Littleton CofE Infant School

AIDED INFANT SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Littleton CofE Infant School - 2 - March 2005 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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AIDED 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. Littleton CofE Infant School - 3 - March 2005

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant School School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 3-7 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 93

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Rectory Close Shepperton Surrey

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01932 563271 Fax number: 01032 568205

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Mark Smith

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 30 November 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Littleton Church of England Infant school, situated in the town of Shepperton, is highly popular with parents. It is smaller than most infant schools. The pupils come from the town and surrounding areas, some from as far as Walton-on-Thames. Overall though, the social and economic circumstances of the area are typically average. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is average, at around 12 per cent.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

One pupil is at the early stage of learning English and only two pupils come from minority ethnic groups. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs (18 per cent) is average; there are no pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Need. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school varies from year to year and is currently below average.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school received the School Achievement Award in 2002. Privately-funded nursery provision has occupied the site for some years, although late last summer the nursery closed without warning. Most of the current staff have been appointed since the last inspection. Littleton CofE Infant School - 4 - March 2005

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

25349 George Derby Lead inspector Mathematics Science Information and communication technology Art and design Design and technology Special educational needs English as an additional language 9519 Susan Pritchard Lay inspector 22092 Derek Watts Team inspector English Geography History Music Physical education Areas of learning in the Foundation Stage

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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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). Littleton CofE Infant School - 5 - March 2005

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 28

Littleton CofE Infant School - 6 - March 2005

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is an effective school with a strong ethos based on good Christian principles. The pupils achieve well and reach standards which are above average. The quality of teaching is good and very good teamwork among staff means that all pupils’ needs are effectively met. The leadership by the headteacher is good and leadership and management, overall, are satisfactory. The school provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Standards in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology (ICT) are above average and pupils achieve well. • Children get off to a flying start in the reception class. • Teaching is good and teachers’ commitment to doing things even better is high; however, there is only a very small amount of very good teaching. • Support is good for pupils who are not doing as well as others or who need extra help. • Pupils love school very much and are very keen to attend; attendance is very good. • The contribution of parents to school life and their children’s learning is very good; their financial contribution through fund-raising activities is enormous. • The school’s high commitment to information and communication technology (ICT) and its use to support learning results in standards and achievement which are good. • The curriculum is good and there are very good opportunities to extend learning.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Strategic planning and the role of subject leaders in the monitoring and evaluation of their subjects, although satisfactory, are not fully developed.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Improvement since the last inspection in 1999 has been good overall. Achievement, from children’s starting points has risen and is good. Standards have improved. Most key issues have been effectively addressed, although the school has found itself in financial difficulty again due to a sudden loss of income by the withdrawal of the private nursery which occupied the site. Curriculum co-ordinators have improved their monitoring role, although they do not yet monitor the quality of teaching in their subjects.

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

The children’s skills on entry to the school vary from year to year. They are usually average and occasionally above average. Currently, they are slightly lower than those of most children of their age. The standards in the Year 2 national tests in the 2001, 2002 and 2003 were in line with the national average overall. Weaknesses in pupils’ writing have been effectively addressed and standards improved well. Standards in the 2004 tests were well above average (both nationally and compared with schools with a similar percentage of free Littleton CofE Infant School - 7 - March 2005 school meals). The trend in results over the past four years has been upward, and better than the national picture. From the work seen, the pupils currently achieve well and standards are above average. Children have a good start in the reception class where they also achieve well and are on course to reach the goals expected by the end of the year.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The school’s targets in 2004 (and for 2005) are now much more challenging were mostly exceeded. There is no significant difference in the attainment of pupils with special educational needs, boys and girls, the very few from minority ethnic groups or those with English as an additional language. The high commitment to ICT and to pupils’ individual skills in ICT means that they achieve well and show a good level of competence.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Personal development is good . Pupils listen well and are interested in what they learn. Occasionally, they are restless in whole class parts of lessons. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They have good multicultural opportunities and demonstrate a good knowledge; a positive improvement since the last inspection. Attendance is very good and punctuality is generally good. Occasionally, a few pupils are regularly late to school.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good . Teachers have a positive commitment to helping pupils do their best and to improving their own skills. However, although teaching is good , there was very little very good teaching seen during the inspection. Although the majority of the aspects, such as planning, the methods used, the use of resources and the pace of lessons, are all good, staff are not always vigilant enough in ensuring pupils are paying attention, especially during the whole class parts of lessons. This is best in Year 2 where there are high standards but in other classes too much leeway is given. Teachers have a good range of ways of assessing pupils’ learning and achievement but not enough use is made of targets to help pupils understand how they can improve. The good curriculum, effective links with parents and sound attention to care, guidance and support contribute well to pupils’ achievements.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory with good features. The headteacher has a clear view of the school’s strengths and where improvement is needed. She has built an effective staff team (most of whom were appointed since the last inspection) and has managed change within the school to positive effect for pupils. The school’s priorities for improvement are the right ones but strategic planning, both at headteacher level and by co- ordinators, needs to be better honed, especially with sharper criteria for success. The work of governors is satisfactory and they ensure that most statutory requirements are met. There are still parts of their annual report to parents missing though, as outlined in the last inspection report. They are supportive, have the school’s interests at heart, but their ability to monitor and evaluate the school’s work is variable and some are too reliant on the information they receive from the headteacher and staff.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents at the pre-inspection parents’ meeting were vociferous in praising the school and its relationships with them. The questionnaires completed indicate that they think this is an effective school, although a small number think there is a problem with behaviour. Inspectors found no evidence of this, however. Pupils get on well with each other. A few parents also think the school could take more account of their views. Inspectors agree that Littleton CofE Infant School - 8 - March 2005 the school could canvass these more regularly. Overall, however, parents have very positive views and pupils like school very much.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Improve strategic planning further and develop co-ordinator’s and governors’ roles in this process, especially with regard to their monitoring and evaluation of the school’s effectiveness. • Improve the quality of teaching further to ensure that there is a greater proportion of very good teaching. and to meet statutory requirements: • Governors must ensure that all information that is legally required is published in the annual report to parents. Littleton CofE Infant School - 9 - March 2005

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils achieve well and reach standards which are above average.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have improved well since the last inspection. • Standards in English, mathematics, science and ICT are above average. • The pupils achieve well in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2.

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Commentary

1. The headteacher has worked hard to improve pupils’ standards. Through work which has been targeted towards areas where assessment and the good analysis of pupils’ performance has identified weaknesses, such as in writing, the action taken has successfully raised standards.

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Commentary

2. The good support and attention provided for pupils with special educational needs mean that they, too, achieve well. There is no significant difference in the attainment or progress of boys and girls or of the very few pupils from the different minority ethnic groups. In fact, the particular support given to the latter over the past year has enabled the school to gain a much clearer view of pupils’ needs and to provide work appropriately matched to them.

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Commentary

3. Pupils reach standards which are above average in speaking and listening, reading, writing, mathematics, science and ICT. Their achievement in these subjects is good. From an examination of pupils’ work they are also above average in geography and history. Standards have improved since the last inspection, although they have varied for individual aspects of the subjects over recent years. This reflects the differing attainment of the pupils entering the school, which is confirmed by the school’s assessment results. This varies from above average to below average, and this school year was slightly lower than children of a similar age. The overall picture of attainment from the results of the national tests in 2001, 2002 and 2003 is one where standards were in line with the national average. However, compared with schools with a similar percentage of school meals, standards have sometimes been below

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Commentary

average and in writing, well below average at times. The school has worked hard to improve provision and raise standards and, in 2004, the results overall were well above the national average and also when compared with similar schools. Standards in science, as assessed, at the end of Year 2 in 2004 were in the top five per cent of schools and have generally been above or well above average over the past three years. Pupils have also attained similarly at the higher than expected level and standards have generally been above average or better. This is because of the school’s improved attention to investigation and to ensuring that the programme of work enables pupils to reach the higher level.

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Commentary

4. Pupils achieve well in English. Standards in speaking and listening are above average. Pupils are confident in answering questions and give clear answers. They speak at length and include reasons for their ideas. Standards in reading are also Littleton CofE Infant School - 10 - March 2005 above average. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, enjoy reading and develop skills well. Standards in writing are above average. Pupils’ of all abilities produce well constructed sentences with accurate punctuation. Handwriting is regular and letters are well formed.

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Commentary

5. In mathematics, pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well. More able pupils tackle number problems confidently. They can lay their work out and describe their methods which are better than normally expected for pupils their age. Their knowledge and understanding of the properties of shape are also good. Assessment information is used well to accelerate the progress pupils make.

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Commentary

6. The pupils do well in ICT. This is because of the school’s high commitment to developing pupils’ skills, and the good use of ICT in lessons to support learning, strongly support pupils’ attainment. Children are encouraged to use computers from the very start of their time in the reception class, and they become confident computer users.

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Commentary

7. Children in the reception class achieve well in all the expected areas of learning. They get off to a flying start because of the staff’s knowledge and expertise in planning a programme which balances opportunities for children to explore for themselves and to develop self-knowledge with adequate guidance from staff. As a result, the children are on course to reach the early learning goals in most areas by the end of the school year.

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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 16.8 (17.0) 15.8 (15.7) writing 16.5 (15.9) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 17.7 (17.3) 16.2 (16.3) There were 24 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Overall, the school develops pupils’ attitudes, values and personal qualities well . Their attitudes to school and work and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are also good . Pupils’ behaviour is good . Attendance is very good and punctuality is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Attendance levels are well above the national average. • Pupils have positive attitudes. • Behaviour is generally good. • A small minority of pupils are restless and lack concentration. • Cultural development has improved.

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Commentary

8. Attendance has improved significantly since the last inspection. Parents are of the view that good attendance promotes good and responsible attitudes. Most, for example, resist the temptation of taking family holidays during term time. However, Littleton CofE Infant School - 11 - March 2005 the school has no set or staged procedures to persuade parents they must get their children to school on time. Although most do, and pupils’ punctuality is good overall, a few pupils sometimes miss the introductory session before lessons formally start.

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Commentary

9. Overall, the school has maintained the good standards of provision in this area since the last inspection. Most pupils have positive attitudes to learning and show a keen interest in the activities provided. They relate well with their peers and with adults in the school. When required, pupils can work both independently and collaboratively. Overall, pupils’ behaviour is good in assemblies, in lessons, and around the school. There have been no exclusions in recent years. The good attitudes and behaviour contribute significantly to pupils’ good achievement.

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Commentary

10. In all classes there is a small minority of pupils who lack concentration and are restless, particularly at the start of lessons. Teachers’ strategies for dealing with this are not always consistent and, therefore, not fully effective. While these minor weaknesses do not impede pupils’ overall rate of learning, the pace and flow of the lesson are sometimes interrupted.

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Commentary

11. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good in all four areas. The school’s attractive grounds with a variety of flower borders and shrubs contribute to pupils’ feelings and spiritual development. Through lessons and assemblies, pupils develop respect for the beliefs and feelings of others and the responsibilities of living in a community. A visiting speaker presented an outstanding assembly on the theme ‘You can make a difference’. Using a multimedia presentation, he told the story of the Good Samaritan. His animated approach and a good series of illustrations told the story exceptionally well. The pupils were fascinated and responded well to the questions. Using a video extract, the speaker conveyed the problems of poverty and starvation in some African countries. Pupils had good opportunities to reflect on their lifestyle of plenty with food, televisions and computers, and to empathise with others in

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Commentary

the world who lack very basic requirements.

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Commentary

12. Pupils’ cultural development has improved since the last inspection, particularly multicultural development. Pupils develop a knowledge and understanding of different cultures well through a range of subjects and strategies. Reading is strong in the school and pupils are introduced to a very good range of literature including tales and stories from around the world such as ‘Rainbow Bird’, an Aboriginal tale, and ‘Rama and the Demon King’, an Indian tale. A successful ‘book week’ and ‘book character day’ enhance pupils’ interest in literature. Pupils acquire an understanding of different faiths and festivals. Displays and portraits around the school introduce pupils to the work of famous artists including Turner, Lowry, Monet and David Hockney. Visits and French and drama club contribute well to cultural development.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.2 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

Littleton CofE Infant School - 12 - March 2005 The quality of education is good . The quality of teaching and learning is also good. Other aspects such as the good curriculum with its very good opportunities for enrichment, the sound quality of care and strong links with parents and the community, effectively contribute to the pupils’ opportunities and progress.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good. It is good in the Foundation Stage (reception class) as well as in Years 1 and 2. Assessment is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching has improved well since the last inspection; planning and questioning are particular strengths. • Resources are used effectively although, at times, pupils are not sufficiently encouraged to use the interactive whiteboard. • Pupils’ needs are well met and teachers plan thoroughly; however, they recognise that sharper planning of outcomes for pupils could lead to even better learning. • More vigilance is needed in ensuring that all pupils pay sufficient attention during introductions. • Assessment has improved well and the school uses this information well to plan for pupils’ next learning.

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Commentary

13. Although teaching was deemed good at the time of the last inspection, nearly a tenth was unsatisfactory. There is now no weak teaching and three-quarters of that seen during the inspection was good. Teachers have a high commitment to pupils doing their very best and to improving their own skills so pupils can reach their full potential. However, only a small amount of teaching is very good.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 20 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 20 lessons

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.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 20 lessons

14. The pace of lessons is now swift and teachers time their lesson better, identifying to pupils how long they have for an activity. This spurs pupils on to work faster and productively but accuracy is always emphasised by staff. Time is usually used well and the individual study sessions before lessons start each day are particularly well used to support learning. In a very few instances, introductions go on too long and pupils become restless. Sometimes, not enough time is left for plenary sessions, for a review/assessment of pupils’ learning. However, on the whole, the introductions and ends of lessons are used well, especially when teachers use their interactive whiteboards to illustrate points. They do this effectively and with confidence, although they do not always involve pupils sufficiently in the ‘interactive’ part. Teachers’ subject knowledge is good and a satisfactory range of opportunities have been provided to

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 20 lessons

improve teacher’s skills, since this was identified as a weakness in the last inspection. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good. There is good staff expertise and knowledge of how to promote early learning skills. Teachers now provide a good range of opportunities which help pupils explore and learn for themselves. Littleton CofE Infant School - 13 - March 2005 15. Staff organise their lessons well and always have a good range of resources and ways of teaching to interest pupils and stimulate their imagination. They ensure that the plans for the topics are well considered and that ideas are developed so that pupils can make the connections with what they learn in other lessons. Good emphasis on oral, written, number and ICT skills is evident in most lessons. Good questioning and the drawing of pupils’ attention to the different aspects of what they are learning help them understand better what they are learning.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 20 lessons

16. Teachers plan thoroughly and work effectively together to ensure that the pupils’ needs are well met, including for those with special educational needs. They clearly discuss with the class what the whole class is to learn and mostly check this out well at the end of the lesson. They identify and record who has achieved the objective and who has not. They recognise that their planning (and pupils’ learning) could be improved by specifying in their plans what they expect the different groups within their class to achieve, although they do have a clear view of this in their own minds. Planning does identify what the different ability groups will do and work is matched well to pupils’ needs. However, there is often only one objective overall, and assessment and pupils’ knowledge of their own learning could be further improved with this more detailed planning.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 20 lessons

17. Assistants make a strong contribution to lessons and provide valuable support during the practical part, particularly for pupils with special educational needs. They take on important roles in supporting individual or groups and generally do this well. Most of the time, they record pupils’ responses, carefully shadow individuals and interpret and explain what the teacher is expecting the pupils to do. However, at times, a few do not have a clear role during the introductions to lessons and do not always notice pupils who are restless or who do not appear to be listening. In addition, some teachers’ management of pupils is not always consistent and not enough of a range of ways is used to encourage pupils to watch and listen. 18. Assessment procedures have been transformed since the previous inspection, when assessment was unsatisfactory and there were no systems for assessing pupils’ achievement. Systems are now well in place for all subjects and detailed tracking and

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 20 lessons

regular recording of National Curriculum levels occurs in English, mathematics, science and ICT. Pupils are regularly assessed in relation to the objectives set in the half-termly planning and in some cases activities or tests are provided, such as in ICT and science. Marking is thorough and gives pupils a clear view on what needs to be improved.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 20 lessons

19. In English and mathematics, pupils are given targets and these are matched to the needs of the ability groups within each class. However, the school recognises the need to make assessment for learning even sharper a next step would be to tailor targets for pupils’ individual needs so that they had even more specific information about how they can improve across a range of subjects. The achievements of pupils with special educational needs are closely watched through assessments made against the objectives in their targets in their individual education plans. While the targets are generally clear and relevant for pupils as next steps for the most important things they need to learn, the criteria to judge their success is not always sharp enough.

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The curriculum

Littleton CofE Infant School - 14 - March 2005 The school provides a good curriculum. Opportunities for enrichment are very good. Accommodation and resources are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is well planned, broad and balanced. • Language, literacy, numeracy and ICT are used well across the curriculum. • A wide and interesting range of additional activities enrich the curriculum very well. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good.

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Commentary

20. Good improvements have been made to the curriculum since the last inspection. The planning of the curriculum has improved from satisfactory to good. The range of extra-curricular activities offered has improved from satisfactory to very good.

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Commentary

21. The Foundation Stage curriculum, for children in the reception class, is well planned and all six areas of learning are given appropriate attention. A wide range of activities are provided to stimulate children’s interest and enable them to achieve well. The curriculum for Years 1 and 2 is also well planned and implemented. All National Curriculum subjects are taught, plus religious education. The school has effectively implemented the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies for English and mathematics and national guidance is used well to plan other subjects.

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Commentary

22. Teachers plan and review the curriculum collaboratively and there are good links between subjects. Pupils have good opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills in a range of subjects. They are also given good opportunities to apply literacy skills of reading and writing in subjects such as history and geography. In subjects such as science and geography, pupils have clear opportunities to apply and reinforce numeracy skills. Pupils use ICT well to support their learning in subjects. The good use of language, literacy, numeracy and ICT across the curriculum contributes positively to pupils’ good achievement and above average competence in English, mathematics and ICT.

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Commentary

23. The school uses a blend of teachers and visitors to provide a very good range of additional activities. Pupils participate well in clubs such as chess, computers, football, French, recorders and story. Visiting speakers also enrich the curriculum and there are interesting visits to places such as Kew Gardens. 24. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. It is effectively planned for pupils of different attainment and needs. Pupils are well supported by teaching assistants and, as a consequence, pupils have full access to the interesting activities of the curriculum and they make good progress.

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Commentary

25. The school has a satisfactory number of teachers and a good level of support staff. The accommodation is spacious and well used. The outdoor areas are attractive, with a good range of play equipment. The quiet area ‘Story Book Wood’ is a very useful resource. The range and quality of resources are generally good and staff use these well to promote pupils’ learning.

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Care, guidance and support

Littleton CofE Infant School - 15 - March 2005 There are satisfactory arrangements for the care, welfare, health and safety of pupils. Pupils have access to sound advice and guidance, and satisfactory account is taken of their views.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils feel relaxed and confident about sharing their thoughts and feelings with adults in school. • Insufficient action has been taken to deal with issues highlighted by some risk assessments. • Good attention has been given to helping pupils stay safe on their way to school.

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Commentary

26. Pupils know they are important and matter as individuals within the school community. They are clear that teachers listen to their ideas, and feel confident that someone is there to help them should they have a problem. Pupils are good at suggesting ways of improving their school but, sometimes, have to wait too long to see action being taken on them. For example, the school councillors are as concerned as they were two years ago about the arguments that football can cause in the playground, yet there are times when the supervision of all pupils out there is left to only one member of staff.

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Commentary

27. Parents are concerned about their children’s well-being in school, and the school works hard to allay their fears. The school is bright, warm and welcoming and kept that way by the diligent and hard-working caretaker. However, because of problems funding the works, slow progress has been made in tackling some of the health and safety issues highlighted in a recent survey of the premises. Where the school has made a real effort to improve its environment, it has achieved notable success. For example, as a result of lobbying the relevant authorities, pupils now have a safer journey to school via the newly installed Pelican crossing.

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Commentary

28. All staff deal effortlessly and sensitively with pupils’ minor injuries and know what to do in the event of a more serious wound. However, an assessment has yet to be made on whether the level of first aid knowledge and expertise is sufficient to suit the circumstances of the school, particularly where staff are involved in administering medication. The basic three-hour first aid training session that all staff attend every three years is supplemented by some additional training to help them assist pupils with specific medical needs. This enables all pupils on roll to take a full part in all school activities.

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Commentary

29. The school has satisfactory procedures in place to deal with child protection issues. Staff act in accordance with the agreed policy by listening closely to what children say and being careful to report straightaway any concerns they may have to the headteacher. However, not all staff undergo regular training to heighten their awareness of the indicators that may show a child to be at risk. A start has been made on improving access to the school building for people with mobility problems but much has yet to be done to make the whole school fully accessible to all.

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Commentary

30. A good level of care and support is extended to pupils with special educational needs. Individual educational plans are reviewed regularly. Littleton CofE Infant School - 16 - March 2005 31. The support given to pupils, based on the monitoring of their work, is satisfactory. Pupils are coaxed and encouraged to try hard and to get on with their work, and marking supports improvement well. It clearly identifies where pupils need to improve. Targets are set in English and mathematics but these are the same for each ability group, and as such are not set individually. Teachers recognise that tailoring targets for individuals in this way is an area for further improvement across a number of subjects.

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Commentary

32. There are sound arrangements in place to help children settle into school. Teachers work closely with parents to help ease the transition between home and school. Parents who offered their views to inspectors had no concerns about the way their children were introduced to the school.

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Commentary

33. The arrangements for care, guidance and support are much the same as they were at the time of the previous inspection.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a good partnership with parents and good links with the community and other schools.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents excel at fundraising for their school and are very loyal supporters of it. • The school maintains a friendly and open dialogue with parents but their views are not sought often enough in any formal way. • Reporting to parents on pupils’ achievements is satisfactory but the governors’ report still does not include all the information it should. • Good links with the church and other schools continue to support pupils’ personal development well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

34. Parents explicitly acknowledge the fact that responsibility for a child’s education is shared between home and school. The support they give to the attendance and the behaviour policy, and the £20,000 they raised for school funds in just two years, all bear testimony to this. Parents show respect for the school and its strong Christian values by turning out in force at family services and other special occasions. In this, and in many other ways, they demonstrate true examples of commitment and loyalty for pupils to emulate. However, some parents have a slight feeling that the school is not taking sufficient account of their views. Inspectors agree that the school could make better use of parents’ views to judge whether it is meeting its aim of involving them as fully as possible in their children’s learning, and whether its practices and procedures are working as well as the school thinks they are.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

35. Co-operation between home and school is good. Parents have no hesitation in approaching staff on any matter concerning their child, confident that they will receive a courteous and helpful response. Parents are continually coming up with ideas to strengthen the partnerships between the school, the home and the community. Their fundraising events foster a real family and community spirit. The support they give in lessons and with homework is also very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

36. Information in the prospectus now meets legal requirements, but this is still not the case with the governors’ report. Two important omissions mean that parents are not Littleton CofE Infant School - 17 - March 2005 told how the school intends to provide access for pupils with disabilities or how it has dealt with the action plan from the last inspection. The governors’ annual meeting was cancelled this year due to a lack of interest on the part of the parents. This means that the report is now the main source of information about the statutory work of the governing body. However, parents are able to access a good range of information through a well designed school website that also includes links to the minutes of governing body meetings.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

37. There is a structured approach to children joining and leaving the school that the parents and pupils feel comfortable with. The good links with local businesses continue, with a good focus on promoting the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, staff from a local estate agency provided the labour needed to construct a ‘Story Book Wood’ for pupils to enjoy in the school grounds. The school gives good support to local events such as the Shepperton Fair, where the pupils absorb the sounds, traditions and costumes of a carnival parade. The church continues to play an important part in the affairs of the school. The vicar leads family services and assemblies, and provides a ‘sounding board’ for the ideas pupils put forward at their school council meetings. The good links with other schools and colleges continue. Among other benefits, these have given rise to a family

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

literacy project, pupils working and playing with children from a local special school and additional in-class support from keen and willing college students.

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory . The leadership by the headteacher is good and the management of the school is satisfactory . Governance is satisfactory .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has a clear view and good sense of purpose; she leads well by example. • She has developed a strong staff team who work effectively together. • Monitoring by the headteacher of all aspects of the school’s work, has until recently, been rigorous. • Monitoring of the quality of teaching by most co-ordinators is underdeveloped and their reports on provision, although informative, lack evaluation. • Deficiencies in strategic planning mean that governors are unable to fully monitor the effectiveness of provision. • Financial planning to address the school’s deficit is good.

p.17

Commentary

38. The school fulfils its aims well. Its mission is clear and well understood by staff, pupils and parents. There is a good balance between fostering pupils’ academic and personal development, especially the spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects. The headteacher clearly has standards at the heart of matters and recognises the work the school has to do to add value to pupils’ achievements. There is a positive regard for the differing needs of pupils and especially in supporting pupils with special educational needs, which the headteacher co-ordinates well. Although there is no definitive policy for pupils who have a gift or talent, the school has responded positively in the past and provided additional opportunities for such pupils. Littleton CofE Infant School - 18 - March 2005 39. The headteacher has a clear view of what needs to be done and how the school needs to improve further. She has worked hard over her time as headteacher to

p.17

Commentary

improve the school and has responded well to the issues from the last inspection. This took place soon after she was appointed, and since then she has managed change well and built a strongly committed and effective staff team. In fact, it is the strength of the teamwork and way that the teachers work and plan well together that contributes to the good quality of teaching and learning. Although it was good at the time of the last inspection, seven per cent was unsatisfactory. Weak teaching has now been eradicated and the headteachers’ monitoring of teaching and curriculum, until recently, has been rigorous. The headteacher knows well the strengths and weaknesses of the staff. Reports evaluate the quality of teaching well and give clear guidance where improvement can be made. However, because of the concerns over the budget and the need to clear the deficit, formal evaluations of the quality of

p.18

Commentary

teaching are now made mainly through performance management reviews. Systems for this are good and there is a good link between targets, training and improved standards.

p.18

Commentary

40. The headteacher’s focus on improving the curriculum, assessment, and on pupils with special educational needs have been positive and means that each pupil’s needs are better met. The headteacher has forged ahead with change which has seen that identifying pupils’ needs early, keeping a close watch on pupils’ progress and planning to ensure that the match of work to pupils is accurate has all helped to raise attainment. The headteacher and subject leaders have provided inspiration for others and in English, Foundation Stage and ICT the subjects are well led and managed.

p.18

Commentary

41. The plan for the school’s improvement is built well on an evaluation of its previous plan and performance. It emanates also from the school’s key values, which are well expressed. The strategic plan covers three years and identifies appropriately the school’s overarching key priorities, such as strengthening leadership in senior management. In addition, there is a development plan which deals with shorter-term actions. These, similarly, are what the school needs to do, such as to reduce the budget deficit and achieve a balanced budget. The criteria with which the success of its actions can be judged are variable; some are quite specific and identify clear outcomes while others are general, and it would be difficult for governors to assess success in these cases. In addition, there are few costs identified. A major weakness is that the actions in the one-year plan do not relate to those in the three-year plan,

p.18

Commentary

42. The work of subject co-ordinators has improved and is satisfactory overall. They generally now have a much improved view of their subjects, pupils’ attainment and achievement. There has been some monitoring of the quality of teaching in the past, such as in English and ICT, although there is no identified programme for this now. In addition, co-ordinators’ reports to governors, while detailed and informative, are largely descriptive, and few subjects have full plans for subject development.

p.18

Commentary

43. Governors are thoroughly committed and supportive of the school and have its best interests at heart. They have a good overall knowledge of its strengths, although some have less detail about its weaknesses. A few, such as those for special educational needs, mathematics and ICT are regular visitors to classes and gain a good sense of the provision in these subjects. Others learn about school issues through the reports they receive from co-ordinators or from the headteacher. While the former are useful in their detail, as mentioned previously, they are weak in their Littleton CofE Infant School - 19 - March 2005 evaluation and some are repetitive from report to report. Governors do receive helpful evaluative reports from the headteacher and keep a close watch on standards and finance. Many governors are heavily reliant on information from the school to monitor its provision, yet some of that information, especially strategic/development planning is

p.18

Commentary

not sharp enough to enable them to do this effectively. They fulfil most of their statutory responsibilities adequately, yet there are still the same things missing from their annual report to parents that were identified as missing at the time of the last inspection.

p.19

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.19

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 289,013 Balance from previous year -15,517 Total expenditure 291,476 Balance carried forward to the next -19,152 Expenditure per pupil 3,199 . 44. The governors, headteacher and finance administrator have worked hard to address the financial issues from the last inspection. Their three-year plan successfully enabled them to reduce the deficit and the school had a small surplus. Their use of surplus accommodation brought additional funds when a privately funded nursery occupied the space. However, the sudden withdrawal of this facility and unpaid debts has left the school again with a deficit. The current plan shows that the school will reduce its deficit by three years and the new agreed limit of 30 pupils admitted per year will mean that the school should not be faced with providing an additional teacher as class numbers will not go over this size. In addition, governors are exploring

p.19

Commentary

further fundraising measures to supplement the budget. Littleton CofE Infant School - 20 - March 2005

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The provision for children in the reception class is good. Children get off to a good start because of the expertise of the staff and the close attention to the children’s needs. Attainment on entry to the school varies from year to year but is slightly below average in the current reception class. The quality of teaching is good and children make good gains in acquiring knowledge, skills and understanding in all areas of learning. This is because work is well planned and matched to their needs. The teaching assistants are effective and work well with the teacher. They support children’s learning well, especially that of the least able. The Foundation Stage curriculum is effectively planned and all areas of learning are given appropriate attention. Children are given a good range of interesting activities. The leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are good and contribute to the good

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

teaching, to children’s good achievement and to the good improvement since the last inspection.

p.20

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Adults are good role-models for children. • An interesting and stimulating learning environment has been created. • Some children lack concentration.

p.20

Commentary

Children achieve well in this area of learning and most are likely to reach the expected early learning goals by the end of reception. A significant number will exceed these. Adults are good role models for children and there are good relations between children and between children and adults. The teacher and teaching assistants have created a positive and attractive environment for children to learn. A good range of interesting activities is provided and this stimulates the children’s interest. Most children show enthusiasm for learning and they share and take turns with materials and equipment. A small proportion of children, mainly boys, lack concentration, particularly at the beginning of sessions. This can disturb the pace and flow of the lessons.

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Language skills are developed well in all activities. • Children enjoy stories and books. • There are good opportunities for writing.

p.20

Commentary

Littleton CofE Infant School - 21 - March 2005 45. The teacher and teaching assistants are effective in developing children’s speaking and listening skills in all activities. Due to good teaching and regular practise, children are acquiring and consolidating their knowledge of letter sounds. Most children recognise different letters and say the sounds. More able children recognise and say familiar words. Children enjoy books and have regular opportunities to choose these from the well resourced book corner. They talk about the books with enthusiasm and treat them with care. The teaching of basic writing skills is effective and children have good opportunities at the writing table to use a range of writing implements. Most can write their name with a felt pen. In one group activity, a teaching assistant provided clear instruction and demonstration on letter formation. The children then practised

p.21

Commentary

different letters using shallow trays of sand. The teaching assistant gave constructive feedback on their efforts and this motivated them to improve. Standards in this area are average, and most children will reach the early learning goals by the end of reception. A few children will exceed these. Good teaching and support enables all groups of children to achieve well.

p.21

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Effective use of resources aids children’s learning. • Interesting mathematical activities are provided.

p.21

Commentary

46. Children achieve well in this area of learning because of the good teaching they receive. Most children are on course to reach the expected early learning goals by the end of Reception, and a significant proportion are likely to exceed them. At the beginning of one session, the teacher used a number stick well to develop children’s skills in counting and ordering numbers. Children took turns to place a number from 1 to 9 on the stick. This reinforced well children’s ordering and recognition of numbers. Children then pursued an interesting range of well-focused activities. Working on the theme of trains, some children used construction kits to build a train station, train and carriages. They counted the carriages and the people in them. Outside, a group of children were throwing beanbags on a mat with circles containing numbers 1 to 25. They recognised the numbers while practising their throwing skills. Other children

p.21

Commentary

used computer programs to support their number work well. In another activity, the children worked with large dice. They counted the dots on the dice and identified the patterns of dots. More able children acquired new knowledge, such as a dice has six sides and that the highest number of dots on a side is six.

p.21

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A broad range of activities means that pupils get a well balanced range of opportunities to aid their understanding. • Computers are used well to support children’s learning. Littleton CofE Infant School - 22 - March 2005

p.21

Commentary

47. Children achieve well in this area of learning due the good teaching and the interesting activities provided. In a good lesson, children watched a video about chickens and chicks. They acquired new knowledge about farm animals. More able children drew well on their own experiences and described different animals and their young. Children use computer programs well to reinforce their counting skills. More able children used a program that helped to develop well their recognition of numbers from 20 to 30. Class displays show how children use a ‘paint’ program to create colourful pictures of butterflies and bonfires. They change colours easily and a few more able children use a symmetry tool to mirror patterns. Standards are average in this area of learning because as most children are likely to meet the expected goals by the end of Reception, although some show skills in ICT that are above those expected.

p.22

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are given every encouragement to do well and to improve. • Good use is made of the accommodation, apparatus and equipment.

p.22

Commentary

48. Children achieve well in this area of learning and most are on course to reach the expected early learning goals. Some are likely to exceed them. The school has a good range of outdoor equipment to develop pupils’ climbing skills and this facility is well used. In a good lesson in the hall, children benefited from the teacher’s clear instructions and demonstrations. They practised travelling enthusiastically across a range of apparatus such as benches, mats and boxes. Most children travelled over the apparatus with good co-ordination and control. More able children demonstrated good stillness and balancing when on a beam. The teacher and teaching assistant provided clear instruction and constructive feedback to children and this helped them to improve their performance. Pupils develop their manipulative skills well through using construction kits and simple tools.

p.22

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children have good opportunities to work with paint. • Some role-play activities are limited in scope.

p.22

Commentary

49. Children achieve well in this area of learning because of the good teaching they receive. There are plenty of opportunities to work creatively, particularly with paint. Children produced large paintings of a fire engine after a visit from a team of fire Littleton CofE Infant School - 23 - March 2005 fighters. In another activity, they produced impressive paintings of trees and flowers. Children explore colour and identify that colours such as blue, white and grey are cold while reds, yellows and orange are ‘warm’. Children have sound opportunities for role- play. For example, during the inspection, the role-play area was a train station where children bought tickets and waited for the train. The scene and costumes were limited in scope and so the ‘feel’ of a train station was not fully accomplished. Standards are average in this area of learning, and most children are likely to achieve the expected

p.22

Commentary

learning goals by the time they enter Year 1. A significant proportion is likely to exceed them. Littleton CofE Infant School - 24 - March 2005

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is good because pupils have a wide range of opportunities to practise their skills and staff are vigilant in supporting these across all subjects. • Questioning is not always sufficiently challenging to extend pupils’ thinking. • Assessment and target setting are good. • Information about how pupils are progressing, how well they are learning and the quality of teaching is used well by the co-ordinator to aid future planning. .

p.24

Commentary

50. In the current Year 2, standards are above average in speaking and listening, reading and writing. Most pupils, including higher attainers and those with special educational needs, achieve well in all areas of English because of the good teaching and support they receive. Standards in speaking and listening are similar to those reported at the last inspection but standards in reading and writing have improved from average to above average.

p.24

Commentary

51. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are well developed. They have good opportunities to acquire and apply these skills in English lessons and in other subjects. The school has effective strategies for the teaching of reading. Good emphasis is placed on the teaching of letter sounds. Teachers are good role-models for pupils and read to the class with enthusiasm and expression.

p.24

Commentary

52. Writing has been a priority for development and the school’s efforts have paid off. Pupils are given good opportunities to write in a variety of styles for different purposes including book reviews, letters, stories, poetry and factual reports. Pupils use ICT well to develop drafting and editing skills. Their writing is interesting, structured and clear. Handwriting in the school is consistently good, and by Year 2 it is fluent, legible and joined.

p.24

Commentary

53. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall with examples of very good teaching in Year 2. The effective teaching contributes significantly to pupils’ good achievement. Lessons are well planned with clear learning objectives identified and these are shared with the class so that pupils know what they are to learn. Teachers’ explanations and instructions are clear and informative. Pupils listen and follow these well. In a very good Year 2 lesson, the teacher used questioning very well to challenge pupils’ thinking and to check their understanding of a piece of text. In some lessons, the teacher’s questioning is not sufficiently open. This reduces the levels of challenge and does not extend pupils’ thinking. For the main practical activity, pupils are often arranged into groups of similar ability. Work is generally well matched to pupils’ different levels of attainment. This helps to ensure that all pupils, including

p.24

Commentary

higher attainers and those with special educational needs, are appropriately challenged. Teaching assistants are generally well deployed and make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning, particularly lower attainers and those with special educational needs. However, they do not always notice that some pupils are restless Littleton CofE Infant School - 25 - March 2005 and are not paying sufficient attention during introductions. Their role at this time and at the end of lessons is not sufficiently well defined. Pupils show interest in their work, have good levels of concentration and are productive. They organise and present their work well. In a very good Year 2 lesson, the teacher used the end of the session well for pupils to share their writing with the class. Pupils were encouraged well to review and reflect on their work and the learning objectives were revisited. Pupils showed a clear understanding of their learning.

p.24

Commentary

54. There are good systems for assessing pupils’ attainment and this is effectively tracked as they move through the school. Assessment data is used well to set individual learning targets although, at times, these could be even sharper. They are not always specifically individual because they are often set as a group target for the different ability groups within the class. The marking of pupils’ work is thorough. There are comments of encouragement, praise for good work and clear guidance on how to improve. Furthermore, marking is often linked well to the learning objectives of the lesson.

p.25

Commentary

55. Leadership and management are good. The curriculum is well planned and based on the National Literacy Strategy. Standards and provision are effectively monitored by the headteacher who is also the co-ordinator. Teaching is observed and constructive feedback is given. National Curriculum test results and other assessments are carefully analysed. The findings from monitoring and evaluation are used well to inform improvement planning. Overall, good improvements have been made since the last inspection.

p.25

Language and literacy across the curriculum

Pupils apply and develop language and literacy skills well in other subjects. There are good opportunities for pupils to participate in discussion in subjects such as personal, social and health education, history and science. For example, in one lesson, pupils sat in a circle and discussed ways of further improving the school environment. They listened to others and expressed their views with confidence. In history, pupils in Year 2 produce clear and interesting written accounts about the story of Grace Darling.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a good range of ways for assessing pupils’ understanding and use of mathematics. • The programme of work has improved well since the last inspection and much more emphasis is placed on using and applying mathematical skills. • Teaching is challenging and lessons are planned well. • There is insufficient monitoring and evaluation of pupils’ work and of teaching and learning.

p.25

Commentary

56. The provision has improved well since the last inspection. Standards are above average and pupils’ achieve well. Good attention to the use and application of number has meant that pupils’ skills in this area have developed well and this has led to higher Littleton CofE Infant School - 26 - March 2005 standards. However, the school’s policy (which was written some time ago) does reflect the importance of problem solving. Additional, published materials are used effectively to supplement the National Numeracy Strategy and provide a good basis for weekly assessment. From the information gained, teachers can address any misconceptions or areas where pupils are having difficulty. In addition, a recently introduced software-based independent learning system has been introduced. This assesses pupils’ skills in a range of mathematical areas and provides activities which are the next steps that pupils need to learn and provides a report on how well they are

p.25

Commentary

doing. Pupils use the software daily and enjoy the activities very much. They concentrate intensely and say it helps them to practise their skills. However, it is too early to fully evaluate the effectiveness of the system and a drawback is that it is not linked to what they pupils are learning in lessons.

p.26

Commentary

57. The pupils are confident with number and ask relevant questions that show a good level of enthusiasm and a thirst for knowledge. They enjoy being challenged by the work, which is well matched to their needs. The increased attention to problem solving, as outlined in the school development plan, has resulted in pupils linking ideas better and especially improving their ability to see patterns and relationships. Their work is well laid out and the good attention to presentation and recording means that the pupils avoid careless mistakes. The use of targets helps pupils to be clear about what they are learning over a half term, although these are designed for groups in each class and are not specified for individuals. Teachers’ marking is supportive, though, and does give clear pointers about how pupils can improve.

p.26

Commentary

58. The quality of teaching and learning are good and teachers’ good knowledge and planning are at the heart of this. Work is clearly planned for the different ability groups in each class and, in Year 2, two teachers teach mathematics, one to the more able pupils and the other for the rest. The work is precisely matched to pupils’ needs. Teachers recognise that pupils’ clarity about what they are learning in a lesson can be aided by identifying clearly the different outcomes for each group, rather than just having one overall objective for the whole class. Introductions to lessons are strong and the mental and oral starter gives to pupils good opportunities to practise their skills. The skills needed for the main part of the lesson are developed well although, sometimes, these sessions are too long and a few pupils become restless. Teaching assistants provide good support to pupils during the practical part of the lesson,

p.26

Commentary

especially for those pupils with learning difficulties. However, they do not have a sufficiently clear role in the whole parts of lessons. The plenary session at the end of lessons is used well to reinforce what pupils have learned and to check on their understanding.

p.26

Commentary

59. The subject is satisfactorily led and managed. The co-ordinator has improved planning and teamwork is now strong. She has addressed most of the weaknesses identified in the last inspection. She reports regularly to governors on the progress of the subject. While this gives good factual information about the programme followed there is little evaluation of the impact of the provision. There is no plan to guide subject improvement as such, although problem solving is an area identified in the school development plan. Little evaluation is made of pupils’ work by the co-ordinator or of the quality of teaching of mathematics across the school.

p.26

Mathematics across the curriculum

This is used well. Pupils use mathematics in many ways in other subjects. Good exploration of the estimation of distance and of angles was pursued in a Year 2 ICT lesson Littleton CofE Infant School - 27 - March 2005 during the inspection. Good opportunities to explore shape, space and measures leads to good achievement. Very close links with art are used productively when pupils learn about geometric shapes in the work of Kandinsky. In science, pupils record their numerical finding in tables and produce simple block graphs.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has worked hard since the last inspection to address the deficiencies in the programme for science. • A close eye is kept on the quality of pupils’ work, their progress and attainment. • The needs of more able pupils are considered well. • Teaching assistants are not always vigilant enough in monitoring pupils’ responses in lessons. • Assessment is good overall, although pupils are not given enough information about how they can improve.

p.27

Commentary

60. Pupils are enthusiastic learners and really enjoy the good range of practical work they undertake. The positive emphasis on investigation and experimentation, together with improved planning, has helped to raise pupils’ attainment. They achieve well and reach standards that are above average.

p.27

Commentary

61. Improvement since the last inspection has been good. Much work has gone into improving the science programme, making best use of visits, such as to Syon Park, providing increased scientific exploration during science week each year and making effective use of the Internet. Increasing the understanding and use of scientific vocabulary has been stressed well and teachers promote this effectively. Much emphasis is placed on this as early as possible, which was evident from the observations in the reception class. The co-ordinator regularly monitors the pupils’ work. She frequently checks on the strengths and weaknesses in their knowledge, skills and understanding through the pupils’ responses to their half-termly topics and the teachers’ assessments made at the end of these. She also analyses teachers’ assessments made for the national assessments at the end of Year 2 and builds improvement into the forthcoming programme. The findings are reported to

p.27

Commentary

governors, although much of it is descriptive, rather than evaluative. This means it is difficult for governors to identify the impact of what the school is providing.

p.27

Commentary

62. Pupils’ enthusiastically undertake investigations and, by Year 2, have a good grasp of the conditions for a fair test. They make suggestions about how to find things out and use simple equipment well, knowing that their observations and recordings have to be accurate. More able pupils can say why a test is fair and identify how they would carry out an investigation. They identify patterns in their findings. Even the more able pupils in Year 1 know that all things except one must be kept the same when testing.

p.27

Commentary

63. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Good, probing questioning and lively introductions keep pupils on their toes and prompt them to think about what they are learning. Teaching assistants are generally used well to support pupils. They are Littleton CofE Infant School - 28 - March 2005 used really well during the practical part of lessons and especially help those with special educational needs. However, at times, they are not used productively enough in the introductions or plenary sessions at the ends of lessons and they sometimes miss that a few pupils are not paying enough attention. The programme of work that teachers plan from emphasises well the extension work needed to ensure that the challenge for more able pupils is built into the work. For instance, in a Year 1 lesson on sound, more able pupils were supported by a parent experienced in sound technology to find the most effective ways of amplifying sound, while the remainder

p.27

Commentary

investigated which materials stopped sound travelling. Although teachers make clear what they want pupils to learn, they identify only what most will learn. In their own minds, they clearly know what the different groups will learn and identify in planning what they will do. However, they recognise that sharper planning, where they define what the different groups will learn, will help pupils know what they are aiming for and how they can improve. Staff also know that this process will also lead to more refined assessment.

p.28

Commentary

64. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Despite the positive impact of the improved programme and the checks kept on pupils’ work, there is no subject development plan to guide further improvement in provision for the subject. An aspect of the work, however, on investigations is identified in the whole school development plan. Pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding are regularly assessed at the end of a unit of work and any weaknesses addressed. Pupils’ progress is tracked but systems could be more refined. Recommendations for development are made in the reports to governors but are not precise enough, for instance, to ‘upgrade resources’. There has been no opportunity to monitor teaching. Resources have improved, largely through substantial fundraising, and are good.

p.28

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The way the school uses ICT across most aspects of its work means that pupils leave as competent users and enthusiastic learners. • Teachers challenge pupils to think about the way they use ICT and how they can try different ideas. • The knowledgeable co-ordinator has done much to raise the profile of ICT and to improve staff and pupil knowledge. • Strategic planning is not securely in place, although the co-ordinator knows clearly what needs to be done and monitors the subject well.

p.28

Commentary

65. The school’s high commitment to the use of ICT, both for teaching and learning, has resulted in pupils reaching standards that are above those typical for their age. Pupils are provided with numerous opportunities to use ICT. These, together with the use of a well constructed programme (which includes a published scheme) that starts in the reception class, means that they get a good grounding from the very start. Littleton CofE Infant School - 29 - March 2005 66. By Year 2, pupils are ‘at ease’ with ICT and learn to programme a robot confidently, examining how it can turn and successfully programming routes from A to B. The pupils use the Internet well to find out information about topics, such as life on the island of St Lucia, for their studies in geography. They search using menus and know about links and develop skills in transferring information (summarising / editing) from websites into written form for their work. The club which operates at lunchtime each

p.28

Commentary

week enhances pupils’ skills. It develops these even further through topics such as multimedia and desktop publishing, which extend their skills beyond those usually expected for their age. Year 1 pupils are similarly confident. They concentrate very well and are determined to get things right, for instance, in using the correct ‘tools’ for drawing and painting to create the effect they want. They work hard to get the information they need from the Internet. For example, through successfully navigating through the various rooms using a room plan and arrow keys, they were fascinated by the facts they found about life in castles in history, especially about toilet facilities and the dungeon!

p.29

Commentary

67. The teaching is effective and this leads to good learning by pupils. Teachers are careful in the way they explain things. They usually do this in small steps to ensure pupils grasp the key ideas. They also give the pupils the opportunity to try things out for themselves. In this way the pupils are challenged and learn from their mistakes. This was seen well in a Year 2 lesson when pupils planned routes and found out what the effects of entering their information into a robot would be. The way they self- corrected and realised the impact of what they were doing ensured good learning. Staff are knowledgeable and a few say that they have had to work hard to improve their skills from a position of initial reluctance. They have clearly seen the benefits to the pupils’ learning and now use ICT as an everyday tool themselves in their teaching. Both Year 1 and 2 classes have an interactive whiteboard and this is used well to

p.29

Commentary

emphasise what the pupils are learning and to draw on information needed for the lesson. However, the involvement of pupils is not always as extensive as it could be and, in some classes, these are missed opportunities to use the board’s ‘interactive’ facility.

p.29

Commentary

68. The subject is well led and managed by an enthusiastic and skilful co-ordinator who has a clear view on how the subject needs to develop. Improvement since the last inspection has been good. Monitoring of the subject is good. The co-ordinator has a good grasp of pupils’ standards and achievement through examining pupils’ work, the half-termly assessments made by teachers and the National Curriculum levels assigned. First-hand evidence of pupils’ skills is gained through teaching the pupils in lessons and in the club. The quality of teaching has been monitored informally through the individual support given to teachers and the help given to pupils in lessons. There have also been formal observations of the use of ICT in the teaching humanities. 69. The co-ordinator has built up resources well, much being provided through the help of the friends of the school association. The school has an adequate ratio of computers

p.29

Commentary

to pupils, although furniture is a problem, however. Much is not suitable for the age and height of pupils, although the school is responsive to adapting this as far as it can. The library provides a good work area for pupils using the computers but there is little working space between these. The co-ordinator provides a detailed and informative annual report to governors about the effectiveness of provision, and a satisfactory subject development plan which is reviewed and updated termly. It lacks sharp criteria for success, though. There is no strategic financial plan for renewal/upgrading for equipment and the co-ordinator has no role in managing finance, except for the Littleton CofE Infant School - 30 - March 2005 small amount allocated for consumable resources and software. Concern over the school’s overall finance has meant this has become low priority.

p.29

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

This is good and pupils confidently use computers in a variety of ways to support their learning. Lower attaining and young pupils use ‘word bank’ software to create simple sentences, although more use could be made of this during specialised teaching sessions for literacy and for pupils with special educational needs in general. Thorough use if made of the Internet for fact finding, as stated above. The pupils’ use of ICT to produce graphs in mathematics and science although there are occasionally missed opportunities for pupils to record their findings in tables and charts.

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HUMANITIES

It is not possible to report fully on history or geography and religious education is not reported on in this type of school. No lessons were seen in geography , but the study of pupils’ work indicates that standards are above average. Pupils gain a good knowledge and understanding of different places around the world from the visits of ‘Barnaby Bear’. Teachers and pupils take the bear on holiday and photograph it in different locations. The photographs are labelled and linked to a world map on display in the main hall. Pupils in Year 2 develop a clear understanding of plans and maps. They produce a plan of the classroom and label the furniture. Year 2 pupils interpret plans well of a village and use colour keys accurately to identify different features. They shade and label a map showing the countries of the United Kingdom. Pupils take pride in their work and it is well presented.

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HUMANITIES

In history, no lessons were seen. The examination of pupils’ work indicates that standards are above average. In Year 1, pupils compare Victorian homes with those of today. Pupils in Year 2 show a sound knowledge of chronology by studying timelines. They find out about the past by studying photographs. From these they make observations and deductions. Pupils apply and develop their literacy skills well in history. For example, in Year 2, pupils sequence a series of pictures to retell the story of Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot. More able pupils produce clear written accounts about the bravery of Grace Darling. The presentation of work and their levels of productivity are good.

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HUMANITIES

As this is a church school, religious education is reported on in the Diocesan Section 23 inspection.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

It was not possible to see any lessons in art and design or in design and technology . No overall judgement can be made about provision in these subjects or about standards, achievement and teaching. Pupils undertake a wide range of activities which cover all aspects of the National Curriculum programme of study in both subjects. The planning for art and design has been re-examined and modified to provide a broader range of experiences. It has been made more relevant to fit in with the topics that are studied in other subjects as well as incorporating more work in ICT. Samples of pupils work are collected and contribute to a portfolio which aids assessment in art and design. In design and technology, the school is supplementing the national planning with published materials to provide a richer and broader curriculum. It has responded well to the pupils’ needs and interests and the co-ordinator is collecting evidence of pupils’ work, both actual models and

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

photographic evidence to support assessment. The co-ordinator has a clear view of Littleton CofE Infant School - 31 - March 2005 resources needed to improve, such as to provide better control technology links with ICT, but her efforts are somewhat thwarted by the lack of money budget. The co-ordinators for both subjects provide annual reports for governors. These are largely descriptive. They provide good curriculum and resource information, but say little about pupils’ standards.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

No lessons were seen in music . Planning shows that pupils have a good range of learning opportunities. Pupils sang tunefully and with enthusiasm in assemblies. Standards in singing are above average. Pupils are exposed to a range of music during assemblies and during lunchtime. Visiting musicians such as a brass quintet, ‘strings and things’, and ‘just trombones’ enhance pupils’ musical experience.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

In physical education, only one lesson was seen. The teacher effectively introduced the theme of dance based on the book ‘Handa’s Surprise’ to a Year 1 class. Pupils were given sound opportunities to move and mime to music. Working in pairs or groups, they expressed mood and feelings. More able pupils performed movements with precision and creativity. The pace and flow of the lesson was at times impeded by pupils’ restlessness and this slowed the rate of learning. Teaching and learning in this lesson were satisfactory overall. The planning of the curriculum is suitably based on national guidance.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP (PSHCE)

Arrangements for pupils’ personal, health and social education are good and have a positive effect on pupils’ attitudes and personal development. There are clear policies and schemes of work which place good emphasis on developing a healthy lifestyle and pupils’ role as citizens. Pupils on the School Council have good opportunities to represent other pupils and to contribute the development of the school. Pupils have clear opportunities to discuss a range of social and moral issues through ‘Circle Time’. Here pupils listen well. They express opinions while listening and respecting the view s of others. Assemblies taken by the headteacher, vicar or visitors contribute well to pupils’ personal and social development. Aspects such as sex and relationships education, drug awareness and health education are well planned in PSHE as well as in science. Littleton CofE Infant School - 32 - March 2005

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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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 3 Attendance 2 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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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 3 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 4 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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