwell and many staff have first-aid qualifications. Child protection matters are managed very well and procedures are well understood by staff. The very good care and guidance provided within school are effectively extended by the prudent use of a range of external agencies such as speech and occupational therapists. Governors assign a very good level of importance to matters of health and safety and regular inspections are made of the school premises and equipment. Regular risk assessments are also carried out to ensure that pupils work and play safely.

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Commentary

20. All staff, even those only fairly recently appointed, have a good knowledge of the pupils in their care. Pastoral care and guidance is very effectively led by the headteacher. All staff regard the support and guidance of pupils in their care as very important and their progress and personal development are monitored very effectively. Pupils feel very confident that they can share any problems or concerns they have with an adult in school and feel well looked after. The arrangements made to help children settle quickly and confidently into the school, and to make sure that parents are well informed and also supported at this time are very good. Similarly great care is taken in making very good arrangements with the junior school for the smooth transition of pupils to the next stage of their education. For example, there is good liaison between the staff of both schools so that the needs and progress of pupils are well monitored

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Commentary

and followed by both schools before and after transfer, continuity in their learning is planned and curriculum bridges are well established. Parents value the care given to their children and were especially pleased with the care taken to help new pupils settle in school and the fair treatment that their children received.

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Commentary

21. There are very good procedures for seeking the views and ideas pupils may have to help their school. The school council, to which each class contributes, is a well organised way for pupils to contribute their views. During the inspection a Year 2 class discussed matters raised by the school council so that their two representatives could present their views about the code for playground buddies, noise in the dining hall at lunch time and how important it was to have respect. The class had decided that it was better to be a playground buddy for only part of the week and not a whole week and this gave more children a chance to have that role. The discussion was confident and pupils were forthright in their views because they knew it was important to contribute ideas. Circle time and other general class discussions also give very good opportunities for pupils to share ideas. Pupils are very clear that their ideas are

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Commentary

respected and teachers do listen carefully to what they have to say, and this adds to their level of confidence and achievement. Crofton Hammond Infant - 16 22. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Pupils’ needs are identified early and appropriate support is put in place. This support is focused effectively through detailed and carefully thought out individual educational plans which are clearly worded, generally achievable and updated each term. Teaching and learning assistants are well trained, informed and focussed to meet individual needs. A pupil who needs daily physiotherapy is given this by a learning support assistant who carefully records all his care and progress. Visiting specialists such as speech and occupational therapists welcome the open and receptive nature of the staff, who readily accept and implement their advice.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has developed an excellent partnership with parents. Very good links with the community and other schools extend and enhance the learning opportunities for pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides an excellent range of information for parents. • Very well developed programmes of guidance for parents enable them to give good quality help to support their child’s learning at home. • Community links provide a very good range of opportunities to extend classroom learning. • Very good links with other schools, especially the junior school, are well used to support both pupils and staff.

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Commentary

23. Parents have a very positive view of the school and especially value the way in which their views are sought and how efficiently the school responds to any concerns or questions they may wish to raise. They feel their children make good progress and are strongly encouraged to work hard and develop mature attitudes. They are very pleased that their children like school. Parents feel a strong sense of partnership with the school, based on their confidence in all that the school does. Information about the progress children make, as well as day-to-day events and administrative matters, is very well organised. The three opportunities each year for parents to meet with class teachers and the informative annual report provide parents with a very clear and developing picture of their child’s progress.

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Commentary

24. Especially effective are the arrangements made to ensure that parents are well informed and carefully briefed about how they can help their children at home. Support ranges over a broad spectrum, from guidance on how to help your child with reading to half-termly guidance on work to be covered in class, with mini projects and home support plans to work with this new work programme all contributing to enabling parents to feel fully involved and part of their child’s development and learning. Parents are involved in the school in an excellent way and many give valuable help and support in the school day on a regular basis. The parents association, CHIPS, provides excellent support, organising both fund raising and social events for parents so that they are involved with the school and share a sense of common purpose. 25. The school is very well known locally and pupils make regular trips out of school to

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Commentary

explore their local area and meet with local people. The very good partnership with the community embraces local shops, businesses and large supermarkets that welcome Crofton Hammond Infant - 17 school parties. Visits to the local church and visits made to the school by local elderly residents, local clergy and the community police officer both cement the local partnership and provide very valuable additional learning experiences for pupils that enrich the curriculum. These links are well managed by the school and recognised as being very valuable to the social and academic development of pupils.

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Commentary

26. The very well developed partnership with the junior school on the adjacent site is very effective in supporting the smooth transition of pupils at the end of Year 2. Regular information exchanges and the close working partnership between staff in the two schools are of great value to pupils and ensure a well organised transfer to their new school. The school welcomes and values its contribution to initial teacher training for students starting their teaching careers and manages equally well the placement of local secondary pupils seeking work experience. Professional liaison and participation by the school in a range of local education committees and initiatives enrich and extend the work of the school, and the school in turn values its ability to participate and contribute to education in the area.

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Commentary

27. The parents of pupils with special educational needs are well informed and work in partnership with the school. Practical activities for work to do with their child are included on individual educational plans. This strengthens and reinforces children’s learning. Parents meet with class teachers and support assistants each term to review and update the educational plans. Although the special educational needs co-ordinator is only employed one day a week at the school she will come to school on other days if parents need this. Consultation with parents is a high priority on her day in the school.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall. The leadership of the headteacher and the governance of the school are very good. The leadership of other key staff and the management of the school are good.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The clarity of vision, sense of purpose and high aspirations of the headteacher are excellent features within her very good leadership. • Governance is very good. • The school improvement plan reflects the school’s ambitions and goals well. • Management strategies, planned developments and improvements have yet to impact fully on raising standards and achievement, except in English. • Management places a high priority on developing the skills of its staff and effectively deploying them to improve pupils’ learning.

p.17

Commentary

28. The headteacher provides very good leadership and sets a very clear direction for the school. Her vision and aspirations for the school are shared with the staff and since her appointment two years ago she has forged excellent relationships with everyone: staff, pupils and parents. As a result all feel valued and are willing to go the extra mile. The headteacher’s vision is supported by the new deputy headteacher. Strategic planning has been incisive and enabled the staff and governors to focus clearly on the priorities for improvement. There is scope, however, to sharpen criteria for success within school improvement plans, in terms of measurable outcomes for pupils. Crofton Hammond Infant - 18 29. There have been several recent changes in the teaching staff. Regular monitoring has quickly taken place and, along with strengths, weaknesses have been identified and support given. All staff members have very good opportunities for further training to help develop their skills in

p.17

Commentary

teaching, leadership and management and support. Good performance management, based on monitoring, provides both teachers and support staff with appropriate targets to further both their own continuing professional development and school improvement. As a result the quality of teaching and learning is strengthening. The school has been successful in managing these recent changes and establishing an enthusiastic team to carry the school forward. The school supports students training to be teachers well.

p.18

Commentary

30. Much of the school’s recent development has focused on the continuing improvement of the provision for more able pupils and the raising of standards and achievement in English and mathematics. With all that the school has needed to do, there has not yet been sufficient time or opportunity to monitor and evaluate fully the impact of these developments or to achieve best results. The pace of improvement has been increased, however, and augurs very well for the future.

p.18

Commentary

31. The leadership and management of special educational needs are very good. The co- ordinator is experienced, knowledgeable, well organised, committed and proactive. She knows pupils, staff and procedures well. She responds quickly and readily to suggestions for development such as those from local authority advisors. She works closely with the governor who has responsibility for special educational needs and meets formally with her each term. There are plans for her to shadow a pupil with special educational needs so that she can appreciate his needs and the school’s provision first hand. The headteacher’s commitment to supporting pupils with special educational needs and her skill in early identification has resulted in doubling the budget allocated to the school for such support. This in turn means that pupils are supported more effectively and can make better progress in their learning.

p.18

Commentary

32. Governance is very good and has improved well since the last inspection. The strength in governance lies in the close partnership between the staff, parent and other representatives and their willingness in sharing ideas and a commitment to improvement. Governors are led very effectively by a wise chair, who ensures that staff are supported and challenged constructively to the full. Governors are particularly effective in promoting the caring yet expectant ethos of the school and in nurturing excellent relationships. All statutory obligations are met.

p.18

Commentary

33. Financial management and control are good and best value is considered effectively. The rapidly improving provision, not least, for example, in ICT, illustrates the degree to which consideration of best value is having an increasingly beneficial impact on the quality of education provided by the school. The school provides good value for money.

p.18

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.18

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 521,102 Balance from previous year 24,804 Total expenditure 524,034 Balance carried forward to the next 21,872 Expenditure per pupil 3,047 Crofton Hammond Infant - 19

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

34. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage (Year R) is good. Children attend one of the two Year R classes full time in the September of each year. Both classes plan effectively together and children have access to a rich curriculum that makes efficient use of the space and resources. The new outdoor area is used imaginatively to promote all areas of learning well. Attainment on entry is above average. Children achieve well as a result of consistently good teaching in both classes. The curriculum is well integrated and meets the children's needs, with due emphasis placed on activities that encourage children to take a personal responsibility for their own learning. Most children reach the early learning goals before the end of Year R. Assessment procedures are very good; adults keep accurate notes to feed into a system that informs planning for individual and groups of children. Reports to parents

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

are very good and include examples of children’s work and photographic evidence that gives parents an accurate annotated snapshot of their child’s learning. Adults manage children very well and relationships are positive. The very good ratio of adults to children ensures that the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs, are well met. The staff in Year R visit children in their homes prior to starting school and develop the trust and rapport that sets the tone for the school’s excellent partnership with parents. Management procedures are effective. Ongoing development has sustained good provision since the last inspection. Improvements have been made to the outside play area to enable children access to a range of physical play throughout the day.

p.19

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good induction procedures contribute to the excellent relationships with parents, and result in children being happy to come to school and settle quickly to productive learning. • Children behave very well and are receptive to learning, making very good progress. • A calm but active learning environment has been established in both classes, which encourages children take personal responsibility for their learning.

p.19

Commentary

35. Home visits are routine and staff have good relations with the many nursery settings that feed into Crofton Hammond. The headteacher and staff hold several meetings and visits for parents and children in the year preceding entry. This slow build-up is highly effective in building the child's confidence and enthusiasm for school. It also gives parents and carers a real insight into school life. An attitude of inclusion is prevalent and there is a sense of partnership between the school and home at the earliest stages in the child's school life. As a result children quickly gain confidence with adults and assimilate school routines with ease. They learn to happily sit on the carpet with attention and participate in the full range of activities available. Crofton Hammond Infant - 20 36. Teachers and all adults are highly effective when role modelling good behaviour. They have a calm and respectful manner when addressing children and each other.

p.19

Commentary

Teachers value children's contributions to lessons, and they are expected to be responsible for tasks such as taking the register to the office. “Helpers” are identified clearly and they are keen to live up to the title, glowing with pride when they are thanked for their effort. Adults are quick to acknowledge good behaviour and children are praised appropriately for listening with attention and sitting with good posture. Teaching impacts very effectively on children’s learning, promoting very good achievement in this area of learning. 37. All adults foster the development of social skills in a variety of ways. The class routines, especially at the start of the school day, require the children to take responsibility for their belongings. In activity sessions children are required to plan and record their intended activity in their books, record their participation and evaluate the outcome. Some do this in written notes and others graphically, but all are developing a

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children have above average skills in language and literacy and as a result of the effective teaching they achieve well. • Parents are encouraged to help their child at home with early literacy skills and this partnership is a firm basis for the excellent partnership that prevails throughout the school.

p.20

Commentary

38. There is a good balance between formal teaching and effectively planned activities for children that develops their skills in language and early literacy. Teaching is enjoyed by the children as it is accurately pitched to their level of understanding. Children can predict rhymes and identify similar sounds within the text of a story poem. Children formally record their learning and are beginning to write clusters of words to form the start of sentences. Supplementing the formal teaching are a range of imaginative activities such as the travel agents office, where children complete their” passports” and record on booking forms where they want to go holiday. The scrutiny of children’s work indicated that children of all abilities were making good progress and achieving well.

p.20

Commentary

39. Parents benefit from detailed information about reading and early literacy skills. The regular contact and ongoing consultations with teachers result in children making good progress with reading. Parents are given clear guidance on how they can help their children achieve their learning goals. There is an emphasis on language development. Children are encouraged to read at home and to practise simple phonic sounds.

p.20

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good. Crofton Hammond Infant - 21

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• As a result of good teaching children build on their skills and achieve well, many reaching the early learning goals before the end of their year in reception.

p.21

Commentary

40. On entry to Year R children have a good grasp of mathematical language and many are ready to tackle simple problem solving activities. The teachers plan such work well and encourage children to think of ways to use their understanding of number. For instance, most children could think of more than one way to assemble 10 wheels in a car park, given a range of wheeled vehicles with different axle combinations. Most children could combine two vehicles but some thought of permutations of up to three vehicles. There was scope in the session to extend the more able further as they also had the capacity to record their findings, and this could have been incorporated into the lesson to inspire greater debate and comparison of results.

p.21

AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

41. Knowledge and Understanding of the World ; Physical Development and Creative Development are not reported in full as it was not possible to cover all aspects of these wide curriculum areas. Inspectors looked at the planning, assessment records and evidence of children’s recorded work. The children themselves were keen to talk about their learning. The teachers plan well and provide imaginative activities that integrate the curriculum to make learning meaningful for children. For instance, after a visit to a local hairdresser the children engaged in a well-planned series of activities that integrated health, science, painting, collage and literacy. The children enjoyed these activities enormously. ICT is used frequently by the children. They are independent enough to use programs to practise basic skills and they can create simple graphics and have good enough keyboard skills to complete simple word

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are well above average because good teaching and assessment ensures that pupils of all abilities achieve well. • Standards have risen rapidly over the past year as a result of the highly effective monitoring of pupil performance data, particularly in writing.

p.21

Commentary

42. Standards in Year 2 are well above average in speaking and listening. These skills are taught effectively in most curriculum subjects as well as English. Teachers plan sessions well to encourage children to articulate their thinking and in the very good Crofton Hammond Infant - 22 lessons observed, teachers managed their classes to maximise the opportunities for pupils to speak and listen to each other.

p.21

Commentary

43. Reading is systematically taught throughout the school, and a good stock of books is readily available in classrooms and in the library. Reading logs are well used to encourage parents to support their children’s learning, and as result children make good and regular progress. Teachers organise reading well in classes, ensuring pupils regularly participate in individual and group reading sessions. Standards in reading in Year 2 are well above average. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported during literacy lessons by skilled learning support assistants, and as a result they achieve as well as other pupils.

p.22

Commentary

44. Standards in writing in Year 2 are above average. More able pupils did not do as well as expected in National Curriculum tests in 2004 for writing and the school has worked hard to increase the level of interest and challenge to pupils. Inspectors noticed that the proportions of pupils working at a level above expectations for their age was increasing from the previous year, and the current group of pupils in Year 2 are in line to reach above average standards this year. Pupils in Year 1 were similarly placed to build on the good start they received in Year R and are making good progress.

p.22

Commentary

45. Overall teaching is good. Teachers plan their lessons well, sharing their learning objectives with the class, and maintain a good dialogue with the learning support assistants, who contribute well to pupils` learning. In the very good lesson seen, the pace was brisk and children were learning in short bursts of contrasting activity. Assessment and marking in English are consistently good. The pupils receive clear guidance on what they need to do to improve their writing. In reading their targets are explicit in the record books and are regularly updated and referred to in the dialogue between home and school.

p.22

Commentary

46. Leadership and management are very good and have contributed to the improvement in writing since last year. The governors, headteacher and subject leader have been thorough in maintaining and analysing pupil data, and teachers have been well supported in levelling pupils` work against National Curriculum criteria. This information has been well used to set targets within classes and to increase the level of active pupil participation in English lessons.

p.22

Commentary

47. Standards in speaking and listening have improved since the time of the last inspection. The quality of teaching is better, as there were no unsatisfactory lessons observed in this inspection and lessons were consistently good or better. Achievement in writing has improved and is now good for all groups of pupils.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

48. The high quality speaking and listening planned in most subjects is a feature of the school’s curriculum and as result pupils have a very good range of opportunities to get even better. Teachers are beginning to plan writing opportunities in curriculum subjects other than English; for example, the good Year 2 accounts of the Fire of London. The cursive handwriting style poses some difficulties for some of the younger pupils and in subjects such as science this detracts from the quality of presentation in reports.

p.22

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is good . Crofton Hammond Infant - 23

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are well above average in Year 2 and achievement is good. • Teaching and learning are good and continue to improve. • Subject leadership is good and is targeting improvement successfully. • An improved emphasis on developing pupils’ numeracy and problem-solving skills is raising standards. • On occasion the challenge could be even higher for some pupils.

p.23

Commentary

49. Weaknesses such as inconsistent teaching, incomplete planning and variation in the challenge presented to the pupils, all of which were identified at the time of the last inspection, have been addressed well. As a consequence, standards in Year 2 have risen from average to well above average, with achievement lifted from satisfactory to good and with an increasing number of pupils now achieving very well. The quality of teaching and learning is good. It has improved well since the last inspection and continues to improve as, for example, teaching pupils in groups based on prior attainment in Year 2 now challenges pupils to best effect.

p.23

Commentary

50. Although the below average comparison with the performance of pupils in similar schools in the 2004 National Curriculum tests slowed the trend of rising standards, it reflected the performance of a year group of pupils that contained a greater number of pupils with learning needs than usually found in the school. The current well above average standards demonstrated by pupils in Year 2 and also expected of pupils in Year 1 when they leave show how standards are being lifted across the school. These standards reflect good achievement and a return to the standards seen in National Curriculum tests in 2001 and 2003.

p.23

Commentary

51. Observations and discussions with Year 2 pupils in and out of lessons showed that they could order and partition numbers up to four digits. Pupils talked confidently about their own strategies and several pupils could partition numbers with six digits, illustrating the improving achievement of higher attainers as well as lower attainers. Evidence from a scrutiny of the pupils’ work was less supportive of good progress but needs to be considered alongside the school’s increasing and beneficial use of whiteboards for noting pupils’ strategies in lessons that restricts the amount of work recorded on paper

p.23

Commentary

52. The quality of teaching and learning is good and there is an increasing amount of very good teaching, especially in Year 2, leading to improved achievement for many pupils. Detailed planning, regular use of ‘brain gym’ - mental/ physical exercises to freshen pupils’ readiness for thinking - and the careful sharing of lesson objectives with pupils were key aspects of the most successful lessons seen. Learning was strengthened in Year 2 on occasions by the pupils’ willingness to rise to the challenges presented to them by teachers who are also using very specific language to extend pupils’ thinking. For example, pupils in Year 2 were asked to think strategically when partitioning numbers. On occasion learning was less successful in Year 1, when the challenge didn’t meet the pupils’ heightened expectations.

p.23

Commentary

53. The close support given to pupils with special educational needs and to gifted and talented pupils reflects the ongoing improvement of the provision. Most assessment Crofton Hammond Infant - 24 procedures are completed effectively and provide teachers with a good level of knowledge about the pupils’ progress. However, the quality of teachers’ marking is inconsistent and does not give enough ways of improving to the pupils, limiting the benefits of recording work. The subject leader leads the subject effectively. She has promoted a team approach to subject development, has emphasised the progression of skills in planning and has encouraged a problem solving approach in teaching and learning. Resources for supporting pupils are good.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

54. Following a successful drive to lift the standards of pupils’ basic numeracy skills, the focus is now widening to include the application and development of these skills across the curriculum. Currently these skills are promoted satisfactorily in subjects such as science and design and technology, for example, when measuring the rate at which ice melts. The increasing emphasis on extending and using the pupils’ ICT skills also offers opportunities for numeracy skills to be enriched. This was seen to good effect in an ICT lesson in Year 1, where the pupils counted their scores using software designed to develop their mouse control skills.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils make good progress through the strong emphasis on thinking, questioning and investigations in lessons. • Planning has improved greatly since the last inspection and now covers all the required elements. • Pupils’ very good behaviour and attitudes to learning contribute well to their good achievement in understanding and knowledge. • Work in books, especially in Year 2, does not reflect pupils’ high attainment. Marking is not always accurate or helpful and there is too strong an emphasis on recording through writing which lower attaining pupils struggle with.

p.24

Commentary

55. Over the past three years, standards reached by the pupils in National Curriculum tests in Year 2 have been well above average for all schools nationally and for those in similar circumstances. These represent much higher standards than at the time of the last inspection. The main reasons for this improvement are developments in planning, ensuring that pupils now cover all the required aspects and the increased focus on investigation, questioning and observation. Even better results are anticipated in the coming year. This emphasis on open-ended investigative learning provides good opportunities for all pupils and higher and lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs are all achieving well. There are no significant differences in the progress and achievements of boys and girls.

p.24

Commentary

56. Teaching and learning are good. Pupils’ very good behaviour and attitudes to learning mean that time in lessons is used totally for learning, as very little, if any, is wasted on discipline. In one Year 2 lesson pupils were animated and engrossed in designing experiments to find out whether a shiny penny would shine in the dark. They worked co-operatively to very good effect. Lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs were effectively Crofton Hammond Infant - 25 supported by the teaching assistant. The teacher was able to go around to different pairs, encouraging questioning and asking pupils to describe and explain their ideas and findings. There are good links with the development of speaking and listening. Links with writing are less effective as an over-reliance on written recording is too demanding for lower attaining pupils and they do not always complete tasks. Opportunities for developing the pupils’

p.24

Commentary

numeracy and ICT skills are not always fully utilised, especially when recording work, for example, by not counting all the minibeasts found in various parts of the playground.

p.25

Commentary

57. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator was appointed to the school as deputy headteacher in September 2004. She is an experienced, skilled, and knowledgeable co-ordinator who has developed the curriculum and is placing even more emphasis on first-hand investigations through ‘concept cartoons’. These are relevant and amusing published stories that stir pupils’ interest and desire to find answers and are easy for teachers to use and present. She has not yet monitored pupils’ work in books sufficiently and these, especially in Year 2, do not reflect the high standards of attainment or teaching and learning seen in lessons. Marking is sometimes inaccurate and incorrect and comments written by teachers do not always help pupils make progress in their learning.

p.25

Commentary

58. There are very good links with parents. These are utilised well to develop pupils’ learning outside the school day, for example, in devising questions for pupils to research about space in the coming term. Accommodation, both inside and out, is spacious and used well for science. The good quality resources are sufficient organised accessibly and used well. The co-ordinator ensures that consumables such as batteries are replaced regularly. There has been good progress since the last inspection. Standards, planning, and the quality of teaching and learning have all improved well.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are now very good. • Resources have been improved significantly and are strengthening provision. • The use of ICT across the curriculum is satisfactory but is stronger in some subjects than in others.

p.25

Commentary

59. Provision was identified as unsatisfactory at the time of the last inspection. Since then a corporate approach to subject development has addressed all issues, including curriculum and improvement planning. As a result, by Year 2, most pupils, including those with special educational needs, reach above average standards and achieve satisfactorily. Pupils in Year 2 give accurate instructions to floor robots, directing their movements effectively. Most pupils locate websites to collect evidence, for example, about the universe, and understand fully the opportunities for research provided by ICT. Although the teaching and learning seen during the inspection were very good, this represents a significant relatively recent improvement that has not yet impacted to best effect on pupils’ achievement. It does show rapid improvement, however, that augurs well for even higher standards in the future. An important feature

p.25

Commentary

underpinning improving standards is the regular use of ICT to enrich children’s learning in Year R, which enables children to acquire skills and confidence from an early age.

p.25

Commentary

60. The quality of teaching and learning seen was consistently very good and was enriched substantially by the close teamwork between teachers and their talented Crofton Hammond Infant - 26 assistants. In lessons in Year 1 and 2, the very good knowledge of staff enabled them to give close, accurate and well-timed advice to the pupils that supported learning. This was illustrated in Year 2 lesson where advice about how to program a floor robot had a noticeable impact on the pupils’ confidence and understanding. In another lesson in Year 1, advice about how to use the mouse deepened the pupils’ understanding of how we use and control computers. Very warm relationships and clear ways of making improvement were other key elements in the pupils’ very successful learning. This very good quality of guidance needs more time to impact fully on pupils’ skills.

p.25

Commentary

61. The subject is led very effectively. The current leader highlights the positive impact of the team approach to leading and developing the subject, with support assistants and teachers working in very effective partnership to utilise their expertise to the full. Their combined drive and enthusiasm, now supported by much improved and now good resources, is promoting rapidly rising standards throughout the school. Pupils are now developing a full range of skills and are building upon previous learning with increasing effect as they move from class to class. The subject is at an exciting stage of development and is supporting pupils’ independence in learning very successfully. Overall there has already been very good improvement since the last inspection.

p.26

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

62. The use of ICT to support learning in other subjects is satisfactory but it is improving rapidly as the pupils’ skills and opportunities are developed. Art programs, for example, are used to good effect to develop the pupils’ ICT skills and to raise their awareness of colour and shape. The increasing use of software to develop the pupils’ numeracy skills is strengthening the cross-curricular value of ICT.

p.26

HUMANITIES

Religious education was sampled and is reported below. Geography and history were not inspected.

p.26

HUMANITIES

63. Due to the timing of the inspection in relation to the school’s planned curriculum, only one lesson in religious education could be observed. In the satisfactory lesson seen in Year 1, the teacher introduced a new unit of work on Jesus as a figure of authority. She explained carefully and gave illustrations from the children’s own experience of what makes a figure of authority. The pace of the lesson was not brisk enough to give the pupils sufficient time to think about and select their own figure of authority. The deputy headteacher is fresh to her role as co-ordinator and has been diligent in rewriting plans for use in all classes to introduce the new locally agreed syllabus. There has been little evaluation, as yet, of the impact of the new syllabus on pupils’ learning. There is a good supply of religious artefacts and these are used to good effect to create displays of Christian and Hindu faiths in different areas of the school. These

p.26

HUMANITIES

help to develop the pupils’ understanding of cultural issues. The scrutiny of pupils’ work also showed their developing understanding of religious belief and practice and their maturing respect for the beliefs of others. Opportunities for the pupils to write reflectively or to use ICT to enrich their learning are not fully developed.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Art and design, design and technology, music and physical education were sampled. 64. Attractive and well-kept displays of pupils’ art and design add to the ordered and pleasant atmosphere of the school, making it very conducive to learning. Pieces such Crofton Hammond Infant - 27 as a life-sized paper mache tree in the entrance hall, large painted canvases of pupils’ favourite activities and wooden bollards painted as people from around the world have been created in conjunction with professional artists. Their visits and the use of their expertise have extended pupils’ experiences, improved the quality of some work displayed and enriched pupils’ learning. Most pupils enjoy art greatly and are very proud of their own work; a few could make further progress in critical evaluation in order to improve. In one very good art lesson seen there were some good links with ICT where Year 2 pupils used the ‘Dazzle’ program to produce pictures of planets

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

which they then compared to those drawn by another pupil. Year 1 pupils actively and independently investigated mixing blue and yellow powder paints as preparation to painting the background for a display.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

65. The subject co-ordinator for art and design has been in place since June 2004. She is very enthusiastic and is developing her initially limited expertise in the field through specialised training and local authority advice. She has disseminated some of the knowledge and skills she has gained to other colleagues in the school. The subject is led satisfactorily. There is sufficient space in classrooms for artwork and adequate good quality resources. The reorganisation of resources has made these more accessible to staff and pupils.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

66. Teachers approach design and technology in an imaginative and creative way, for example, in Year 2 by hanging large models made from recycled boxes from the ceiling, allowing display space opportunities for ongoing work and viewing from different angles. These models made from three-dimensional shapes and bridges designed to be 60 centimetres long and strong enough to support a 50 gram weight are good examples of growing links with mathematics. The subject co-ordinator has been in place since June 2004 and is very enthusiastic for the subject to be integrated across the curriculum. This is at an early stage of development. She has developed her initially limited expertise through training and local authority advice and provides satisfactory leadership. Accommodation and resources are suitable for the subject and staff use these creatively and resourcefully.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

67. The success and importance of the school’s emphasis on music was clearly evident in all the whole school assemblies seen. During these special and appreciated occasions, the pupils sang with care and skill, and in unison, to achieve good harmony that enriched the spiritual nature of the assembly. Two lessons were observed, one very good and one satisfactory. The distinguishing feature between the more successful lesson seen in Year 2 and the less effective lesson in Year 1 was the stronger emphasis on pupils learning through practical activity evident in the Year 2 lesson. The interest and enthusiasm that stemmed from their ability to play and use a variety of instruments in order to consider the dynamics of sound enriched their learning significantly. Learning in the lesson about timbre in Year 1 was slowed by the need for pupils to sit and listen for too long. The subject leader has good expertise and

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

promotes the cross-curricular value and application of music to enrich pupils’ learning to good effect. Work in music makes a significant contribution to the caring ethos of the school through its links with work in religious education and through events such as the Christmas performance.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

68. Two lessons in physical education were observed. One was satisfactory and the other good. In the better lesson the pupils were active for longer and made good progress in jumping from one and two feet. A feature of both lessons was the overt links teachers made to foster health education. Teachers explained the rationale of preparing the body for vigorous exercise and the need to rest afterwards. Pupils were invited to contribute and articulate their own observations. They have a good Crofton Hammond Infant - 28 vocabulary for health education and are clearly encouraged to take a responsible attitude. Resources for physical education are good. Well-maintained gym equipment is stored in the hall and the resources for games are well managed and labelled for ease of administration in lessons. The subject co-ordinator has an enthusiasm for gymnastics and expertise that she has used to good effect in amending the planning

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

for use with all classes. She is new to her role, however, and it is too early to assess or evaluate the impact of these recent changes. The school offers after-school clubs to enrich curriculum activities in football.

p.28

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Personal, social and health education and citizenship was sampled.

p.28

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

69. The personal, social and health education curriculum is planned in detail and is an important component in support of the school’s caring ethos. The ongoing development of this area of provision is linked closely with its participation in ‘Healthy Schools’ initiatives. School assemblies and class and school ‘councils’ - whereby representative groups of pupils express their views - are useful opportunities for the pupils to develop and share their ideas. Work in this area of the curriculum has a very supportive impact on the pupils’ personal development. Crofton Hammond Infant - 29

p.28

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 1 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.29

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.29