Southbourne Infant School

SOUTHBOURNE INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 7 th – 10 th February 2005

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SOUTHBOURNE INFANT SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Southbourne Infant School - 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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SOUTHBOURNE 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. Southbourne Infant School - 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: 146

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: New Road Southbourne Emsworth Hampshire Postcode: PO10 8JX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01243 372727 Fax number: 01243 370571

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs Cindy Crossley

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Southbourne infant school has 146 pupils on roll, aged four to seven. The school is situated in the village of Southbourne, near Emsworth in Hampshire. Most pupils come from average home backgrounds, and the number that is in receipt of a free school meal is broadly in line with the national average. The building dates from 1960 and was extended in 1974. Parts of the building have been recently refurbished. The school is surrounded by play areas and gardens. At the time of the inspection, there were 21 children under five in the reception classes. These children enter the reception with average levels of attainment when compared to children of similar age. Nearly a fifth of the pupils have been identified as having special educational needs, of which nearly a quarter of these receive support from outside agencies. Currently, there are three pupils with a statement of special educational need. There is a very small number of pupils from the traveller community. The

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

proportion of pupils from ethnic minorities is extremely small. Southbourne Infant School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

23219 Phil Mann Lead inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Design and technology Physical education Religious education 9468 John Arscott Lay inspector 32218 Wendy Jenkins Team inspector Areas of learning in the Foundation Stage English Art Music 32218 Andrew Mumford Team inspector Special educational needs Science Geography History

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The inspection contractor was: Altecq Inspections Ltd

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 10

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 13

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Overall, this is a good and effective school that is well led. Good standards are being achieved overall and this is particularly so in writing. The individual needs of pupils are effectively catered for, but sometimes the availability and management of some activities restricts the access of pupils to other important learning opportunities. The overall quality of education is good, however, and a positive climate for learning has been established where pupils are provided with challenging work. Taking all factors into account, the school provides good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Overall standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are above average in several subjects. Standards are well above average in writing. • Standards in reading have not kept pace with rising national trends and are now average. • The withdrawal of pupils from lessons for reading sometimes disrupts their learning in other subjects. • Pupils with special educational needs make good gains in their learning because of very good provision. • Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good and the very good behaviour of pupils in class and around school is a significant strength. • Teaching is good across the school, but sometimes lessons do not provide enough opportunity for pupils to be involved in their own learning. • The school’s partnership with its parents is very good. • Leadership of the school is good, but data is not being used efficiently to monitor pupil achievement and to raise standards further.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Levels of improvement are satisfactory overall. There is a strong sense of teamwork and staff have worked hard to build on the very positive findings of the previous inspection. The level of improvement in raising achievement in the Foundation Stage has been good. The school's partnership with its parents is now very beneficial, and governors are now more fully involved in planning for school improvement.

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Year 2 results

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

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Year 2 results

Reading A B C C Southbourne Infant School - 7 Writing A* A* A A Mathematics A B C C Key: A* - very high; A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals.

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Year 2 results

Achievement is good overall, and particularly so in writing. Children enter the reception classes with attainment that is broadly in line with national levels. Good provision ensures that all of these children make good progress, and before they start in Year 1, many will attain above average levels in all areas of learning. This good progress is generally maintained throughout the infant classes in writing, where very high standards have been attained by seven year olds in national tests for the last three years. However, standards in reading and mathematics have fallen in comparison with national results and are now average in these tests. There are some variations in the achievement of boys and girls. Generally, girls do better than boys in writing and particularly so in reading, where the gap has widened over the last few years. However, the school has put in place a range of strategies to improve

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Year 2 results

boys' achievement. This is particularly so in reading but significant improvements have yet to emerge. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in relation to their previous learning because of the very good provision.

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Year 2 results

Inspection evidence confirms that very high standards of writing, spelling and presentation are being maintained throughout the school. Standards are now above average in mathematics for the current Year 2 because of a stronger focus on investigative activity. However, despite the high emphasis placed on regularly listening to individual pupils reading, standards remain average. In contrast, standards in information and communication technology and several creative and practical activities are above average. For instance, particularly high standards are being attained in art and design.

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Year 2 results

Pupils' behaviour and attitudes are both very good, and make a significant contribution to providing an environment where learning can flourish. Strong parental support and effective monitoring by the school ensure that attendance and punctuality continue to be very good. Teachers effectively set high expectations based on the capabilities of each pupil within a learning community that cares for each other. The spiritual, moral, and cultural development is judged to be good overall. Social development is satisfactory because pupils’ involvement in their own learning is still quite limited.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Taking all factors into account, the overall quality of education is good . Teaching and learning are good overall across the school. Subject expertise is good, and writing skills are taught very well. Time is used very well in lessons and support staff make an important contribution to pupils’ learning. There are good procedures in place to monitor the progress of pupils in class, but the use of this data to further raise standards and pupil achievement in some subject areas is at an early stage of development. Southbourne Infant School - 8 The provision for children in the reception classes is consistently good with plenty of opportunities for children to develop their literacy and numeracy skills. The curriculum for pupils in Year 1 and 2 has good breadth and balance, and the school provides a suitable range of activities to enrich their learning. Very good links are made between subjects, and the provision for pupils with special educational needs

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

is very good. However, the withdrawal of many pupils for additional reading practice, and the arrangement of ‘Club Time’ in Year 2 do not give equal opportunities for learning to all pupils. The accommodation and resources are good overall and well matched to the needs of pupils and staff.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school has very good procedures in place for childcare, safety and welfare, and these are supported by very effective practice. Appropriate recording and monitoring procedures ensure that the quality of educational and personal support and guidance provided for pupils is good. The induction of children entering the reception classes is an example of very good practice, and transfer arrangements to junior school are also good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership of the school is good overall. The headteacher shares her clear vision for school development with the deputy and all staff, who make an effective contribution to the school’s aims and values. Management is satisfactory. The school’s priorities for development are clearly defined, with detailed action plans to implement improvements. However, the wealth of data gathered is not used effectively to track individual pupil progress and raise standards further; this is especially so in reading and mathematics. The role of curriculum co-ordinators is now clearly defined, and action plans are detailed and fully evaluated. Effective systems have been set up to monitor planning, but the monitoring of teaching and learning in the classrooms is underdeveloped. Governance is satisfactory with some good features. Governors support the school well and are fully involved in its work. Good financial planning helps the school to meet its targets, and generally the

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

principles of 'best value' are applied satisfactorily. However, the governing body’s evaluation of the school’s performance is insufficiently rigorous.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Without exception, all parents think their children work hard. Similarly, all parents consider that teaching is good and that their children always enjoy coming to and being at school. A very small number of parents think they are not told enough about their children's progress, and some think that the school does not listen often enough to their concerns. However, the inspectors do not consider these negative perceptions are justified.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The vast majority of pupils are entirely happy with all that the school does and offers, but a tiny number would like more guidance on how to improve their work and they would like teachers to listen to their ideas and to be more just. In practice, the school does listen and takes pupils’ views into account.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

Southbourne Infant School - 9 The most important things the school should do to improve are to: • Raise pupil achievement in standards in reading. • Provide more opportunities for pupils to be involved in their own learning. • Involve the governing body more effectively in school self-evaluation. • Ensure all pupils have equal access to learning opportunities. • Use assessment data to monitor the achievement of pupils more effectively to raise standards further and support school improvement.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The school meets all of its statutory requirements. Southbourne Infant School - 10

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils’ achievement is good overall across the school. Well above average standards are being attained by seven year olds in writing. Standards are above average in mathematics, information and communication technology (ICT). They are well above average in art and design. Standards are at least average in all other subjects.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very high standards in writing support the good levels of achievement in several other subjects. • Standards in reading have not kept pace with rising national trends and are now average. • All pupils make good progress in a range of creative and practical skills. • The achievement of children in the Foundation Stage is good in all areas of learning. • Pupils with special educational needs and those from the traveller community make good progress.

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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 16.3 (16.6) 15.8 (15.7) Writing 16.3 (17.8) 14.6 (14.6) Mathematics 16.6 (17.0) 16.2 (16.3) There were 59 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

1. The results in the 2004 national tests for seven year-olds are average in reading and mathematics. They are well above average in writing. Based on teacher assessments, standards in science are average. When these results are compared with similar schools, they are average in reading, mathematics and science. They are above average in writing. The very high standards in writing have been maintained for several years and have a very positive impact on the overall achievement of pupils. However, standards in reading and mathematics have fallen below the previously high standards judged at the previous inspection. The school is in the process of implementing strategies, particularly in mathematics, to address this issue. Overall, girls do better than boys in national tests in reading and writing, and this gap has widened over the last few years. It was particularly noticeable in 2004 when the Year 2 included a

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Commentary

larger than normal proportion of boys with special educational needs. The school is now implementing strategies that are addressing the issue of boys’ underachievement in reading. Southbourne Infant School - 11 2. Teachers place a strong emphasis in developing the pupils’ writing skills, and writing permeates the whole curriculum. As a result, many pupils attain very high standards in writing and make good progress throughout the year. Older pupils use interesting vocabulary in their stories and many other forms of writing. Pupils of above average and average ability in Year 2 use grammar and punctuation effectively both in handwriting and when word-processing on the computer. Spelling is accurate because teachers use every opportunity to give pupils effective strategies for spelling both in lessons and when supporting pupils in their individual writing tasks. These very high standards in writing are

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Commentary

having a very positive effect on the pupils’ overall achievement and attainment in several other subjects.

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Commentary

3. Standards in reading are average overall despite the high emphasis placed on daily reading activities. These activities regularly involve the withdrawal of individual pupils from lessons, and sometimes this disrupts their learning in English and other subjects. Guided reading is taught well on a once weekly basis. This builds on the very focused teaching in the Foundation Stage, but does not take place often enough to impact on the reading curriculum and raise attainment in reading similar to the high levels of writing. Furthermore, the new school library is not yet contributing towards the acquisition of information skills for pupils. Consequently, pupils do not yet use the library to research independently.

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Commentary

4. Standards are above average overall in mathematics, with over a third of pupils in Year 2 working at the higher Level three. Skills in number work are well developed and progress in mathematical investigations is good. Inspection findings and teacher assessment data indicates that standards are now improving towards the very high levels noted at the previous inspection.

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Commentary

5. Achievement in several practical and creative subjects is good. For instance, good opportunities are provided for all pupils to consolidate their ICT skills and attain standards that are above that normally expected of seven year olds through a wide range of interesting and relevant activities. Creative and practical skills are taught effectively from an early age in the reception classes. As a result, standards are well above average for the oldest pupils in art and design. Inspection evidence confirms that above average standards are also being attained in design and technology, gymnastics and singing.

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Commentary

6. The attainment of children when they start in the reception classes is broadly in line with that expected nationally for those of similar age. Good provision ensures that all these children achieve well and most are on target to exceed the early learning goals in all areas of learning by the time they start in Year 1.

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Commentary

7. Good provision ensures that pupils with special educational needs and those from traveller families achieve well, and many achieve the levels expected for most children by the end of Year 2. These pupils make good progress as a result of the focused teaching, which is effectively matched to their needs. Good provision is also in place for the most able. Southbourne Infant School - 12

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Attendance and punctuality at this school are very good . The spiritual, moral and cultural development of pupils is good , and reflects the strong positive ethos and atmosphere where very good attitudes and behaviour enable learning to flourish. The school meets the statutory requirements with respect to the daily act of collective worship.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The pupils respond very well to the high expectations of staff. • The very good relationships between pupils and with adults contribute significantly to the school’s positive climate for learning. • Opportunities for pupils to develop initiative and a sense of responsibility are underdeveloped. • Provision for spiritual, moral and cultural development is good. • The school actively promotes good attendance.

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Commentary

8. The very positive attitudes of pupils have been maintained since the previous inspection and continue to be very good. Pupils display a keen enthusiasm for school and lessons, and willingly take part in a range of activities. Some lack the self-confidence to take a full part in class discussions. The opportunities for pupils to show initiative and to take on responsibilities are limited. The majority are well motivated, and the overall response to teachers is very good. They enjoy both shared learning with partners, as well as working by themselves. The teaching staff try hard to stimulate the desire to learn in pupils.

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Commentary

9. The school expects and achieves a very high standard of behaviour and self- discipline. This clearly has a positive impact on the achievement of pupils. The school has a small number of pupils with behavioural disabilities. For the most part, the school handles these pupils so successfully that their presence is not immediately evident. Pupils are polite, courteous and respectful without being prompted. Instances of bullying, aggressive, sexist and racist behaviour are extremely rare, and are dealt with effectively. No pupils have been excluded.

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Commentary

10. The school provides good opportunities for reflection, self-awareness and spiritual development. The ethos within the school provides a strong moral framework where all pupils clearly understand the difference between right and wrong, and where they are tolerant and show respect for the feelings of others. The values of honesty, fairness and justice are very well understood, and pupils have positive attitudes towards helping others and charity work. Adults at the school provide good role models for pupils. All pupils are encouraged to know and understand their own cultural traditions and to appreciate the cultural diversity of British society.

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Commentary

11. Attendance and punctuality are very good. The credit for the very good attendance figures goes to the parents for the responsible way they make sure Southbourne Infant School - 13 their children attend regularly, and to the school for the ‘no nonsense’ way it promotes and monitors the very good attendance. Teachers perform daily registration correctly. Lateness to school is monitored well, and punctuality is judged to be very good.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.3 School data 0.0 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 quality of education is good . Teaching and learning are good overall and the level of care and welfare provided for the pupils is very high . The partnership between the school and parents continues to be very strong .

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Teaching and learning

Teaching is good overall across the school. Assessment is satisfactory .

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Teaching and learning

• Consistently good or better teaching in the reception classes is ensuring that these children make good progress in all areas of learning. • The effective teaching of writing skills makes a significant contribution to the overall achievement of all infant pupils. • Support staff make an important contribution to pupils’ learning and in particular to those with special educational needs. • Good assessment procedures are used well to monitor the progress of pupils in class. • Assessment data is not being used effectively to raise standards further in some subject areas.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 19 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.

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Commentary

12. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall across the school. It is good or better in four out of every five lessons, and no unsatisfactory teaching was observed. These findings are similar to those of the previous inspection. This good teaching ensures that pupils make good progress overall in many lessons. The quality of teaching for children in the reception classes is Southbourne Infant School - 14 consistently good or better. As a result, the achievement of these children is good, and by the time they start in Year 1, many have achieved the early learning goals in all areas of learning, and some are already working on the National Curriculum. 13. Subject expertise is good amongst the teaching staff. In physical education, gymnastics is taught particularly well across the school. The school places a very high focus on the improvement of pupils’ writing. This is reflected in the very effective teaching of writing skills to all pupils and the very high standards

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Commentary

being achieved in this very important basic skill. Teachers plan many opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills in several subjects, contributing effectively to the good overall achievement of pupils. 14. Classroom organisation is effective, and time is used very well in lessons. All teachers use resources effectively to support their teaching. This includes teaching assistants, who make an important contribution to pupils’ learning. This is particularly so during group and individual activity sessions in the middle of lessons. However, sometimes insufficient use is made of support staff at the start of lessons in Years 1 and 2; for instance, in making observations of pupils during speaking and listening sessions. This is not the case in the reception classes, where support assistants are used very effectively to make observations of children and gather important assessment information.

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Commentary

Learning support assistants are used very well to support the needs of pupils with special educational needs. Work is well matched to the differing needs of pupils, enabling these to succeed and make good progress.

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Commentary

15. The quality of teachers’ planning is good overall; planning in the reception classes is particularly good. Teachers’ daily planning is concise and closely linked to detailed medium-term plans. Planning for the teaching of literacy and numeracy lessons is thorough. Tasks are effectively identified for pupils of differing ability, particularly in numeracy lessons. Learning intentions are generally made clear to pupils at the start of each lesson. Teachers use a wide range of imaginative teaching strategies to support pupils’ learning and link subjects together in well-planned themes. All teachers manage the behaviour of pupils very well. However, in some infant lessons, pupils are too over-directed, and there is insufficient opportunity for them to display creativity and a sense of initiative in their learning.

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Commentary

16. Assessment for learning is satisfactory overall. Teachers’ marking is satisfactory overall, but inconsistent in quality – varying between useful comments for pupils to a series of ticks. However, subject co-ordinators have implemented good systems to record the pupils’ progress in all subjects, except religious education. The assessment records are particularly good for children in the reception classes, providing a very comprehensive record of each child’s achievements. However, the wealth of data being gathered is not being entered into a useful data-handling software package. This limits the ability of staff to identify trends and patterns in pupil achievement and to effectively plan for further improvement. This is particularly relevant to reading, mathematics and science, where standards in these aspects of learning are not as high as in writing. The school has recognised this as an area for development within its

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The curriculum

Southbourne Infant School - 15 The quality of the curriculum is good overall. Opportunities for enrichment are satisfactory . The school’s accommodation and resources are good .

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The curriculum

• Strong meaningful links are made between subjects. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good, leading to good achievement. • The Foundation Stage curriculum is carefully planned to meet the needs of these children in all areas of learning. • Withdrawal of pupils from lessons for additional reading practice means they do not have their full entitlement to the curriculum. • The arrangement of ‘Club Time’ in Year 2 means that pupils do not have equal opportunities to learn.

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The curriculum

17. Overall, the school provides a good curriculum. It meets all statutory requirements. There are very good links between subjects that are delivered through the half-termly topics. Subjects are only included in the topics where they meaningfully fit, so some elements are taught separately. This enables pupils to make good connections between different aspects of their learning. This good planning ensures that all subjects receive their allocated quantity of time. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is good, which leads to them achieving well and being well prepared for the next stages of learning. All of these developments and features represent good improvement since the previous inspection.

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The curriculum

18. Provision for pupils who have special educational needs is very good. This enables them to make progress in line with their peers, with the result that many achieve the expected levels in the assessments at the end of Year 2. There is good inclusion of these pupils and of traveller children. When pupils with special needs are withdrawn from class lessons, they are usually supported for the same work as the rest of the class. When they return, the very good learning support assistants ensure they fully access the work the class is doing. However, many pupils are also withdrawn for additional reading support with volunteers. When this happens, they miss parts of lessons and are not necessarily supported back into the work of the class. As a result, they are not receiving their full entitlement to the curriculum. In addition, the arrangement of ‘Club Time’ in Year 2 does not give equal opportunities for learning to

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The curriculum

all pupils. These sessions occur in school curriculum time. Pupils opt into or out of Glockenspiel Club on Tuesday and Country Dancing on Wednesday. As a result, some pupils are not accessing either of these activities, and do not experience an alternative artistic or musical session at this time. The school has not taken full account of the impact of this.

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The curriculum

19. There is a good range of visits, such as to a local apple farm, and visitors, like a parent to talk about the Jewish festival of Sukkoth, that help to enrich the curriculum. A Book Week and mathematics problem-solving workshop add to the experience of all pupils. The most able pupils are identified and are encouraged to attend activities provided by the local education authority. The school’s personal, social and health education programme is good and contributes well to the pupils’ development.

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The curriculum

20. The school’s accommodation is good overall. Accommodation for the Foundation Stage is very good, with a secure and pleasant outdoor area. Resources for learning are good and this impacts positively on pupils’ learning, for instance, in history and Southbourne Infant School - 16 religious education. The good number of teaching assistants means that pupils are well supported in the learning. The school buildings are cleaned and well maintained on a day-to-day basis. The spacious hall and the good quality resources provide a stimulating learning environment.

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Care, guidance and support

The pastoral care and welfare of pupils is very good . Health and safety provision and practice in the school are both good . The school provides good support, advice and guidance. The way the school responds to the concerns and aspirations of its pupils is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides high quality procedures for the care, safety and welfare of pupils. • The school promotes an awareness of Health and Safety. • There are good relationships between pupils and staff. • The school provides easy access to good support, advice and guidance for both parents and pupils. • The school has very high quality induction arrangements for new pupils. Southbourne Infant School - 17

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Commentary

21. This very good provision is a continuing strength since the previous inspection and there are no significant weaknesses. The school provides very high quality pastoral care for its pupils. The school has cultivated very close links with parents, and this provides a comprehensive source of information about pupils’ views and family circumstances that enables teachers to make informed judgements about the support and guidance that each child needs. Provision for pupils to make their views known formally is planned, but not yet in operation. Very good procedures are in place for collecting and monitoring assessment data, but the school has only just started to use this to track individual pupils. Emotionally vulnerable pupils in particular are watched very carefully.

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Commentary

22. Procedures for child protection, safety and welfare are very firmly established and are known to all the staff. The daily practice of health and safety in the school is in the very capable hands of the caretaker. A rigorous risk assessment is undertaken annually and involves senior staff and the practical expertise of governors. Staff are well trained and tested in first-aid and emergency procedures, such as the use of ‘epi -pens’. Supervision in the playgrounds and at mealtimes is very good.

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Commentary

23. This is a very friendly school where the pupils trust and respect the staff. The friendly atmosphere extends to the very good induction procedures provided for parents and new pupils. Home visits are very effectively arranged to ensure smooth entry to the school and are appreciated greatly by the parents of these children. From this very positive start, good relationships thrive between pupils and with the staff. The joy of learning, taking pride in their work, and achievement in all forms, including attendance, are publicly celebrated at assemblies.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school enjoys very good links with parents. The links with other schools in the area and with the local community are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good reports keep parents well informed about standards and progress. • The school tries hard to guide parents on ways to help their children at home. • The school has developed good links with pre-school providers in the area. • Good links and transfer procedures exist with the adjacent junior school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

24. Parents’ involvement continues to be a strength of the school since the last inspection and there are no significant weaknesses. The school sees its very good links with parents as a principal strategy to combat the falling roll – together with forging strong links with early years providers and child care networks. The quality of information provided for parents is good. For example, Southbourne Infant School - 18 pupils' reports show that teachers have a very good knowledge of each child's learning, and include detailed targets for pupils' improvement. The perception by parents, that this is a very happy school where pupils are expected to work hard, is fully justified.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

25. The school sends out questionnaires to canvas parents' views and responds well to their suggestions and concerns. Currently, parents' views on the development of the school grounds are being collected. A very large number of parents volunteer to help inside the school, and to help on school trips. In turn, the school provides parents with considerable information and help to support their children's learning, such as training on how to help their children in literacy and numeracy.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

26. Links with the general community are good. The school supports a number of national charities. Staff also work hard to encourage visits from representatives of other cultures, as well as visits from the world of art, music and the theatre. For example, a parent came to demonstrate how a didgeridoo is played for a Year 1 topic on Australia. The school has developed very good transfer arrangements with the adjacent junior school, and plays a major role in the cluster of similar schools in the area because it is the biggest and most able to host events, such as football, netball and a music workshop.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall, leadership of the school is good , and teamwork is a strong feature. Management is satisfactory . Governance is satisfactory overall with some good features.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good leadership by the headteacher has created a positive school ethos where improvement can take place. • Very good teamwork is providing an effective platform for school improvement and curriculum development. • The monitoring of teaching and learning is underdeveloped. • Data collected is not used effectively to raise standards further. • The leadership and management of special educational needs are very good. • The governing body’s evaluation of the school’s performance is insufficiently rigorous.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

27. The leadership of the headteacher is good. She has successfully developed a strong supportive ethos around the school, which has been welcomed by governors and parents alike. The deputy headteacher and all staff share this vision and provide good role models to the pupils in a friendly, consistent manner. They treat the pupils with respect, interact warmly and encourage high Southbourne Infant School - 19 standards of work and behaviour. The headteacher is strongly committed to raising standards in all aspects of the school’s work. She has developed a strong team who are very clear about the direction in which they want to go. School improvement planning is good overall. The strategic three-year overview identifies the school’s long-term targets, and individual action plans show how initiatives will be achieved on a yearly basis. These are closely linked to budget considerations.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

28. The headteacher monitors teaching and learning through performance management. This aspect of her work is satisfactory. An adequate emphasis is placed on linking targets to the school improvement plan, but the observation focus does not always reflect the issues revealed by data collection. For instance, there have been no recent observations of the teaching of reading to raise hypotheses as to why this area of English has not improved in line with national trends. Non-teaching staff have professional development interviews, targets are set and professional training is identified. Some training is managed ‘in-house’, which contributes effectively to the corporate ethos and shared aims and values within the school. 29. The overall co-ordination of the curriculum is good. Co-ordinators have a good grasp of their subjects and have appropriate, focused action plans, which are consistently implemented and regularly reviewed. This is an improvement since

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Main strengths and weaknesses

the previous inspection when the role was less well developed. Co-ordinators monitor teachers’ planning regularly and several have specific expertise to guide staff. However, monitoring of teaching and learning in the classrooms does not yet take place. This prevents co-ordinators pinpointing what could be done to raise standards in their subjects still further, and is a weakness.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

30. The special educational needs co-ordinator provides very good leadership and management. She ensures that all pupils are accurately assessed, using outside agencies when necessary, and that all pupils have relevant achievable targets. She works very closely with all colleagues and regularly monitors the use made of individual education plans. The school has very good resources, especially in staffing, to meet the needs of this group of pupils.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

31. The management of the school is satisfactory. A variety of data is collected, but its use to monitor and raise standards further is inconsistent. The school has, for instance, analysed data from the Standard Assessment Tasks in 2004, which show boys did not perform as well as girls in writing. Effective strategies have been put in place to raise boys’ standards in this area. Foundation Stage staff have raised attainment in multicultural provision through monitoring the Foundation Profile data. However, data collected from regular assessments in writing has not been analysed either at individual class or year group level, and no analysis of the relative weaknesses in reading identified through Standard Assessment Tasks has been undertaken. The tracking of the progress of individual pupils is at an early stage and mechanisms to produce overviews of the progress of groups of pupils have not yet been fully developed by the

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

school. This prevents the school from analysing trends and patterns and impedes, for instance, the capacity to improve standards in mathematics and reading. Southbourne Infant School - 20 32. Governance of the school is satisfactory overall with some good features. The chairman and the headteacher work well together and relationships between staff and governors are strong. Governors are fully involved in the life of the school and are very supportive. For example, the ICT (information and communication technology) and SEN (special educational needs) co-ordinators have discussed provision with the curriculum committee, and governors attend workshops and open mornings regularly. Governors are fully involved in formulating the school improvement plan through their committee structures and have their own plan within the overall document. They monitor its progress closely and help in its review on a regular basis. This is an improvement on the

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

findings of the previous inspection. The governing body ensures that the school meets all statutory requirements.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

33. Feedback by individual governors to meetings is verbal, which prevents an accurate remembrance of information and judgements. Governors are not familiar with national data and how this might raise achievement. They are clear about the school’s strengths but are less sure about some aspects of the challenges that it faces. For instance, they are not fully aware of trends and patterns in pupil standards and are therefore not well placed to be a ‘critical friend’ to challenge and support the work of the school effectively. Southbourne Infant School - 21 34. The management of the school’s finances is good. The support given by the school’s administrative team is good. The headteacher and governors monitor the budget closely and have formulated several options if income is reduced. The chair of governors has been proactive in seeking advice from the local education authority and all governors are fully aware of the implications of

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 456 313 Balance from previous year 15 588 Total expenditure 454 207 Balance carried forward to the next 17 694

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

Expenditure per pupil 2 736 Southbourne Infant School - 22

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

35. Good provision ensures that all children achieve well and most are on target to exceed the early learning goals in all areas of learning by the time they start in Year 1. The Foundation Stage team have established a stimulating and attractive environment in which children feel well cared for and valued. The strengths identified in the last inspection have been maintained and built on. The outdoor provision has improved and reflects the activities on offer in the classrooms, although opportunities for moving spontaneously between these areas are limited. Currently, there are 27 children attending all day, based in two classes. Twelve of these attend part-time in the mornings.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

36. There is a strong drive for learning in the Foundation Stage and many reasons why children are achieving so well. Teaching is consistently good in all areas of learning, although there are some missed opportunities to promote and encourage independent learning. Teamwork is strong. Teachers and support staff work well together and all adults have high expectations of the children. The curriculum is carefully planned around topics that capture children’s interest so that attitudes to learning are very good. There are very good procedures in place for monitoring and assessment in every area of the curriculum. Assessments by all adults are used directly to plan work and move children on in their learning. For instance, the curriculum for Knowledge and Understanding of the World has been improved following analysis of information gained from ongoing and end-of-year assessments. Children with special needs are supported well and make good progress because their

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

individual targets are constantly addressed through well-matched tasks.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

37. Leadership and management are good. The co-ordinator and her team have set up effective systems for induction into the Foundation Stage, which are highly appreciated by children and their parents. Transition to Year 1 is smooth and well thought out. As a result, pupils in Year 1 are confident and well prepared for new learning. The co-ordinator’s vision for a high quality experience for the children is a further strength, resulting in a calm, purposeful atmosphere in which children feel secure and comfortable. Parents are welcomed, and several help on a regular basis, which further enhances the strong partnership between home and school.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

38. Most children have attended local playgroups or nurseries and are attaining standards expected for their age when they enter school. This represents a rise since the last inspection. By the end of the Foundation Stage, most will exceed standards that are above average in all areas of learning because of the well- focused teaching and coherent curriculum.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

39. The good accommodation is used well. The children move freely between both classrooms and have access to a wide variety of resources which promote valuable learning opportunities. Southbourne Infant School - 23 Southbourne Infant School - 24 Personal, social and emotional development

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

• Good relationships between children and adults create an atmosphere of effective learning. • Teachers plan a stimulating range of opportunities. • Children are not able to exercise their own choices on some occasions.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

40. Most children are attaining standards in this area which are above their age by the end of reception. They achieve well because teaching is good in this area of learning. Teachers plan well to provide a rich environment in which children are confident and secure. The good relationships between adults and children ensure that children persevere at tasks for extended periods of time, often concentrating hard without direct supervision. Imaginative play in the role-play area is of a high quality, and children sustain their interest and develop their play without direct input from adults. However, there are some missed opportunities for child-initiated activities because they do not have a completely free choice. This limits independence and restricts opportunities to enjoy the wide range of resources available.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

41. Children respond well to class routines, such as clearing and tidying up at the end of sessions. Most children raise their hands and wait until invited to speak in whole-group sessions and change for physical education lessons with minimal help.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

• All staff use opportunities well to develop children’s language skills. • Teachers have high expectations and are strongly focused on developing reading and writing skills. • Staff use every opportunity to assess children’s learning.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

42. Most children start school with average language and communications skills, but make rapid progress. They are on course to have above average attainment and achievement by the time they start Year 1. All staff model language effectively, especially in focused sessions, ask open-ended questions, explain well and encourage and praise. The majority of children speak clearly and audibly, many with great confidence and control. They show awareness of the listener and hold meaningful conversations in their Southbourne Infant School - 25 imaginative play. Children enjoy listening to stories and many know the terms author – ‘the person who writes the words’, illustrator and title .

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

43. The quality of teaching is good in this area of learning. Teachers have high expectations of the children in reading and writing. Children make good progress because teachers plan whole-class and guided reading sessions in which they make learning intentions clear and implement them very effectively. As a result, children read along confidently with the teacher, identify initial sounds in words and use strategies such as context and picture clues to make sense of the text. Teachers are already teaching the conventions of spelling and grammar and a few higher-attaining children recognise the exclamation mark and know what a full stop is for. Most children write their name unaided and form letters correctly in other writing because teachers consistently reinforce this.

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

44. Teachers have very good systems set up for assessing children’s literacy skills. All adults make ongoing notes about the children’s achievements, which in turn inform the direction of subsequent learning. Overall, good teaching and very good ongoing assessment contribute significantly to the good achievement of the children in this area of learning.

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

• Imaginative, focused teaching ensures that children achieve well. • The curriculum is planned creatively to ensure all aspects of mathematics are provided for.

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

45. The children are on course to have above average attainment and achievement by the time they start Year 1.

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

46. Teaching is good in this area of learning. Teachers plan well for lessons and assess children’s learning thoroughly. Children have opportunities to count to 20 and beyond, and enjoy practising measuring with non-standard units. Teachers use and explain subject-specific language, such as ‘bigger’, ‘smaller’ and ‘estimate’, and show the relevance of recording mathematical information through interesting practical activities.

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

47. Most children identify simple shapes and begin to make money transactions in the role-play shop. They are familiar with scales because of the opportunities for cooking in the classroom and know that liquids are measured in a jug.

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Knowledge and understanding of the world

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good . Southbourne Infant School - 26 Main strengths and weaknesses

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

• Teachers plan activities which capture children’s interest. • The school places a strong emphasis on the children’s own culture and beliefs and those of others.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

48. Children enter school with average attainment for their age and achieve well, due to good teaching and a well-balanced and well-planned curriculum. By the end of the year, most children are on course to exceed the early learning goals. The quality of teaching and learning is good. A good range of appropriate and interesting activities is arranged to stimulate the children’s curiosity and enhance their understanding. Children make dinosaur biscuits and note the changes as the food is cooked. They explore different textures when making collages, and arrange bears in a timeline to begin to understand chronology. The use of computers is good, with a variety of programs well within the children’s capabilities. They use the mouse and a programmable toy confidently.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

49. Local visits, such as to the local farm, enhance the children’s experiences. Visitors into school, such as a nurse and a fireman, enrich the curriculum further. The school is beginning to build up a portfolio of work in this area of the curriculum which will illustrate the development of crucial knowledge, skills and understanding through the activities undertaken by the children.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

50. The children begin to know about their own culture and beliefs and those of other people through learning about festivals, such as Lent and Easter. They learn about other cultures, such as Chinese New Year, through stories and making masks and lanterns. The higher emphasis placed on this aspect by staff is making a significant contribution to the provision of knowledge and understanding of the world.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in physical development is good .

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

• Teachers plan well to ensure that children experience the physical curriculum, especially in indoor physical education. • There are limited opportunities to move spontaneously between the outside and inside environments.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

51. Children enter school with physical skills appropriate for their age and make good progress to achieve above average levels by the end of the reception year. Southbourne Infant School - 27 52. Teaching and learning in this area of learning are good. Teachers plan well for indoor physical education. Each child has the opportunity to explore dance and use small and large apparatus on a weekly basis. In one lesson seen, the children marched and clapped with enthusiasm and practised ball skills with concentration. The good, focused teaching ensured that children threw and caught with reasonable accuracy and were given the opportunity to observe each other to improve further. This activity was extended into the outside area activities so that children could practise in a less formal setting.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

53. The spacious outside accommodation is purpose built, well resourced and a safe and secure environment for children to work and play in. Planning for inside and outside is now linked, which is an improvement on the last inspection. Children enjoy skipping, playing in the sandpit and tracing at the table with felt pens. However, during the inspection week, the children had few opportunities to move spontaneously between the two environments and equipment, such as bikes and ‘trikes’, were not made available. This limited children’s choices and prevented them from developing social skills further.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

54. Many indoor activities promote dexterity, such as small world play, jigsaw puzzles, small construction toys, cutting out, painting, drawing and gluing.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in creative development is good .

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

• A good range of activities captures children’s interests. • Music is incorporated well into topic themes.

p.27

Commentary

55. Children enter school with skills and understanding in this area that are expected for their age, and make good progress to achieve at above average levels by the end of the reception year. They are interested in and motivated by the activities and experiences provided for them, and do well in their learning because of the good teaching and range of activities.

p.27

Commentary

56. Children very competently mix their own colours when painting. They use spatulas without spilling the powder paint and add water to make a suitable consistency for the paint. They efficiently wash up the paint palettes ready for re-use. They use glue carefully and make interesting collage pictures of dinosaurs.

p.27

Commentary

57. The children regularly take part in planned music sessions and enjoy the involvement of a storybook about dinosaurs, the current topic theme. They identified high, low, long and short sounds and know the names of instruments, such as triangle and cymbal. They sing in tune because the teacher models this effectively. A display of musical percussion instruments in the classroom Southbourne Infant School - 28 reinforces the high focus placed on this aspect of creative development and provides opportunities to make music spontaneously.

p.27

ENGLISH

• Standards in reading have not kept pace with rising national trends. • Pupils attain very high standards in writing, spelling and presentation. • Teachers plan interesting lessons which make effective links with other subjects. • Language and literacy across the curriculum are very good. • Pupils enjoy their lessons and have good attitudes towards English. • The analysis of data and sharing of targets with pupils is underdeveloped. • The withdrawal of pupils from lessons for individual reading sometimes disrupts pupils’ learning. Southbourne Infant School - 29 Commentary

p.28

ENGLISH

58. The school has maintained the high standards noted at the time of the previous inspection in writing, but standards in reading have fallen to average and counter to the national trend. This is reflected in the national tests for 2004 and the predicted results for 2005, which show a similar profile. Girls consistently outperform boys in national tests in reading and writing, but the school has successfully implemented a wide range of strategies to counter this trend. These include gender-free topics and monitoring how pupils learn new words. The analysis of pupils’ past and current work and observations of lessons show no significant difference in the achievement of girls and boys.

p.29

ENGLISH

59. Pupils attain standards in speaking and listening that are average for their age. They listen very attentively, and most pupils speak clearly to each other and adults. Teachers plan carefully to promote pupils’ confidence in speaking and listening, both within small groups and in activities, such as circle time and whole-class question and answer sessions. Despite the improvements that have been made on the findings of the previous inspection, some pupils still lack confidence in speaking and listening.

p.29

ENGLISH

60. Reading is given a high priority, but standards are average overall in spite of the heavy emphasis on individual reading. Pupils are withdrawn from lessons and this sometimes disrupts their learning in English and other subjects. Pupils do not achieve as well as they could and the rate of progress in reading is insufficient. Guided reading is taught well on a once weekly basis. This builds on the very focused teaching in the Foundation Stage, but it does not happen often enough to impact on the reading curriculum and raise attainment in reading to the high levels of writing. However, pupils of all abilities in Year 2 read texts well matched to their previous learning. More able pupils take note of punctuation, use expression, predict the end of the story and are familiar with contents and index pages. Many pupils in Year 2 know the difference between fiction and non-fiction but are unable to name any authors or use the

p.29

ENGLISH

classification system in the library to locate a book. The home-school diary helps to identify the progress pupils make and any problems that they may encounter.

p.29

ENGLISH

61. The new school library is not yet contributing towards the acquisition of information skills for pupils. Pupils do not yet use the library to research independently. This area for development is recognised by the school, and actions are in place to increase the number of books and develop the library skills programme for Year 2 pupils. There are a good number of books in all classrooms and books, both story and non-fiction, feature in many of the attractive displays.

p.29

ENGLISH

62. Most pupils attain very high standards in writing and make good progress throughout the year. They use interesting vocabulary in creative writing and understand the features of different styles when engaged in writing lists, reviews and evaluations of their work. They write for different audiences and purposes. For instance, in Year 2, pupils write play scripts at a very high standard because of effective teaching. Pupils of above average and average Southbourne Infant School - 30 ability use grammar and punctuation effectively, both in handwriting and when word-processing on the computer. Spelling is accurate because teachers use every opportunity to give pupils effective strategies for spelling both in lessons and when supporting pupils in their individual writing tasks. Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported by the special needs co-ordinator and learning support assistants. These pupils make good progress as a result

p.29

ENGLISH

of the focused teaching, which is well matched to their needs, and they achieve well.

p.30

ENGLISH

63. Pupils are keen to read and write. They concentrate and persevere with enthusiasm. They are often so engrossed that they forget playtime is imminent! These very good attitudes are the result of teachers’ very effective planning to enrich the curriculum by making links with other subjects and to make good use of time. For instance, in the current topic on puppets, the pupils firstly made their puppets in design and technology lessons and devised their plays over several extended sessions in which they were able to discuss and compose without the constraints of time.

p.30

ENGLISH

64. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Teachers have good subject knowledge and match work to pupils’ interest and ability. Lesson planning is thorough and ensures a clear progression in pupils’ learning. A strong feature of teaching is the consistently high expectations that teachers have of their pupils. Staff set and maintain high standards of presentation for this aspect in all subjects. This is reflected in the colourful displays of pupils’ work around the school in which writing features prominently.

p.30

ENGLISH

65. The co-ordinator’s leadership of the subject is satisfactory. She has very good subject knowledge and has influenced the curriculum through initiatives such as introducing drama and setting up the library. She is keen to improve speaking and listening and maintain the high standards in writing. A good start has been made in the monitoring of planning, but this does not yet extend to the monitoring of teaching and learning, especially in reading. The co-ordinator’s current action plan does not identify any targets to improve this area of English.

p.30

ENGLISH

66. Management is satisfactory. There is a wealth of data gathered by staff to assess the level pupils reach, but this information to inform planning is inconsistent. For instance, no analysis has been made of the possible reasons why reading standards have not improved in line with the national trend, and half-termly writing assessments are not tracked or recorded in a way which would show trends or patterns for different groups of pupils.

p.30

ENGLISH

Language and literacy across the curriculum

p.30

ENGLISH

67. Teachers are highly creative in how they plan for and provide the pupils with scope to practise and develop their language skills in other subjects. Writing permeates the whole curriculum. In science, for example, Year 1 pupils describe apples as ‘sour’, ‘hard’ and ‘yummy’ in a topic on fruit, and Year 2 label diagrams in work on electricity. Other subjects, such as history and information technology, are used equally well to increase the relevance of pupils’ work. The use of drama is a strong feature across the curriculum and it Southbourne Infant School - 31 is beginning to impact on pupils’ speaking skills to improve fluency and meaningful dialogue.

p.30

MATHEMATICS

• A strong emphasis on investigational work contributes effectively to the achievement of pupils. • Lessons are well structured to provide good opportunities for the improvement of pupils’ number skills. • Pupils respond very well to opportunities for investigative activity. • Good assessment information is not being used effectively to monitor the achievements of pupils. • The effective monitoring of pupils’ standards is providing a good base for further improvement.

p.31

MATHEMATICS

68. Achievement is satisfactory overall and pupils continue to consolidate their mathematical understanding on the above average levels when they start in Year 1. Results in the 2004 national tests show that standards, although average, have fluctuated over the previous three years. When the 2004 results are compared to those of similar schools, standards are also average. These variations in standards are primarily due to the differences in overall attainment in each year group. However, the proportion of pupils attaining the higher Level three in 2004 was above the national average.

p.31

MATHEMATICS

69. Inspection evidence indicates that overall attainment is above average for seven year olds. This is because the school has focused its efforts on the development of the pupils’ investigational skills. This strategy is proving to be successful, with the result that standards in this aspect of mathematics are above those normally expected. Teachers place a strong emphasis on investigational work in lessons, and this contributes effectively to the achievement of pupils. This has been the main strategy used to successfully address the fall in overall standards since the previous inspection. Inspection findings and teacher assessment data indicates that standards are now improving towards the very high levels noted at the previous inspection.

p.31

MATHEMATICS

70. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Mental starter sessions are managed effectively in all lessons and provide good opportunities for the development of numeracy skills. All pupils respond very well to this good teaching and work enthusiastically on tasks set. They also respond very well to opportunities for co- operative activity and investigational work, such as sorting 3-D shapes, solving money problems or playing mathematical board games. Tasks are effectively matched to the ability of all pupils, including those with special educational needs. As a result, pupils make good progress overall in lessons.

p.31

MATHEMATICS

71. Good assessment procedures are in place and provide an accurate record of pupils’ individual attainment against national curriculum levels. The subject co-ordinator has made a satisfactory start in tracking pupils’ achievement. However, insufficient use is made of the good data being collected by teachers on pupils’ achievements to identify Southbourne Infant School - 32 where standards can be further improved. The school has recognised the need to use information technology to do this effectively and it is an area for development.

p.31

MATHEMATICS

72. Leadership and management of the subject are good overall and an improvement on the findings of the previous inspection. The co-ordinator has compiled an effective portfolio of evidence that confirms the standards being achieved by pupils across the school. The development of pupils’ investigational skills has formed the backbone for subject improvement over the last two years, and this strategy is proving to be successful. However, insufficient use is made of ICT to monitor the progress of pupils and to identify areas of potential underachievement, and this is a weakness. Furthermore, the limited observation of mathematics lessons across the school limits the effectiveness of the school’s overall monitoring of teaching and learning and it is an area for further improvement. Southbourne Infant School - 33

p.32

Mathematics across the curriculum

73. Teachers plan for a wide range of opportunities to develop the pupils’ mathematical skills through other aspects of the curriculum. For instance, Year 2 pupils gain experience of handling simple data in ICT activities to create a graph about their favourite fruit. Aspects of shape and space are developed through the control of a programmable floor robot and making simple measurements in science investigations.

p.33

SCIENCE

• Assessment systems are undeveloped, so teachers do not have a full picture of each pupil’s attainment. • There are very good links with other subjects. • Pupils’ writing skills are developed well in science.

p.33

SCIENCE

74. Teacher assessment of pupils at the end of Year 2 in 2004 indicated that standards were in line with national averages and with similar schools, with 93 per cent reaching Level 2. The proportion achieving higher levels, at about a quarter, was also in line with other schools. The school feels that the current Year 2 pupils will reach similar standards. Inspection evidence supports this judgement. Achievement is satisfactory, and good opportunities are provided for pupils to record their findings and develop their writing skills. Presentation of pupils’ work is very good, and they take great care and pride in their recorded work.

p.33

SCIENCE

75. A review of pupils’ work indicates that the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. However, good features of teaching include the review of previous learning, the use of resources and effective support of less able pupils. Assessment is satisfactory overall. However, marking of work is, at best, cursory, and assessment is limited to end of year judgements. The lack of assessment at the end of each unit of work means that teachers are not always fully aware of what pupils have achieved. Future planning is therefore less effective because it not fully matched to the needs of pupils.

p.33

SCIENCE

76. Science is taught as the core of the planned half-termly topics. This is effective in delivering the breadth of the science curriculum and in making very good links with other subjects. For instance, work on Toys in Year 2 was not only linked with making puppets (design and technology) and the history of toys, but also with the production of puppet play scripts (English). Teachers provide pupils with very good opportunities to write with accuracy and precision when recording their investigations.

p.33

SCIENCE

77. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. Very good guidance is provided for teachers to ensure complete coverage of the programmes of study, and for the suggested assessment materials. However, samples of pupils’ work have not been matched to national curriculum levels. This limits the ability of staff to make agreed Southbourne Infant School - 34 judgements about standards. In addition, assessment data is not being used effectively to monitor pupil achievement or evaluate the quality of teaching or learning. Despite this, improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory due to the establishment of good links with other subjects.

p.33

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

• Pupils respond very well to opportunities for independent learning to achieve above average standards. • Skills are taught effectively via several other subjects. • A lack of resources is limiting the ability of teachers to teach skills to the whole class. • Good procedures have been implemented to effectively assess the development of pupils’ skills. • The effective monitoring of standards is contributing to good subject development

p.34

Commentary

78. Achievement is good. Pupils display a great sense of pride when working at the computers to reach standards that are above average by the end of Year 2. This is especially so in word-processing skills, where most pupils in Year 2 can enter text freely and change the font style. Many pupils are working at Level 3, and most can save their work unaided. Many can use a graphics program to create highly imaginative pictures that incorporate a wide range of effects. For instance, the pictures of a lighthouse created by Year 2 pupils are particularly effective and of a high standard for this age group.

p.34

Commentary

79. The quality of learning is good overall. There are no facilities to teach ICT skills to a whole class. However, teachers effectively teach ICT skills through a wide range of links made with other subjects, such as English, mathematics and art. Specific teaching is through small group demonstrations either by teachers or support assistants, which is followed up with individual, paired or group activity. The skills of Year 2 pupils are further developed through computer activity at lunchtimes. Pupils are provided with good opportunities to use a small, programmable robot to develop their control technology skills.

p.34

Commentary

80. Procedures for the assessment of pupils’ progress in ICT skills are effectively recorded against National Curriculum levels. This provides a good basis for monitoring their learning and self-evaluation.

p.34

Commentary

81. Good leadership and management of the subject ensure that standards are being monitored effectively. This is an improvement on the findings of the previous inspection. Action planning for school improvement is effective, and the co-ordinator displays a clear vision of what needs to be further developed. For instance, the purchase of two interactive whiteboards will assist in the teaching of specific skills to larger groups of pupils. Southbourne Infant School - 35

p.34

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

82. Good links are made between other subjects to further the opportunities for all pupils to develop their ICT skills. For example, in English, pupils in Year 2 create their play scripts through the use of a word-processor, and in art, they create highly imaginative pictures of a lighthouse with the aid of a graphics package. Teachers also provide a range of opportunities for pupils to consolidate their skills in literacy and numeracy through interaction with CD- ROM programs during lessons and lunchtimes.

p.35

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupil achievement is satisfactory overall. • Drama and assemblies make an effective contribution to lessons. • Strong links are made with the school’s personal, social and health education programme. • There are no procedures in place to record the progress of pupils. • Procedures for monitoring of teaching and learning are underdeveloped.

p.35

Main strengths and weaknesses

83. Analysis of pupils’ work and the observation of a lesson for pupils in Year 2 confirm that overall standards are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Most Year 2 pupils are able to recall some important aspects of the stories of Jesus. They can portray these through drama cameos and their writing. The pupils’ knowledge of the other religions nominated within the locally agreed syllabus is satisfactory and supported by visitors from the Jewish faith.

p.35

Main strengths and weaknesses

84. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. In the one very good lesson seen during the inspection, drama activities were used very effectively to support the teaching and to re-emphasise the parable of the Prodigal Son to the pupils. Teachers plan effective links with the school’s personal, social and health education programme, making an effective contribution to the pupils’ overall understanding of religious issues. This good provision is further supported by stories told in assemblies. However, there are no effective assessment procedures in place to record the pupils’ progress, and this is an area for further development.

p.35

Main strengths and weaknesses

85. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory overall. The co- ordinator has made a satisfactory start in managing the subject, and her subject file includes useful guidance for staff. However, an absence of examples of the pupils’ work limits its potential as a focus for monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and learning within the school. Southbourne Infant School - 36

p.35

Geography and History

86. Only one history lesson was seen and none in geography. No judgement can be made about the provision of these humanities subjects. However, a review of pupils’ work indicates that standards in both subjects are at least in line with national expectations. History and geography are taught through half-termly topics, which meaningfully link various subjects in themes. This is well planned, successfully covering all the requirements of each subject.

p.36

Geography and History

87. In the one history lesson seen, the teaching was good. Resources, including an antique gramophone, were used well, and good opportunities were taken to develop pupils’ historical thinking. Work was well matched to the differing abilities of pupils within the class. All pupils were able to describe the gramophone, whilst the more able were challenged to identify the differences between it and a modern stereo. As a result of the good teaching, the pupils were very enthusiastic and worked hard.

p.36

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

88. It is not possible to make judgements about the overall provision in these subjects because only one lesson in music and two lessons in physical education could be observed; no lessons could be seen in art and design and design and technology. Judgements are therefore based on the review of pupils’ work, looking at teachers’ plans and observing some teaching and learning.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

89. Pupil achievement is good. Evidence was gathered from the work analysis and displays around the school in classrooms and corridors. Indications from these sources show that pupils generally reach very good standards in their artwork. This is in line with the findings of the previous inspection, when art was judged to be a strength of the school. The art curriculum is firmly embedded in the topic approach followed by the school. Wall displays show a good range of materials and processes that can be investigated. This is well illustrated in a display on ‘Winter’, which shows high quality work with clay, fabric, printing and ink.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

90. First-hand experience has a high profile in the school, as demonstrated in the observations of teddy bears in Year 1. Well-executed paintings show a confident use of powder paint, and collage and sewing are of an equally high standard. There is very good integration of the study of the work of famous artists with the practical strand of the subject. For instance, after looking at the ‘Wheatfields’ by Van Gogh, Year 2 pupils interpreted the picture by creating their own subtle paintings, which show brush strokes in the style of Van Gogh. The range seen is further extended by the sculptures of lighthouses and the use of paint software to explore shape, colour and patterns. Photographs Southbourne Infant School - 37 indicate that the Year 2 Art afternoon in autumn 2004 further enhanced the curriculum, as pupils had the opportunity to use a wide range of media.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

91. The co-ordinator provides a clear direction to the school’s work. She has made a good start in monitoring plans and judging examples of work in line with National Curriculum levels. The action plans for the previous academic year and the current year have been effectively implemented.

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Design and technology

92. Standards are above average for seven year olds, and the available evidence confirms that the quality of learning in this subject is good across the school. Effective links are made between other subjects through termly topics. For example, the making of a carrier bag as part of a topic on fruit. Tasks, therefore, have relevance to the pupils, and provide a good stimulus for work in other subjects, such as science and art. The development of planning, making and evaluation are strong features of lessons, and all pupils apply themselves to produce products of quality. Detailed evaluations by pupils in Year 2 provide very good opportunities for these pupils to develop their writing skills. The subject is being led well and the good examples of pupils’ work within the well- organised co-ordinator’s file confirm the good standards being achieved.

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Music

93. Analysis of the music co-ordinator’s file, photographic evidence, observation of a musical club and a singing assembly indicate that standards are at least in line with national expectations for pupils of this age and that singing is above average. The judgements made at the last inspection indicated that the playing of glockenspiels was above the levels expected for pupils of this age. This strength has been maintained.

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Music

94. Pupils in Year 2 play percussion instruments with control and begin to understand that they can create loud and soft sounds to create a pleasing effect. They perform to a simple score, with the teacher conducting, and improve their performance by keeping the beat more accurately in a simple rhythm. No overall judgement can be made on the quality of teaching, but in the one lesson seen, it was satisfactory. In this lesson, the teacher encouraged the pupils to become aware of the musical elements and used resources well.

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Music

95. All pupils throughout the school sing well. They are tuneful, have a good sense of pitch, appropriate volume and clear diction. They learn new songs easily and quickly adapt to singing in two parts. They hold the tune with support from adults, and clearly enjoy the experience.

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Music

96. The curriculum is supported by commercial schemes which help teachers with less secure subject knowledge. The annual workshop contributes effectively to the provision and provides an opportunity for pupils to experience music from other cultures. The current action plan identifies appropriate areas for development. The co-ordinator monitors planning effectively and is building up an evidence base through tape recordings and CDs. Southbourne Infant School - 38

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Physical education

97. The evidence gathered confirms pupil achievement is good overall and that standards are above average overall for seven year olds, and particularly so in gymnastics. These judgements are similar to those of the previous inspection. In the one good gymnastics lesson for pupils in Year 2, the teacher’s good subject knowledge and very good class management ensured the effective development of pupils’ skills. These factors contributed very effectively to the good quality of learning for these pupils. As a result, all of these pupils worked very hard to perfect their sequence of movements, either on the floor or on the apparatus. Balances, turns and movements are undertaken with control and finesse as pupils strive to improve their performance. Games skills are developed with the same degree of application. All areas of the subject are covered throughout the year, but an over-reliance on commercial dance tapes

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Physical education

limits the opportunities for pupils to be fully creative. The co-ordinator provides good leadership to colleagues and a well-organised file provides a good range of photographs that exemplify the good standards being achieved across the school.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

98. Insufficient lessons were observed in personal, social and health education and citizenship to enable overall judgements to be made about provision, standards, achievement or teaching. 99. Personal, social and health education is part of the provision, along with religious education and the general ethos of the school, which leads to very good personal development of pupils. Various initiatives have stemmed from the programme and have had a significant impact on the work of the school. These include Brain Gym and the policy on ‘good listening’. Only one lesson was seen, which was good overall. There is a well-planned and coherent programme that runs throughout the school. Staff effectively use ‘circle time’ occasions to raise the pupils’ self-esteem. On occasions, teachers exert too much control both in these lessons and others, so whilst pupils’ behaviour is very good, they do not always benefit fully from the opportunities provided to

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

explore their own attitudes and conduct. The co-ordinator provides good guidance to teachers, and is planning to organise a programme for Year 2 pupils about citizenship and community issues in the summer term. Southbourne Infant School - 39

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 4 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 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 2 Attendance 2 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 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 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 4 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 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 3 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 3 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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