Standhill Infants' School

STANDHILL INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 17.01.05 – 19.01.05

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STANDHILL INFANT SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Standhill 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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STANDHILL 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. Standhill Infant School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant School category: Community Age range of pupils: 5-7 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 111 School address: Standhill Road Carlton Nottingham Postcode: NG4 1JL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0115 8476787 Fax number: 0115 8476787

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: CC Darrell Pulk

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 28 th 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This small, popular community infant school is situated on the outskirts of the City of Nottingham. There are 111 pupils on roll, including 26 children in the Reception class. Ten of these children started school immediately prior to the inspection. Almost all of the children who are admitted to the Reception class have had some pre-school provision. All children are invited to attend a ‘Ready for School Group’ for one afternoon per week in the half term prior to full-time admission. Attainment on entry is generally below average with a full range of ability present. The pupils’ families are from a mixture of private and rented housing and socio-economic characteristics reflect the diversity of an urban area and show some features of disadvantage. A below average percentage of pupils is eligible for free school meals, although this does not reflect the socio-economic characteristics of the school. Twelve per cent of pupils (above average) are from a variety of minority ethnic

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

backgrounds, although none are at the early stages of English language acquisition. Twenty-one per cent of pupils (above average) have special educational needs, the majority with moderate learning difficulties. No child has a statement of special needs. Standhill Infant School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

21114 Malcolm Johnstone Lead inspector Special educational needs English as an additional language English Science Design and technology Geography History Physical education Personal, social and health education and citizenship 13256 Richard Barnard Lay inspector 23686 Pamela White Team inspector The Foundation Stage Mathematics Information and communication technology Art and design Music Religious education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Inspire Educational Limited The Coach house 132 Whitaker Road Derby DE23 6AP

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

This is a good school, well respected within its community. Teaching and learning are good overall and help pupils to achieve well. The school is welcoming and highly inclusive. The headteacher and her deputy provide effective leadership and have high aspirations for the pupils. Governance is good and governors work hard and effectively to move the school forward. The school provides good value for money.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

• Most pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics • The headteacher has a high profile in the school and leads the school well • There are very good levels of care and sensitivity to the needs of all pupils and provision for pupils with SEN (special educational needs) is very good • Teaching and learning are particularly strong in the Reception and Year 2 classes • Pupils attitudes and behaviour are good but attendance levels are unsatisfactory • The above average pupils could achieve more in mathematics and science • Provision for religious education is unsatisfactory

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

There has been good overall improvement since the previous inspection. Standards have improved and the good quality of teaching has been maintained. The headteacher now monitors teaching and learning more systematically and effectively. Smaller class sizes have alleviated the issues related to the cramped accommodation. Despite the efforts of the school, the attendance level has declined and is now well below the national average.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

As a result of consistently good teaching in the Reception class, children of all abilities achieve well. The good teaching, however, cannot fully compensate for the below average attainment on entry and, by the end of the Reception year, a significant minority of the pupils are unlikely to reach the goals expected nationally in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Given the below average attainment on entry, in the 2004 national tests pupils did well to achieve the national average in reading and writing and match the standards attained in similar schools. Standards were not so high in mathematics since few pupils reached the higher level 3. This was also true of the teacher assessments for science. Overall, standards have been maintained over the past three years and are better than at the time of the previous inspection. Current standards largely reflect this picture, although standards in mathematics and science have improved and are now similar to the national average, since a few more pupils are now on course to reach the higher National Curriculum level 3. Most pupils are achieving well , although the above average pupils could still be pushed more in mathematics and science by providing more opportunities for them to use and apply their good knowledge to problem solving activities.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Standhill Infant School - 7 There is no significant difference in the standards achieved by boys and girls and pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds do as well as other pupils. Pupils who have special educational needs achieve well against the realistic targets set for them. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are average and have improved over the past year as new equipment and training begins to take effect. In religious education standards are below average. Some good work was seen in art and design, geography, history and music.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are developed well. Attitudes and behaviour are good and relationships are strong and supportive. Punctuality is generally good but attendance levels are well below average. This is due to holidays being taken in term time and high levels of illness.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good. Teaching and learning are good overall and ensure that pupils achieve well. Teaching is most effective in Reception and Year 2 where it is consistently good and achievement is high. Teaching is mostly satisfactory in Year 1. The basic skills of reading, writing and mathematics are well taught across the school. The work is mostly interesting and stimulating and, as a result, pupils are eager to learn. Although there has been recent improvement, teachers do not provide enough opportunities for above average pupils to use and apply their good knowledge of mathematics and science in problem solving activities. Teaching assistants make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. Assessment is good in English, mathematics and science. Pupils with SEN are taught well and make good progress.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides an effective curriculum that meets the needs of all the pupils. There are good opportunities for enrichment. The quality of care, guidance and support is very good and the school has developed a good partnership with parents, the community and other schools. The accommodation is satisfactory and there is adequate staffing and resources to meet the needs of the curriculum.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The overall leadership, management and governance of the school are good. The governors meet their statutory requirements and are involved effectively in school development. The headteacher, supported very well by the deputy headteacher, has a high profile in the school and leads the school well. The school is managed competently and runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis. Financial management is good.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents hold the school in high regard and pupils say that they like school and feel safe and well looked after.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Provide more opportunities, particularly for the above average pupils, to develop the skills to work independently and use and apply their good knowledge of mathematics and science in problem solving activities • Improve the standards and provision for religious education • Continue to work to improve attendance Standhill Infant School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Standards are similar to the national average and pupils achieve well overall

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics • Children in the Reception class (the Foundation Stage) achieve well in all areas of learning • Pupils with SEN (special educational needs) achieve well • The above average pupils could achieve more in mathematics and science • Standards are below average in religious education

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Commentary

1 Despite the below average attainment on entry, children in the Reception class achieve well in many areas of learning. The good teaching, however, cannot fully compensate for the low starting point of most pupils and by the end of the Reception year, a significant minority of the pupils is unlikely to reach the goals expected nationally in communication, language and literacy and mathematical understanding. Almost all are likely to reach the expected goals in personal and social development. In physical development achievement is hampered by lack of outdoor equipment and a designated area for outdoor play and is satisfactory.

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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 16.0 (16.1) 15.8 (15.7)

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Commentary

There were 44 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2 Overall, standards have been maintained over the past three years and are better than at the time of the previous inspection, although overall standards have been a little below the national upward trend. In the 2004 National Curriculum tests and assessments standards were similar to the national average in reading, writing and speaking and listening and were comparable with those in similar schools. Standards were not so high in mathematics since few pupils reached the higher level 3. This was also true of the teacher assessments for science where no pupils reached the higher level. Current standards largely reflect this picture, although standards in mathematics and science have improved and are now similar to the national average since a few more pupils are on course to reach the higher National Curriculum Level 3. There is no significant difference in the standards achieved by boys and girls.

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Commentary

3 Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) meet national expectations and have improved over the past year with better resources and teaching expertise and confidence. Computers are now used more effectively to support work across Standhill Infant School - 9 the curriculum. Standards in religious education are unsatisfactory. There is no systematic development of the subject and some teachers lack confidence and expertise. The work seen in other subjects was generally similar to or better than that expected for pupils’ age; some good work was seen in art and design, geography, history and music.

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Commentary

4 Given the generally below average attainment on entry, most pupils achieve well. Progress is more rapid in the Reception and Year 2 classes and reflects the better quality teaching. The pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds achieve well and are well represented in the above average groups across all classes. Pupils who have SEN are identified early and good individual education plans plot appropriate and achievable steps in their learning. These ensure that the pupils receive relevant additional support and help the pupils to achieve well in literacy, numeracy and social development.

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Commentary

5 In English, pupils achieve well in writing, spelling, grammar and handwriting, and particularly well in reading. Pupils develop good strategies to help them read unfamiliar words and are encouraged with their reading at both school and at home. All pupils develop a secure knowledge of basic addition and subtraction in mathematics. In science, they develop good knowledge of life processes and living things, materials and their properties and physical processes. However, in both subjects, the above average pupils are not so adept at using and applying this knowledge in problem solving activities. Teachers do not plan this aspect of pupils’ learning sufficiently and this reduces the progress of the above average pupils who could achieve more in the two subjects.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Attitudes and behaviour are good overall. Personal development is good due to the effective provision for the spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development of the pupils. Attendance levels are well below the national average.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy their lessons and other activities and behave well • Relationships are strong and supportive • Attendance levels have declined since the previous inspection

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Main strengths and weaknesses

6 The pupils and their parents say how much they like school and pupils say they are happy and feel safe and secure. They are keen on extra-curricular activities, for example, they really enjoy the Dance Club, bubbling with enthusiasm and no mean talent. In lessons throughout the school they show a good interest in their work. This was particularly evident in the consistently very good attitudes displayed by the youngest pupils in the Reception class. Here pupils, many who have only been attending for a couple of weeks, quickly and eagerly settle into their routines and sustain very good interest in their activities. Throughout the school attitudes in lessons are generally good. In a Year 2 geography lesson, for example, pupils’ lively enthusiasm and interest, generated by the presentation in the previous lesson of a visitor who had recently been to the South Pole, resulted in a hive of industrious activity as they produced scrapbooks about life in a cold climate. These good

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Main strengths and weaknesses

standards occasionally slip in Year 1 when teaching is not so stimulating and a few pupils lose interest.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

7 Behaviour around the school, especially at playtimes, is good. The good supervision and playground activities provided help this. Pupils and parents say there is no serious bullying, racist or sexist behaviour. This is confirmed by the absence of temporary and permanent exclusions over the last two years. Pupils know right from wrong and what to do if minor squabbles or accidents happen. The behaviour of the youngest pupils both in Standhill Infant School - 10 assembly and at lunchtimes is particularly good. The seven straightforward school rules are very well displayed, and understood and followed by the pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

8 The school enhances the pupils’ positive attitudes through the good provision made for their moral, social and cultural development. This has a particularly successful impact on improving the pupils’ relationships and confidence. Pupils from the earliest age co-operate well in pairs and groups with a positive impact on achievement, especially as more able pupils help those who struggle. Achievement, kindness and effort are celebrated in rewards, displays around the school and assemblies. The use of the “terrific box” for each class and the subsequent rewards given at assembly each Friday is valued very highly by pupils. Pupils are keen to help others through efforts to raise funds for a range of charities. They are confident and friendly when talking to visitors.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 6.5 School data 0.3 National data 5.5 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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Main strengths and weaknesses

9 Overall attendance levels are well below average. Levels of unauthorised absences are about average. Punctuality is good, enabling lessons to start promptly. The school has good systems to monitor absences and these show that the main reasons for poor attendance are the high level of pupils taking holidays in term time and a very high level of sickness in all classes, especially towards the end of the autumn term every year. The school makes parents aware of the rules about holidays.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

* There have been no exclusions and consequently no table is produced here.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good overall. Teaching and learning are mostly good and there is a good curriculum with good provision in the Foundation Stage and very good provision for pupils with SEN. Care arrangements are very good and links with parents and the community are strong.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good overall and lead to good achievement. Assessment is good in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning in the Reception class are good and prepare children well for Year 1 • Teaching is consistently good in Year 2 and pupils make rapid overall progress • Teaching assistants provide good support for teachers and pupils • Literacy and numeracy are generally taught well and the teaching of reading is particularly good across the school • Not enough opportunities are provided, particularly for the above average pupils, to apply their knowledge in mathematics and science to investigative work Standhill Infant School - 11

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Commentary

10 Teaching in the Reception class is consistently good. The pleasant reassuring relationship between the children and teacher leads to the development of self-confidence and helps children settle into school routines quickly. There is a good balance of direct teaching, group and individual tasks well supported by teaching assistants. Assessment, through careful observation and recording, enables the staff to plan work that is suitably challenging and well matched to children’s needs. Children develop good attitudes to learning, behave well and are keen to work hard and please their teacher.

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Commentary

11 Teaching is consistently good in Year 2 where no lessons were judged to be less than good and some were very good. Teaching in Year 1 was almost always at least satisfactory and sometimes good. The teaching of English and mathematics is good overall and enables pupils of all abilities to achieve well in reading, writing and basic number operations. The teaching of reading is particularly good and, as a result, pupils develop good skills for reading unfamiliar words. The teaching of reading, writing and spelling is linked together well. Teachers encourage and develop literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum. In the teaching of mathematics and science more should be done to push the above average pupils to use and apply their knowledge to independent investigation and problem solving activities rather than always directing the pupils as to what they need to do and how to do it.

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Commentary

12 Teaching in all other subjects is mostly good, although it is generally unsatisfactory in religious education where some teachers lack confidence and expertise and do not teach knowledge and skills systematically. Pupils with SEN are taught well and have well thought out individual education plans that plot clear and achievable steps in literacy, numeracy and social development. Some pupils do well to achieve all their targets and are taken off the register of SEN.

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Commentary

13 Teachers plan their work well and time is mostly used productively. In some literacy lessons, however, insufficient time is left to develop the final whole class review activity effectively. Lessons are usually well organised, managed and structured, there is a good pace to learning with work matched effectively to pupils’ needs and there are high expectations of behaviour and involvement. In these lessons, pupils work productively and show enthusiasm and enjoyment. This was exemplified well in a Year 2 science lesson linked to art where pupils worked with clay on a practical first hand activity and in a Year 2 music lesson where pupils worked with a good selection of musical instruments to create the effect of thunder and lightening. In an unsatisfactory numeracy lesson for pupils in Year 1 weaknesses in planning, behaviour management and work that failed to stimulate the pupils led to most pupils underachieving. Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution

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Commentary

to the quality of teaching and learning, both in the support they give to pupils with SEN and the help they give to all other pupils.

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Commentary

14 All teachers use resources well to stimulate interest and understanding and most classrooms have attractive areas to develop specific skills for writing, reading and role-play activities. Computers are being increasingly used to develop learning in other subjects as resources and teacher expertise improves. Good links are made between subjects that add further relevance and interest in learning for the pupils. Dance, for example, is linked to history when pupils re-enact the Fire of London and art and design is linked to geography when pupils make models and collages of animals that live in a cold climate.

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Commentary

15 Assessment in English, mathematics and science is good and the information gained from lessons, analysis of pupils’ performance in national and school based tests and the detailed tracking Standhill Infant School - 12 of pupils at the margins of the various National Curriculum levels is used well to plan subsequent work. In other subjects, assessment is largely informal, although the school is working on sensible ways of measuring progress in more formal ways. Pupils have their own writing targets and consequently have some opportunity to assess their own progress. This is not yet developed in other aspects of learning, although a start has been made in mathematics.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 23 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

0 4 13 5 1 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is good. It is varied and enriched by visits and visitors who help to extend the pupils’ learning. There is good provision for extra-curricular activities. The school’s accommodation and resources for learning are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum provided for the pupils promotes good achievement, especially in English, mathematics and science • The provision for the pupils with special educational needs is very good • Good links are made between subjects • Provision in religious education is unsatisfactory

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Commentary

16 The organisation and planning of the curriculum is good and this has contributed to the improvements in standards since the previous inspection. All the subjects of the National Curriculum are taught and there is equality of opportunity with all pupils involved in all that the school has to offer. The curriculum includes good provision for the pupils’ personal, social and health education (PSHE) and includes a programme for the Year 2 pupils that emphasises all aspects of keeping safe and healthy. The school’s provision for teaching information and communication technology (ICT) has improved significantly recently and ICT is now beginning to be used effectively to support work in several other subjects.

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Commentary

17 In the Reception class there are well-planned activities that cover all of the six areas of learning. They meet the pupils’ individual needs well and, together with the good teaching, enable the children to make good progress and develop very good attitudes to learning. However, although the children have regular outdoor play sessions, there is no designated play area for them. Additionally, more challenging and imaginative resources are needed, such as large climbing equipment, which will fully support and extend the children’s physical development.

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Commentary

18 Since the previous inspection the curriculum has continued to develop with a strong emphasis on English and mathematics that has been instrumental in raising standards. Teachers make links between subjects where possible so that learning has more meaning Standhill Infant School - 13 for the pupils. During and after a visit by Monster Massive, work in music, movement and design and technology was linked very effectively when the pupils learned dances, sang songs and made musical instruments. A good range of visits, for example, to Nottingham castle and museum, local parks and an environmental centre as well as visitors to the school, all help to enrich the pupils’ learning. After school activities include sports training and disco dancing.

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Commentary

19 The use of national subject guidance has given greater structure and consistency to planning in most subjects and the headteacher and subject co-ordinators monitor teachers’ plans to ensure effective curriculum coverage. In religious education, however, the teaching is frequently linked to teaching in personal, social and health education. Consequently, while moral education elements of the local syllabus are covered satisfactorily, the required skills and knowledge about Christianity and other faiths in religious education are not taught regularly and systematically across the school. This means that provision in this subject is unsatisfactory and is not as good as it was at the time of the previous inspection.

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Commentary

20 The school provides very well for the pupils who have SEN. The pupils’ learning needs are identified and assessed promptly and individual action plans to meet these needs are detailed and specific. Class teachers and teaching assistants work and plan closely together and ensure that targets are reviewed regularly. This results in good achievement by the pupils.

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Commentary

21 There are sufficient members of staff to meet the needs of the curriculum, although the school currently lacks a specialist musician. The headteacher and staff make good use of the limited space available and the school’s accommodation and resources for learning are satisfactory. There are good links with the junior school as well as the local family of schools and the Year 2 pupils are prepared well for the next stage of their education.

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Care, guidance and support

The provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is very good. Standards have improved on those described in the previous inspection report.

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Care, guidance and support

• Pupils say that they feel safe and well looked after • There are very good induction arrangements • The support and advice available for pupils is good • Pupils are very well involved in school life

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Care, guidance and support

22 All members of staff know the children very well, enabling them to provide a very high level of care that is appreciated by both the pupils and their parents. The premises are secure, clean and tidy. The sensitive and thorough approach to child protection procedures and awareness, very good evaluation of health and safety risks, very good first aid procedures, security arrangements and supervision of pupils at break and lunchtimes, enable pupils to feel safe and work in confidence. Very good care is taken to ensure a responsible adult collects all children at the end of the school day. Pupils say they all feel confident about talking to teachers or other adults if they have any worries. The understanding and knowledge of the local community by the staff, especially the headteacher, has a very strong impact on the level of care provided.

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Care, guidance and support

23 The very good induction arrangements and continuing care and support ensure the youngest pupils quickly settle into the Reception class and make very good progress in their personal development. The “ready for school group” is very effective in helping all pupils settle, especially for those joining the class at the start of the spring and summer terms. Standhill Infant School - 14 This is supported well as pupils move through the school. Academic support and advice for pupils is good. This is especially evident in the arrangements made to give support to pupils as they move to the next stage of education in the local junior school. Pupils feel that members of staff value their views and this gives them confidence to discuss issues and raise questions. The school carries out a survey of pupils’ views in Year 2. Results are used effectively, such as helping all pupils to understand the moods and behaviour of others with

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a good partnership with parents, and links with the local community and local schools are good.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Main strengths and weaknesses : • Parents hold the school in very high regard • Good information is provided to parents • Liaison arrangements with local schools are very good

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

24 Parents are very supportive of the school and the headteacher; both are held with high regard in the local community. The school uses this support well to encourage parents to be part of their children’s learning. Parents receive good information to help their children further in their learning. Annual reports give good and evaluative information on progress and achievements and often targets which encourage parents to be part of their children’s learning. Parents value the quality of individual information given in consultation sessions. Regular newsletters give good information about school life but few details on the curriculum are included. The school is open to parents; teachers are available at the end of the day and issues are dealt with promptly and to very high levels of satisfaction from the parents. Reading records are used well as a means of two-way communication between school and parents. The school values parents’ views highly; they are sought through the

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

25 The partnership with the local schools, especially the local junior school, ensures pupils are very well prepared for and confident about their move to the next stage of their education. Good liaison with the wide range of pre-school providers helps ensure pupils settle quickly into the Reception class. Work with the local cluster of schools help in areas such as staff training and direct services for pupils such as encouraging achievement in art and design through a regular exhibition of work.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

26 The school makes good use of the local community for visits and local visitors help in school. Local shops, libraries and facilities such as a sensory garden are used effectively to support learning in areas such as geography. Links with Age Concern contribute towards pupils’ personal development and awareness of being good citizens. The good quality reported at the time of the previous inspection in this area of the school’s work has been maintained.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The overall leadership, management and governance of the school are good. All who work in the school are committed to further improvement

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Standhill Infant School - 15 • The headteacher leads the school well and is supported well by the deputy headteacher • The leadership of SEN and the Foundation Stage is good • Subject co-ordinators have few opportunities to monitor the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects • Governors support the school well and are proactive in its development • Performance data is now used much more effectively to improve standards

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Commentary

27 The experienced headteacher leads the school well. She has a high profile in the school and is very well respected by parents, teachers and pupils alike. She is well supported by the deputy headteacher. They are good role models for staff and pupils, and share a common commitment to improvement and high aspirations for the pupils. The school is highly inclusive, there is a good ethos and very good arrangements ensure pupils work in a safe and caring environment. Leadership and management of SEN are good. Procedures are very good and pupils’ progress is carefully monitored and assessed. Good individual education plans are reviewed regularly and amended to reflect progress. The Foundation Stage is well led and managed. Overall improvement in leadership and management since the previous inspection has been good and there has been a steady rise in standards since then.

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Commentary

28 The school is managed competently. The satisfactory school improvement plan and literacy and numeracy subject development plans are useful management tools and reflect the commitment of the headteacher, staff and governors to further improvement. The school self-evaluation systems are good. The use of performance data from national and school-based assessments to track trends in pupils’ performance has improved well since the previous inspection. Effective data analysis has resulted, for example, in improvements in pupils’ writing. The headteacher monitors teaching on a regular basis and strengths and weaknesses are shared with the staff in order to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Given that this is a relatively small school and the staff have many areas of responsibility to manage, the subject co-ordinators lead and manage their subjects satisfactorily. They monitor planning and have devised good assessment systems in English, mathematics and

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Commentary

science. They share information and ideas on an informal and regular basis but have few opportunities to monitor teaching and learning in their subjects in order to share expertise in practical ways.

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Commentary

29 Performance management is well established and linked well to in-service training and the needs of the school. Day-to-day management and administration function efficiently and ensure that the school runs smoothly. There is very good support from the administrative assistant and the school caretaker.

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Commentary

30 Governance is good and has developed well since the previous inspection. Governors fulfil their statutory duties and many visit the school on a regular basis. The chair of governors and the headteacher meet regularly. Governors are actively involved in school improvement planning and performance management. They operate through a sensible committee structure and have recently established a good school review committee. Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They apply best value principles well when comparing the school’s performance with that of similar schools, seeking competitive tenders, and challenging the headteacher and senior staff through critical questioning.

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Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004 Standhill Infant School - 16 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 377,744 Balance from previous year 57, 318 Total expenditure 362,586 Balance carried forward to the next 72,476 Expenditure per pupil 3,420

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Financial information

31 The relatively large carry forward figure is being used appropriately to maintain current patterns of spending in relation to teaching staff, improving ICT resources, security systems and piloting workforce re-modelling. Standhill Infant School - 17

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

32 The school makes good provision for the children in the Reception class. The good provision noted at the time of the previous inspection has been maintained. Children are admitted in September, January and April each year and at the time of the inspection there were 26 children in the Reception class. The children join the school from a large number of nurseries and playgroups and, in the half term before they start at the school, a very good ‘Getting Ready for School’ programme brings together parents, children and teachers in weekly activities in the school hall. This ensures that the children settle quickly and easily into school routines.

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

33 The attainment of the children when they start at the school varies from year to year but is generally below average. The children achieve well, with some particularly good achievement in personal, social and emotional development. By the time they start in Year 1, almost all children are likely to attain the goals set for them in their personal, social and emotional development. In the other areas of learning, most children are likely to achieve the goals expected of them, although a significant minority will not.

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

34 The quality of the teaching for the reception children is good overall with some very good elements that include the teaching of personal and social skills. The way in which the teacher and the teaching support assistants work together as a team to support the children in a variety of free-choice activities and adult directed activities is another strong feature of the consistently good teaching that the children receive. Assessments of the children begin during the induction programme and further assessments are made as the children work and play. The information is used to form a profile of the children’s achievements as well as to track their progress as they move through the school.

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

35 During the inspection it was not possible to make a secure judgement about the quality of provision in knowledge and understanding of the world and in creative development. However, the teacher’s plans, observation of the children’s past and present work and displays in the classroom and corridors indicate that the children make good progress and most will attain the early learning goals in these two areas.

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

36 In knowledge and understanding of the world the children develop a good early understanding of themselves and the world around them by studying topics such as ‘All About Me’, ‘Food and Celebrations’, ‘Homes’ and ‘Animals’. They know that things change over time when learning about their own families, the life cycle of a butterfly and as they watch stick insects, grow and develop. They work confidently and co-operatively on simple computer programs that reinforce word recognition, logic and number skills. In creative development the children experiment with a variety of materials and textures to produce paintings and collages. For example, they contribute to large collaborative displays of Noah’s ark and the animals and also the story of The Little Red Hen. They construct models using solid shapes such as spheres, cones, cubes and cylinders. As part of their topic on pets, the children cook animal biscuits and make cats from play dough. They also use

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

commercial construction kits to build pens and cages for wild animals and vehicles found on a building site.

p.17

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good. Standhill Infant School - 18

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The promotion of the children’s personal, social and emotional development permeates all activities • Children are happy and settled in school and their attitudes and behaviour are very good • They co-operate well with each other and form very good relationships with their teacher and the teaching support assistants

p.18

Commentary

37 The children achieve well and all are on course to attain the goals set for them by the time they start in Year 1. This is because there is a good emphasis on this area of learning and the teacher and support assistants ensure that all the children are included in all the activities. Additionally, they constantly highlight the need for tolerance, kindness and good manners towards each other. Almost all of the children follow instructions and know what is expected of them. They respond very well to the class teacher and they settle well to the activities on offer. The children learn to share and work together in a variety of situations, such as role-play, when playing with water, working at the computer or when playing outside. For example, they show good levels of perseverance and share and take turns as they try to balance on stilts and Lo-Lo balls during outdoor play. The older children show

p.18

Commentary

care and consideration to the new ones who have just joined the Reception class and all of them show a sound level of independence when dressing for practical and physical activities. Relationships are very good and the children listen and behave very well.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good and the children achieve well • The children are encouraged to develop their communication, language and literacy skills in all the other areas of learning • There is good emphasis on teaching the letter sounds • The teacher uses a range of stories and rhymes as well as good questions in order to enrich the children’s vocabulary and to encourage speaking and early reading and writing skills

p.18

Commentary

38 Most of the children are likely to reach the learning goals set for them by the time they start in Year 1 although a significant minority will not. Several of the children start school with speaking skills that are below average and they achieve well due to the good teaching and encouragement given to them to talk about their work and to speak out during role-play and whole group discussions. Regular opportunities to listen to the teacher and to each other through the sharing of news and knowledge help the children to use and improve their spoken language. Pertinent questions from the teacher and the teaching support assistants play a key part in this process. The children’s reading skills are developed through learning letter sounds and key words from early reading books. During shared reading, the teacher also encourages the children to use picture clues and to predict what comes next as a successful strategy for understanding the story. The computer is

p.18

Commentary

Standhill Infant School - 19 used well to reinforce early reading and comprehension skills. A book corner and tape- recorded songs, rhymes and stories promote the enjoyment of books. All the children practise writing patterns and letter shapes and they write lists and labels in order to develop their writing skills. During the inspection the children achieved well as they used their knowledge of letter sounds when making a ‘lift the flap’ booklet of animals based on the ‘Dear Zoo’ story. For some children, their ability to form words and letters correctly is limited and the scrutiny of work further shows that, for several of them, independent writing skills are slow to develop. Nonetheless, most of the children currently in the Reception class write their name unaided.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Regular activities enable the children to learn effectively about numbers, shapes and money • Early counting skills are reinforced well and provide a good foundation for developing the children’s numeracy skills • Many of the number activities are teacher-directed and this limits the children’s capacity for independent exploration and investigation

p.19

Commentary

39 The Reception children achieve well and, although several of the children will not attain the goals set for them by the time they enter Year 1, most of the current group will. Most children can count to 10 and many of the current group count confidently well beyond this. From the start, the children learn the importance of pointing and matching to ensure accuracy in counting. For example, when they count the number of ducks on the pond. Their mathematical knowledge and understanding develop well when they use the correct mathematical signs and language as they write and read simple addition sums. The teacher’s good questions and high expectations help their understanding of addition and counting on as well as allowing the children to practise the correct vocabulary. The children also understand simple subtraction and can use ducks on the pond as practical examples. The children’s earlier work shows learning of ‘taller and ‘shorter’ and some of the older,

p.19

Commentary

above average children talk about the models they made from solid shapes such as cubes, spheres and cylinders. During the inspection, the teacher directed almost all of the mathematical activities and this meant that some of the children missed opportunities to explore and work with numbers independently.

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for the children’s physical development is satisfactory .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children’s confidence, dexterity and co-ordination develop well through the planned activities • There is a lack of large, good quality equipment in the outdoor play area

p.19

Commentary

Standhill Infant School - 20 40 Most of the children are on course to attain the expected levels in their physical development by the time they start in Year 1. Their achievement overall is satisfactory. The children have regular outdoor play sessions but there is no designated area for them to use and the school lacks a range of good quality, large equipment for playing and climbing. This adversely affects the children’s overall achievement. The children achieve better during an indoor movement lesson in the hall. The quality of teaching in this session was good. The lesson was well managed in order to develop the children's awareness of space and also their ability to listen and follow instructions. Both the teacher and the learning support assistant provided good role models and gave the children praise, encouragement and confidence. Malleable materials, simple tools and construction kits are available to

p.20

Commentary

help the children develop control over smaller movements. They make good progress and show their developing dexterity as they use pencils, crayons, glue and scissors. For example, when they cut out snakes and glue small shapes of coloured paper for decoration. Standhill Infant School - 21

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good • All pupils develop good strategies to help them read • Standards in writing have improved markedly since the previous inspection • Parents support pupils’ reading development well by regularly listening to them read at home • Pupils enjoy listening to stories and show a keen interest in books

p.21

Commentary

41 Overall standards in English have improved since the previous inspection and by the end of Year 2 they are similar to the national average and comparable with those in similar schools. This reflects the results in the 2004 National Curriculum tests. Standards in writing have improved most as a result of good analysis of performance data and better teaching across the school. Test results in both reading and writing have improved over the past three years at a similar rate to the national trend. Standards are a little higher in reading than in writing and speaking and listening. Over time there is no significant difference in the standards achieved by boys and girls, although some fluctuations occur as a result of cohort variations in particular years. Given the limitations of the pupils’ skills on entry to the school, progress over time for all pupils is good.

p.21

Commentary

42 Teaching is good and all lessons follow the structure provided by the National Literacy Strategy. The good teaching helps all pupils to achieve well and this is substantiated by a scrutiny of their work since the beginning of the year. The teaching is most effective in Year 2, where it is consistently good. Pupils who have SEN are supported well by both teachers and teaching assistants and they achieve well and make good progress with the relevant targets set for them. Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds achieve well and are well represented in the above average ability groups in all classes. Overall, the above average pupils achieve well and the percentage reaching the higher National Curriculum levels compares with most schools.

p.21

Commentary

43 Speaking and listening and writing are taught well and reading is taught particularly well. Pupils are enthusiastic about reading and show a keen interest in books. Strategies to help them to read are taught consistently well across all year groups. Pupils develop good phonic skills and this helps them read any unfamiliar words with good success. Teachers pay particular attention to this aspect of learning in all lessons and link the teaching of reading well to the teaching of writing. Parents support pupils’ reading at home and this boosts their confidence, self-esteem and general progress. There is a reasonably stocked school library and pupils are encouraged to change their own books and select non-fiction texts.

p.21

Commentary

44 Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to develop speaking and listening skills. All lessons have a discussion time and teachers use role-play well. Most average and above average pupils show confidence in talking and listening and show awareness of the needs of the listener, although by the end of Year 2, a few pupils still lack confidence and have a low concentration span. Standhill Infant School - 22 45 By the end of Year 2, pupils’ writing communicates meaning in both narrative and non- narrative forms. Average and above average pupils write in a reasonable range of styles with examples of poetry, shopping lists, instructions, for example, ‘how to make a sandwich’, diaries and shopping lists. Ideas are developed in a sequence of sentences, demarcated with capital letters and full stops, for example, when writing about Jack Frost. Standards in spelling are satisfactory and most pupils spell monosyllabic words with reasonable accuracy. Where there are mistakes, these

p.21

Commentary

46 Assessment is good and information gained from lessons, tracking of targeted pupils, test data and the various reading, writing and spelling assessments is used well to plan subsequent work. Co-ordination of the subject is satisfactory, although there are few opportunities for the co- ordinator to monitor teaching in other classes and for all teachers to learn from the teaching of others in a practical first hand way.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

47 Pupils use their literacy skills well in support of other subjects. Speaking and listening skills support whole class and group discussion in all subjects. Their good reading skills help pupils, particularly the above average pupils, to retrieve information from books to support work in history and geography. Pupils’ experiences in writing for a range of purposes enable them to write simple factual accounts of work in subjects such as science.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is generally good and all the pupils, including those SEN, achieve well • Number and counting skills are particularly well taught • Relationships are very good and have a positive effect on learning • There are too few opportunities, particularly for the above average pupils to investigate independently and to use their mathematics to solve practical, open ended problems • Pupils are not always sure about what they have to do to improve

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

48 Standards in the current Year 2 are average. The results of the most recent tests in 2004 show that, of the pupils who left the school last year, almost all of them (95%) reached the average expected for pupils of their age, and this constitutes good achievement when a significant proportion of them started at the school with below average number skills. However, not enough of them attained the higher level 3.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

49 In both Years 1 and 2 the basic number skills are well taught and most pupils count accurately and know and use number facts and some multiplication tables. The majority of pupils achieve well but more accelerated progress is made in Year 2 due to the consistently good teaching in those classes. The teachers have high expectations of the pupils and plan appropriately challenging work for the different abilities. In return, the pupils have positive attitudes to mathematics, work at a good pace and enjoy what they are doing. Standhill Infant School - 23 50 The best lessons begin at a brisk pace and include strategies to involve all the pupils. The teachers plan questions that are targeted towards pupils of different abilities and the teachers’ good questioning skills help the pupils clarify how they arrived at their answers. In a good lesson with the Year 2 pupils, the teacher extended their knowledge

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

and understanding of doubling numbers up to 20 when she moved them on to consider doubling 20, 40 and 60. Some of the above average pupils could see the pattern emerging in the numbers and many of them could explain that the double of a whole number is always an even number.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

51 There was one unsatisfactory lesson during the inspection when the pace of teaching was too slow and the pupils were not sufficiently involved in the planned activity. As a result, several of the pupils became restless and began to lose interest. Additionally, the instructions for the task were not clear to some of the groups, the tasks were not completed successfully and achievement was unsatisfactory as a result. Across the school, in both year groups, too many of the tasks are directed by the teacher and the pupils do not have enough opportunities to use and extend their learning by investigating, exploring numbers and solving problems independently.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

52 Throughout the school, the pupils with SEN achieve well. They are well supported by the teachers and learning support assistants. Where appropriate, targets for mathematics are included in individual education plans.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

53 The co-ordination of mathematics is satisfactory. The subject co-ordinator oversees teachers’ planning and has regular, informal discussions with colleagues. Consequently, she has a sound knowledge of standards across the school. However, there has been little monitoring of teaching and learning by the co-ordinator in order to evaluate its impact on raising standards. The information from analysis of the pupils’ test results is used well as the basis for an action plan for the subject. A current priority is to develop further the use of individual targets. These are set for pupils as a result of on-going and termly assessments and are recorded in the pupils’ assessment books. However, this is at an early stage of development and most pupils are not aware of their personal targets and so they are not clear about what they must do to improve.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

54 Most of the pupils use their knowledge of numbers confidently to help learning in other subjects. In science, for example, pupils use their knowledge of measures to help record their results. In a good geography lesson in Year 2, the pupils applied their mathematical knowledge when discussing the very cold temperatures in the Antarctic. When learning about themselves, the pupils use ICT to create graphs and charts and in all classes, computers are used effectively to reinforce counting skills, number facts and tables.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall with some good teaching in Year 2 • The above average pupils particularly do not have enough opportunity to use and apply their knowledge to investigative work Standhill Infant School - 24 • Good links are made with other subjects

p.23

Commentary

55 Standards are similar to the national average and largely reflect the 2004 teacher assessments. A few more pupils are now set to reach the higher National Curriculum levels than in 2004. Analysis of pupils’ performance over the past couple of years has highlighted the need to improve pupils’ use and application of their knowledge and skills. This is beginning to show in the teaching but is not established across the school. Standards are not quite as high as those reported at the time of the previous inspection when this element of the teaching was judged to be stronger.

p.24

Commentary

56 On the basis of a scrutiny of pupils’ work and the three lessons seen, teaching is satisfactory overall, being strongest in Year 2. In a very good lesson in Year 2, the teacher linked work in science very effectively to work in art and design. Pupils used first hand experience and observational skills to explore how the various forces of squashing, squeezing, stretching, twisting and bending it can change clay. This knowledge was then used in an art and design activity when the pupils made three-dimensional models of animals using the clay. This linking of subjects was also illustrated in another good Year 2 lesson where pupils explored the properties of various natural and man-made objects such as dried leaves, seeds, bark and paper and plastic and then went on to make collages of various animals. Pupils in Year 1 develop a good knowledge of what constitutes healthy eating and why it is important. They link work in design and technology to

p.24

Commentary

produce simple pictures of the human skeleton using art straws. Computers are used to sequence pictures and text to show the life cycle of a butterfly. By the end of Year 2, pupils have a secure knowledge of forces and movement and are aware of how levers work in every day life.

p.24

Commentary

57 On the basis of all the evidence from the inspection, much of the teaching is too teacher- directed and teachers do not provide enough opportunities for the above average pupils to predict outcomes before deciding what to do, plan their own simple lines of enquiry and identify simple patterns.

p.24

Commentary

58 Assessment is good. Teachers use two formal assessment activities each year to gauge pupils’ understanding in selected areas. The co-ordinator monitors teachers’ planning to ensure continuity and progress with the school scheme of work and analyses national and school assessments. This has confirmed pupils’ good knowledge of life processes and living things, materials and their properties and highlighted physical processes and scientific enquiry as relatively weaker elements.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

• The subject now has a high profile in the school and standards are improving • Improved provision of computers ensures that the pupils now have regular opportunities to learn new skills • Training in the use of ICT has increased the teachers’ knowledge, enabling them to teach the curriculum with greater confidence • ICT is being used increasingly to support work across the curriculum

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

59 By the end of Year 2 standards in ICT are average. This is a similar picture to that found at the time of the previous inspection but standards are improving rapidly as the pupils have more opportunities to use the improved resources. Teaching and learning are Standhill Infant School - 25 never less than satisfactory, with much that is good. As a result, the majority of the pupils achieve well. Sensitive support is given to pupils with SEN. Both teachers and learning support assistants provide additional help and input where necessary.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

60 From the very youngest children through to Year 2, almost all of the pupils are confident in using the mouse and in clicking and dragging items across the screen. The pupils usually share and collaborate well when using the machines and they give good support to each other and exchange ideas confidently. In all the classes the pupils use art programs to produce detailed, colourful pictures. In Year 1 the pupils learn how to use different fonts, colours and print sizes when using the computer as a word processor.

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

61 From Year 1 onwards many of the pupils achieve well as they become more confident at printing out their work. The Year 2 teachers provide their pupils with challenging tasks and emphasise the use of appropriate vocabulary. In a good mathematics lesson linked to ICT with the Year 2 pupils, the teacher re-inforced the vocabulary of ‘memory’, ‘pathway’ and ‘route’ as she challenged them to devise a simple path for a programmable toy to follow. She further emphasised the importance of clearing the Roamer’s memory before giving new instructions. Learning was enhanced for the pupils because the instructions were clear and the teacher also provided a useful set of prompts to help the pupils carry out the task successfully. In a very good geography lesson, the Year 2 pupils used the laptop computers for research and writing about the animals of Antarctica. The teacher had earlier taught the pupils how to log on and off and they were able to use

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

their skills to find the required information. Other pupils also used their knowledge of how to open and close programs as they shared examples of artwork they had saved from a previous lesson.

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

62 The co-coordinator is enthusiastic about the development of the subject and there is a detailed action plan with appropriate priorities that will ensure that the momentum of recent improvements is maintained. Assessments of the pupils’ achievements have been introduced recently but at the time of the inspection it was too early to judge their impact on teaching and learning in the subject.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

63 The use of ICT in other subjects of the curriculum is developing quickly now that the school has enough resources for learning. The pupils are already adept at using language and number programs to reinforce basic skills and the Year 2 pupils have used a music program to order notes and vary rhythms to compose simple tunes. The pupils are beginning to use slide shows and items from the Internet for research in their geography topics and even the youngest children use tape recorders to listen to stories and rhymes. All the pupils have experienced either being photographed or have taken pictures with the digital camera.

p.25

HUMANITIES

64 In humanities, work was sampled in history and geography. No lessons were seen in history and only one lesson was seen in geography. It is, therefore, not possible to form an overall judgement about the quality of provision in these subjects. On the basis of the work seen in the lesson and in pupils’ books, overall standards are similar to national expectations for pupils’ ages, with some examples of good quality work seen in both subjects. This represents improvement since the previous inspection Standhill Infant School - 26 65 In the very good Year 2 geography lesson on the theme of life in cold climates, pupils had clearly gained much from the recent visit of a person who had actually visited the South Pole. The teacher built learning very well on the enthusiasm and excitement generated by the visit and used resources, such as photographs, pictures, computers and reference books to extend their knowledge and understanding. Topics on life in hot climates have

p.25

HUMANITIES

provided good opportunities for pupils to compare and contrast the effect of the different climates on the way of life of the people and the different plants and animals living in the two areas.

p.26

HUMANITIES

66 A good range of visits and visitors also plays an important part in making the work interesting and relevant in history. Pupils have visited Nottingham castle and museum and have had the opportunity to dress in Victorian costume. Pupils have a satisfactory knowledge of some famous historical figures such as Florence Nightingale, Louis Braille and Guy Fawkes and famous events such as the Fire of London.

p.26

Religious education

The provision for religious education is unsatisfactory.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are below average and pupils underachieve • Moral aspects of the subject are well taught but the overall quality of teaching in religious education is unsatisfactory • The required skills and knowledge are not taught consistently nor in sufficient depth as the pupils move through the school

p.26

Commentary

67 Standards have declined since the time of the previous inspection and by the end of Year 2 standards and achievement in the subject are unsatisfactory. The distinction between religious education and personal, social and health education is unclear on timetables and also in teachers’ planning. The moral aspects of both subjects are generally well taught and this has a positive impact on the good relationships that exist in the school and also on the pupils’ good attitudes and behaviour.

p.26

Commentary

68 The topics to be taught in each year group are clearly defined in the school’s long term planning for religious education and also in the county guidelines. However, it is clear from talking to the pupils, the scrutiny of teachers’ planning and from lesson observations that the differences between learning in religious education and PSHE are blurred. As a result, the pupils’ knowledge of Bible stories stems generally from those heard in assembly and their recall of learning about other faiths such as Hinduism or Islam is patchy.

p.26

Commentary

69 The Year 2 pupils have a range of knowledge based on stories from the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. For example, they can talk about some of Jesus’ parables and can recount the details of the Christmas story. They are further able to talk about the stories of Noah and Joseph. They have some understanding of the celebrations of other world faiths such as Diwali but few of the pupils have much knowledge of the story and the symbolism behind the festival of light.

p.26

Commentary

70 Planning, teaching and learning in religious education are not consistent across the school and it is acknowledged that there is some lack of confidence and expertise amongst the staff in teaching the subject. For these reasons, although the quality of the small Standhill Infant School - 27 amount of teaching seen during the inspection was satisfactory, it is judged to be unsatisfactory overall.

p.26

Commentary

71 The subject action plan correctly identifies the urgent need to allocate explicit, clearly identifiable time for teaching religious education. The school also recognises that it should follow more closely the planned topics recommended in the county guidelines.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

72 No lessons were seen in art and design and design and technology, one lesson was seen in physical education and one in music, although pupils were observed singing in assemblies Inspectors looked at the work that was available, spoke to pupils and teachers and studied teachers’ planning in all these subjects. On the basis of the limited evidence, it is not possible to make a secure judgement on overall provision in these subjects. The work seen was similar to that expected for pupils’ age with some work better than this in art and design and music.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

73 In art and design, teachers’ planning shows that a broad range of activities is undertaken and the pupils use a variety of media, techniques and textures when working. In Year 2, the pupils study the work of famous artists, for example, they have used pastels to reproduce pictures of sunflowers in the style of Van Gogh and have used the computer to design bright, geometric patterns similar to those of Piet Mondrian. The resulting work is of good quality and attractively displayed. Much of the work in art is linked to work in other subjects, such as when the Year 2 pupils collaborate on a large collage of a dragon in support of their imaginative writing and when science and art are linked as the pupils explore the properties of clay.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

74 In design and technology, standards have been maintained since the previous inspection. Pupils in Year 1 have opportunities to explore moving parts and how levers work and relate these to practical every day applications such as scissors. They make simple sliding mechanisms when creating moving pictures. They make appropriate labelled plans of their work. Pupils in Year 2 design and make models of Joseph’s coloured coat using a simple template. They use joining techniques involving lacing, stitching, sticking and stapling.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

75 In the one music lesson that was observed the quality of the teaching was very good. The teacher used the pupils’ knowledge of the weather to get them to explore and recognise a variety of sounds. She transmitted her own enthusiasm for the subject to the pupils who were well motivated by the teacher’s effective use of brainstorming and taped extracts as stimuli for their own compositions. In assemblies the pupils sing very well: tunefully and with clear diction. They know a good selection of songs that they obviously enjoy. The school does not currently have a specialist musician but the teachers are successful in using a commercial scheme that includes video recordings and compact discs with music for performing and listening as well as ideas for composing.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

76 In physical education, pupils have opportunities to develop skills in games, gymnastics and dance. These three elements are taught in separate blocks of time over two weekly sessions. Teachers plan to national guidelines and this gives structure to the learning. There are good opportunities for pupils to extend their skills in an extra-curricular dance club, an annual sports day and various games with local schools. In the good lesson to develop throwing, catching and aiming skills for pupils in Year 2, all pupils achieved well and showed satisfactory hand-eye co-ordination and reasonable skills. The lesson was well structured with a suitably energetic warm-up activity, skill development activity, competitive Standhill Infant School - 28 element and cool down session. The teachers’ good subject knowledge enabled her to demonstrate good techniques and to build up the development of skills progressively.

p.27

Personal, social and health education

77 Personal, social and health education (PSHE) issues are frequently covered in religious education lessons. Only one dedicated PSHE lesson was seen during the inspection. It is clear, however, that PSHE and citizenship issues permeate the school’s work and that teaching and learning in PSHE contribute well towards the pupils’ personal development, their positive attitudes to learning and their good relationships with each other. There is a strong emphasis on ensuring that all pupils are included in school life. Good use is made of the Children and Safety Awareness Education programme (CASE) for the Year 2 pupils - this deals with issues concerning relationships, personal safety and maintaining a healthy body. Standhill Infant School - 29

p.28

The overall effectiveness of the school 3

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

p.29

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3

Attendance 6 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

p.29

The quality of education provided by the school 3

The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

p.29

The leadership and management of the school 3

The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4 Standhill Infant School - 30 Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

p.29