Wroughton Infant School

WROUGHTON INFANT SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Wroughton 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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WROUGHTON 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. Wroughton 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: 219

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Wharf Road Wroughton Swindon Postcode: SN4 9LE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01793 812340 Fax number: 01793 817646

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mrs V. Johnstone

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 28 June 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Wroughton Infant School is in the centre of the village, about 10 miles from Swindon. It caters for pupils between the ages of four and seven. Although most attend from the local area, a significant minority of pupils travel by bus from an estate on a disused air base several miles away. Children are from a wide range of social backgrounds and many live in local authority or housing association accommodation near the school. Altogether, 219 pupils are on roll, with slightly more boys than girls. There is a staggered entry for children into the Reception class in the September of the year in which they are five. Nearly all the children have had some sort of pre-school experience. Attainment on entry to the school varies from year to year between average and below average. A slightly higher than average proportion of pupils join and leave the school during the year. This is largely due to short stays in some accommodation. The school has a small proportion of pupils

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

from ethnic minority groups and none are currently at an early stage of learning English. Twelve per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is broadly average. About 16 per cent of pupils have been identified as having special educational needs which is about average. One pupil has a statement of special educational need. The school gained the Basic Skills Quality Mark and the Healthy Schools award in 2004. Wroughton Infant School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

27290 Mrs Christine Huard Lead inspector Science Art and design The foundation stage 9756 Mr Kenneth Parsons Lay inspector 3855 Mr David Langton Team inspector English Geography History Religious education Special educational needs 25509 Mrs Judith Clarke Team Inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Design and technology Music Physical education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

Wroughton Infant School provides a good education for its pupils . Standards are above average in reading, writing and mathematics. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall which means that pupils make good progress and achieve well. The leadership of the headteacher is very good, and the overall leadership and management of the school are good. The school is always seeking ways in which it can improve further and a good team effort means staff are successful in raising standards. The school provides good value for money. The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The very good leadership of the headteacher and the highly positive ethos of the school. • The standards, which are above average in English, mathematics, information and communication technology (ICT) and art and design. • Teaching, which is good overall and enables pupils to learn effectively and achieve well. • The good provision for pupils in the Reception classes.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• The good support for pupils with special educational needs. • The very good attitudes and behaviour of the pupils which have a positive impact on their learning. • There is insufficient assessment in the foundation subjects. • Many new staff do not understand how to accurately assess the pupils’ work in line with standards expected in the National Curriculum. The school was last inspected in June 1999. It was found to be a sound school although a number of key issues for development were identified at that time. These concerned the quality of teaching and the curriculum, the establishment and use of assessment, and the condition of much of the accommodation. The school has made good improvement and these issues have all been dealt with well, although the use of assessment remains an issue because of the large number of inexperienced staff who have only joined the school in the last two years.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is good overall. The attainment of pupils when they first enter the school is broadly average, although this varies from year to year. The children in the Reception classes achieve well and most will meet and a few exceed the early learning goals 1 by the time they move into Year 1. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well. Standards are generally above expectations. The indications are that in the national tests at the end of Year 2 this summer, standards will have improved and are likely to be above average in reading, writing and mathematics. Inspection findings are that pupils’ attainment is above expectations in reading, writing, mathematics, and speaking and listening. Standards are broadly in line with those expected in science as there is still a significant minority of pupils who are unlikely to achieve the level 2 expected at the end of Year 2, although a high percentage of pupils will attain the higher Level three. Standards in ICT have improved since the

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

last inspection and are above expectations as are standards in art and design. Pupils’ work in religious education meets the standards required by the locally agreed syllabus. In all other

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

1 The early learning goals refer to the six areas of learning covered by children in the Reception class. Wroughton Infant School - 7 subjects, where it was possible to make a judgement, standards meet expectations. Pupils with special educational needs, and those who are gifted or talented, achieve well. This is because they are given suitable work which matches their needs and capabilities.

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Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development,

are good. Their attitudes towards work are very good; they really enjoy coming to school and are eager to learn. The school has a very positive and inclusive ethos. This is created by all adults and helps pupils to thrive in their learning and develop good self-esteem and confidence. Pupils behave very well and have very good relationships with each other and adults. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are good and they have a good awareness of the cultural diversity of the society in which they are growing up. Attendance is satisfactory and punctuality is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The overall quality of education provided by the school is good. Teaching and learning are good, with nearly all teaching being good or better. Children in the Reception classes receive a good start to their education. Most are well prepared for school, because they have attended pre- school activities locally. In Years 1 and 2, the teaching is good overall. The teachers have a good understanding of the subjects they teach and lessons are interesting and exciting. The pupils learn enthusiastically and work hard. Lessons are well managed, and all teachers have high expectations in terms of the pupils’ academic performance and behaviour. Pupils’ very good attitudes to their work assist their learning. Teachers question pupils well to ensure that they understand and gain from what they are being taught and encourage them to discuss problems amongst themselves. This develops pupils’ independent learning skills very well. Support staff are well deployed by

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

teachers and are particularly effective when supporting pupils with special educational needs.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school offers a broad curriculum, and a range of visitors enriches pupils’ learning. Visits outside of school are somewhat limited and there are few extra-curricular activities. The accommodation is very good and is used well. There is good provision for the care and welfare of the pupils. The school works very closely and highly effectively with parents and the local community.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good. The leadership of the headteacher is very good. She has high expectations of what the school can achieve and a very good understanding of the areas where improvement is necessary. Actions taken to bring about improvement have a positive effect on the school , and there is good coverage of all subjects within an interesting curriculum. The headteacher is particularly well supported by her deputy and by the senior management team. All senior staff carry a particularly heavy work load at present, because of the number of inexperienced staff. They monitor effectively and have developed appropriate and realistic action plans for development. The new teachers are being very well prepared to take over subject responsibilities from September and are gaining a good understanding of what their roles will be. The governors challenge the school effectively and fulfil their statutory duties . There are

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

good self-evaluation processes in place. Spending is suitably focused on actions taken to raise standards further.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very pleased with the work of school and they are very happy with its ethos, aims and values. The pupils, equally, enjoy their school. Their views are canvassed and taken into account. They say they are expected to work hard and behave well. In general, they enjoy their lessons, find school fun and think they have very good relationships with their teachers.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Implement consistent assessment arrangements for the foundation subjects across all classes. • Ensure that staff receive training in order to understand how to accurately assess the pupils’ work in line with standards expected in the National Curriculum and so identify strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ learning. Wroughton Infant School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement throughout the school is good. By the end of the Reception year standards are broadly average, with some children exceeding expectations in all areas of the curriculum. Overall standards are above average at the end of Year 2.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the Reception year achieve well in all areas of the curriculum. • Despite significant staff changes over the last year, the pupils are making good progress. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well. • Higher attaining pupils usually achieve well in English, mathematics and science.

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Commentary

1. Children start in the Reception class with average or below average standards, as was the case, overall, for pupils nearing the end of the Reception. By the end of the Reception year, achievement is good overall, and children are well in line to reach the expected goals in all areas of the Early Years Curriculum 2 .

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Commentary

2. Results in the 2004 national tests for Year 2 pupils were average in reading and writing and above average in mathematics, compared to all schools nationally and to similar schools 3 . The proportion of pupils reaching higher than average levels has improved since the last inspection. This was above the national average in reading, writing and science and well above average in mathematics. However, a significant minority of pupils failed to achieve the expected standards in English and science but standards are much better now. Standards seen during the inspection were above average in speaking and listening, reading, writing and mathematics. Although several new and inexperienced staff were appointed at the start of the year, it is clear that the school has effectively tackled the problem of pupils who were not reaching the expected levels and the provisional results of this year’s national tests and tasks

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Commentary

confirms this. By the end of Year 2, achievement is good, as a result of the good teaching which pupils receive.

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

Standards in: School results National results reading 16.3 (15.0) 15.8 (15.7) writing 14.7 (14.3) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 16.8 (16.4) 16.3 (16.3) There were 70 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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

3. Standards are above average in art and design and information and communication technology (ICT) at the end of Year 2, and pupils achieve well. Good teaching and a rich curriculum enable all pupils to develop good levels of skill and produce work of above average quality. Pupils benefit appropriately from applying their computer skills to their work in other

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

2 The Early Years Curriculum comprises: Language, literacy and communication, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, personal, social and emotional development, physical development and creative development. 3 Similar schools: where the proportion of pupils taking free school meals falls into the same range as Wroughton School. Wroughton Infant School - 9 subjects despite the equipment enabling them to do this being comparatively new. Standards in religious education are average at the end of Year 2, reflecting satisfactory achievement in this subject. Although history, geography, music, design and technology and physical education were not inspected in depth during the inspection it is clear from the evidence gathered that standards in all these subjects are well in line with those expected.

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

4. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well throughout the school. Adults working with them know their needs very well, and so they get the focused support they need to succeed in lessons. Higher attaining pupils also achieve well because challenging tasks are provided for them by class teachers. Results of national tests in recent years have indicated some under- achievement by girls. The school has taken action to remedy this by providing additional support in small groups. This has been successful and it is likely that this year’s test results will show little different in the achievement of boys and girls. The few pupils of different ethnic backgrounds in the school achieve as well as their peers.

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

5. The school has made good progress since the last inspection, when progress was only satisfactory, although standards were judged to be just above average. Pupils now make good progress and achieve well because of the school’s improved tracking systems which ensure that their needs are met more closely and senior staff, in particular, appreciate better what pupils need in order to improve. As a result they are able to provide suitable guidance for their less experienced colleagues to ensure these needs are met.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. The school has established very good moral and social standards for pupils. Their spiritual development is satisfactory whilst their cultural development is good. Their attendance is in line with similar schools and their punctuality is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most pupils have a very positive approach to their education and are happy coming to school. • Behaviour is very good and contributes positively to pupils’ learning. • The pupils’ social relationships with other people are very positive and they respect others’ views. • The school has established very good moral principles, enabling pupils to distinguish right from wrong. • Most parents bring their children to school on time, allowing an efficient start to the school day. • A few specific pupils have poor attendance records.

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Commentary

6. The pupils like coming to school because it is a friendly place to be; they leave their parents happily in the morning, and settle into class easily. They get on well with each other and with adults in the school community. The playground is an unthreatening environment with pupils organising their own games in which any who want to join in are included. There are very good relationships between pupils and with the members of staff. All adults in the school put considerable effort into getting to know the children. In turn, the pupils have very positive attitudes to their lessons and other activities.

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Commentary

7. This success is the result of a lot of thought on the part of staff. A comprehensive approach to improving behaviour has included improving the physical environment for pupils, ensuring consistent application of policies and improving the rewards system. The school has high expectations of good behaviour, based on the six Golden Rules, which are displayed prominently around the buildings. There is a good range of rewards and sanctions, appropriate to the age of the children, to encourage good outcomes. Although pupils are very aware of the rewards available to them, they are motivated more by the principles of right and wrong that the school instils. In lessons, pupils work quietly for long periods without direct Wroughton Infant School - 10 teacher intervention. Pupils’ behaviour around the school is very good as, for example, when pupils cross the site to reach the separate hall. There are very few bullying incidents and the

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Commentary

school has good procedures in place to deal with any that do occur.

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Commentary

8. The school provides a clear set of moral values to help pupils distinguish right from wrong. The good provision starts in the Reception year, where children are helped to meet their personal and social goals, whilst further up the school the formal provision for personal, social and health education (PSHE), including circle times, contributes well to their development as individuals. Appropriate opportunities are provided for pupils to take responsibilities, for example, by packing away the play equipment after the lunch break. Pupils are active in supporting a variety of charities and are concerned for others less fortunate than themselves .

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Commentary

9. The school provides pupils with a good range of cultural experiences. This involves a variety of visitors to the school. They study the work of a wide range of famous artists and create their own paintings in the styles of Lowry, Rothko or Shulton, amongst others. Travellers' culture is recognised well in the school’s work, and pupils study cultural traditions from places such as India, Africa and Australia, as well as learning about the beliefs and practices of a range of faiths. Overall, pupils are prepared well for life in a multi-cultural society. The annual Year 2 concert for parents is an important occasion in which all participate. Pupils’ spiritual development is supported in a number of practical ways especially through an appreciation of the natural world, and by the emphasis on the cultivation of plants which all classes have nurtured outside their classrooms in order to enhance the environment of the school.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.0 School data 0.3 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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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

10. The school has very good procedures to encourage pupils’ attendance and overall the picture is satisfactory. However a small number of pupils have poor attendance records that adversely affect their achievement. The school is working well with appropriate agencies to address this problem.

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Exclusions

No pupils have been excluded in recent years.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good education for its pupils. The quality of teaching and learning is good. The curriculum is good and enriched with a satisfactory range of additional activities. Care and welfare are good. Links with other schools are good, and very good with parents and the community.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good across the school. The quality and use of assessment procedures are satisfactory overall. Wroughton Infant School - 11

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching in the Reception classes is consistently good. • Teachers provide well for the needs of pupils of differing ability levels. • Teaching and learning for pupils with special educational needs are good, and these pupils achieve well. • Teaching assistants and other adults contribute very positively to pupils’ learning. • Not all teachers are fully aware of levels of expectation for their pupils. • Assessment procedures in English are very good. • In subjects other than English, mathematics and science, assessment procedures are unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

11. In Reception, teaching is good overall, and sometimes very good. . The children are getting a good start to school. The teacher and the teaching assistants form very good relationships with the children and support them well. All adults work well together as a team. As a result, information collected on individual children is used effectively to plan activities, which suit the children’s individual needs well. Learning is good because all adults have high expectations for each child to do their very best. Behaviour is very good and, as a result, the children quickly develop very positive attitudes to learning and work with great enthusiasm and enjoyment. They concentrate very well and work with confidence in different settings: in groups, with an adult, or in activities they have chosen themselves. Clear profiles are developed on the children, based on the national guidance. These are used successfully to

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Commentary

track pupils’ progress through all areas of learning.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in28 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; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

12. Across Years 1 and 2, in all subjects observed, teaching and learning were good overall, and sometimes very good. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen. This is a good improvement since the previous inspection, which included two unsatisfactory lessons. The school has a significant proportion of good, but newly qualified and still inexperienced, teachers whose contribution to pupils’ learning is significant, and whose potential for improvement is good. Planning is very good. Lessons start promptly, move at a good pace, with teachers often setting timed targets for tasks, and time is well used. Teachers’ good subject knowledge is evident from their clear explanations and good quality questioning, which help develop pupils’ understanding in all subjects. Provision for higher attaining pupils has improved since the previous inspection, but there is still insufficient challenge for these pupils in a few lessons.

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Commentary

However, equality of opportunity is generally promoted well and work is provided for pupils at all levels of ability. Teachers work very hard, and the early indications from the results of the latest national tests are that their efforts have been successful, resulting in improved levels of attainment by their pupils.

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Commentary

13. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well in lessons, and included effectively within the full curriculum. A good number of support staff make a very substantial contribution to pupils’ learning. They work well with teachers and with small groups of pupils with special educational needs and lower attaining pupils. During some plenary 4 sessions, further opportunities are taken for small group work with these pupils. This is good practice, which is

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Commentary

4 Plenary session: the final part of the lesson which is used to consolidate pupils’ learning. Wroughton Infant School - 12 helping to raise standards. Parent-volunteers support teaching well. Inspection evidence supports parents’ positive views about teaching. 14. In the very good lessons seen teaching matched the needs of all pupils very well, plenary sessions were very well used to assess pupils’ understanding, and all supporting adults were very well deployed. Where teaching was satisfactory the teacher’s expectations were less clear and assessment opportunities were more limited. Increasing use is made of information and communication technology to support teaching, both within the new computer suite and through the use of computers in classrooms. Resources are well used. Small whiteboards are effective for quick, short-term answers, but pupils do not always have sufficient opportunities to record more formally in exercise books or on paper.

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Commentary

15. Teachers know their pupils well and have good relationships with them. Pupils want to please their teachers, they listen attentively, and their very good attitudes contribute positively to their learning. Pupils’ eagerly take responsibility for their own learning through asking intelligent questions of their teachers and looking up information for themselves in books and using computer software programs. Teachers have high expectations of behaviour and manage their classes well. Much good learning takes place through enjoyment. In one class the pupils worked very hard in anticipation of their reward – the opening of the “surprise box” – an imaginative and effective method of stimulating pupils. The many gasps of pleasure as the teacher’s own teddy was revealed prompted much further discussion and good questions from the pupils.

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Commentary

16. The school has very good systems of assessment for English and good systems for mathematics and science. Assessment data are used well to identify need and to plan accordingly. For example, the tracking of girls’ attainment in mathematics and action taken to remedy under-achievement which enabled two groups of pupils to achieve well as the result of group work. There are no formal procedures in place for the other subjects although the school has already identified this as an area for development. Some new teachers have insufficient experience to know how to level pupils’ work accurately using national criteria. Subject co-ordinators have produced portfolios of work but these have not yet been levelled so have limited effect in enabling teachers to assess attainment better. Marking is satisfactory, with the best marking indicating to pupils ways of making improvements.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is good. It is broad and balanced and provides a wide range of planned curricular opportunities for all pupils. Provision for curriculum enrichment is satisfactory. As a result of a curriculum which engages the interests of the pupils and is relevant to their needs, achievement is good. Accommodation is very good and learning resources are good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is exciting and relevant to the needs of the pupils. • Curricular planning is thorough and is regularly reviewed. • Transition to the junior school is very well managed. • The accommodation is very conducive to learning.

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Commentary

17. The school provides a good curriculum for the pupils, and this has improved since the last inspection. Statutory requirements are met in all subjects. The curriculum places a good emphasis on reading, writing, mathematics and science and as a result the pupils’ achievements are good. The school has worked effectively to enrich the curriculum and through its ‘curriculum map’ provides a skills and thinking-based approach for the pupils. This is designed to bring enjoyment into activities, alongside creativity and excellence. The school has worked hard to ensure that different subject areas support each other and areas identified by the school for further improvement are rigorously pursued. For example, both writing and Wroughton Infant School - 13 mathematics have been identified and consequently the teachers ensure that no opportunities are lost as they focus on these aspects. The use of ICT in all subjects is also an area

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Commentary

identified by the school for further refinement. 18. The provision for the children in the Reception classes is good. Activities are exciting and innovative and linked to the national guidance, which is an improvement since the last inspection. Strong emphasis is placed on the promotion of personal and social skills in all activities. These youngest children receive a good start to their school life. Resources are good and support all areas of learning well.

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Commentary

19. Curricular planning is good for pupils of all abilities. Teachers plan their work with great care. Activities are well balanced between the different subjects and are both stimulating and relevant to the needs of the pupils. The provision the school makes for all the pupils is good; work is carefully structured to cater for the pupils’ needs although greater refinement is sometimes needed in the accurate assessment of the correct level of pupils’ work. Planning is monitored to ensure it places due regard to the skills to be taught in lessons and that lessons build securely on the pupils’ previous learning. A weakness is that the curriculum does not fully take into account the increasing numbers of pupils who are achieving at the higher level. However, the school has included this in the review of the curriculum to be addressed at the end of the school year.

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Commentary

20. Transfer to the junior school is very smoothly managed. The pupils have opportunities to make visits and spend a complete day at their new school. The staff at both schools work hard to make sure that the transfer causes pupils no distress or concern. The school’s curriculum is enriched by visits to the local area and through visitors to school. These provide the pupils with opportunities to take their learning beyond the classroom.

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Commentary

21. Accommodation is very good. There has been a considerable improvement since the last inspection when some of the accommodation was criticised. The school has recently had new mobile classrooms and work completed in the main body of the school. The school is bright, attractive and welcoming and provides an interesting learning environment. The grounds of the school are very attractive and the many displays of flowers and vegetables are carefully tended by the pupils, under the watchful eye of the caretaker. The many seating and shaded areas provide welcome places for the pupils and their parents when leaving and collecting their children. There are a good number of talented teaching assistants to work alongside the teachers and they are valued by the teaching staff and the pupils. Nearly half of the teaching staff are newly qualified teachers and this has placed a significant load on more experienced

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Commentary

members of staff in co-ordinating subject areas. Resources are good overall, and used well to enhance pupils’ learning.

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Care, guidance and support

Arrangements to ensure students’ care, welfare, health and safety are good. The school provides students with satisfactory support, advice and guidance. It involves them well in its work by seeking and acting on their views.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Induction procedures to ensure that Reception children have a smooth introduction to their formal schooling are very good. • Pupils have very good and trusting relationships with their teachers. • Information from assessments is not used fully enough to help pupils to improve their work. • Health and safety and child protection procedures are effective. • Pupils’ views are valued and acted upon.

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Commentary

Wroughton Infant School - 14 22. The school provides a safe working environment. The governors regularly review health and safety issues and good risk assessments are in place covering the site and school trips. Routine safety procedures are in place. The staff are vigilant about recording incidents in the school’s accident book. Child protection procedures fulfil requirements and are effective in practice; staff have recently received comprehensive training. The school works well with other relevant agencies, such as social services and the traveller support service, to ensure that all pupils receive additional help when they need it.

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Commentary

23. The pastoral care of pupils is good. It starts with very effective induction arrangements, giving the children entering the Reception year the opportunity to come into school with their playgroup leaders before they start. They start school in groups and this gives their teachers the chance to get to know them both informally and through the baseline-testing which is carried out. Teachers and other staff know their pupils well and there are very good relationships between staff and pupils; pupils are confident that there is an adult they could go to with a problem. The staff work together well, providing sensitive and effective support for the children. Communications are effective. The children themselves look out for each other, for example, older pupils look after younger ones in the playground.

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Commentary

24. The school’s personal, social and health education programme covers a range of relevant topics and supports pupils’ personal development well. Healthy eating is encouraged, with fruit available at breaktimes. There are regular circle times to discuss relevant issues, for example, in Year 2, pupils were given the opportunity to discuss their concerns and fears about going on to the junior school, providing the opportunity to allay or reduce the anxieties of many. Teachers keep written records of pupils’ behaviour and personal developments, which are reviewed regularly by the headteacher. There is a comprehensive tracking and target setting system in place, particularly in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science although assessment procedures are not fully in place in other subjects.

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Commentary

25. Pupils’ views are taken into account well through the school council, with representatives drawn from each Year 1 and 2 class. The school has responded positively to a number of pupils’ suggestions, for example, in the provision of playground equipment. There are also regular surveys of pupils’ opinions, the results of which are taken seriously.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

There are very good links with parents and the wider local community. Partnerships with other schools are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The vast majority of parents support the school and believe that it is receptive to their views and concerns • Parents are active in helping the school voluntarily and the Friends Association provides considerable extra funds for the benefit of pupils • The school makes good use of the resources in the wider community to the benefit of pupils’ learning • The information provided to parents is very good and helps them to understand how well their children are achieving

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Commentary

26. Parents are generally supportive of the school and see it as an important part of the local community. The school consults them regularly through surveys and most parents are happy that it takes due account of their views and suggestions. Informal links between parents and the school are numerous and the school has an effective open-door policy. Teachers are accessible for parents to see at both ends of the day. Parents are pleased with the school Wroughton Infant School - 15 and their children’s progress generally, particularly arrangements to help new pupils settle in, the fact that children like school and that they are expected to work hard. They have no serious concerns. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are fully informed of their children’s progress. They are invited to review meetings and have the opportunity to share concerns with staff. Parents’ views are taken into account when setting targets and individual

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Commentary

plans are sent home so that they are aware of the particular support their children need. 27. The school is very aware that the parents of the children brought to school by bus from Thorney Park have fewer opportunities to see teachers and try to compensate by use of other forms of communication, such as the telephone. Day-to-day contact with parents is maintained through home/school diaries. There are clear expectations that parents will assist their child’s learning by hearing reading at home and most parents comply. Regular newsletters inform parents about the life of the school and they also receive useful curriculum information sheets. In addition meetings, such as the Reading Afternoon provide opportunities for teachers to discuss with parents how the school teaches their children, so they are better prepared to provide help at home. An appropriate number of formal opportunities is provided for parents to discuss their child’s progress with teachers and to view

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Commentary

28. The school receives considerable financial assistance from its very active and well-supported Friends of Wroughton School, who run a range of fund-raising and social events. In turn, these are well supported by local businesses. Parents also contribute their skills and experience, for example, helping to run a recent Indian theme-day.

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Commentary

29. A significant number of parents volunteer to help in school on a regular basis. The school makes very good use of facilities in the community. Year 2 children go to the nearby library once a week. Local halls are used in the summer term and there have been visits to the museum. Local people contribute to pupils' learning, for example, the clergy come into school regularly and a local author has talked to the children about her work.

p.15

Commentary

30. The school has productive contact with other schools in the area. There are very good arrangements for the transfer of pupils to the junior school. The local secondary school – a specialist science and technology college – has acquired a van and resources specifically to lend to its feeder schools, providing useful additional equipment.

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good overall. There are very significant strengths in the leadership of the headteacher. Leadership, management and governance are good.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Leadership of the headteacher is very good in providing firm direction and a clear perception of what is required to bring about improvements. • The governors monitor the performance of the school very effectively. • There is a very good team spirit and all staff are committed to raising achievement. • The finances of the school are managed very well.

p.15

Commentary

31. The headteacher provides very good leadership. The aims and values of the school place a high priority on the provision of a stimulating and inspiring education for all pupils. The aims and ethos of this school have a strong emphasis on valuing all pupils, whatever their capabilities. All that the school does closely reflects these ideals. The headteacher has proved herself to be a highly competent and committed leader. She has a clear vision for empowering both staff and pupils to give of their best and is focused upon improving teaching and learning in order to raise standards of achievement. She aims to improve the school Wroughton Infant School - 16 further, through the continued development of the non-core subjects. Staff, pupils, governors and parents respect these expectations. The deputy headteacher has equally high expectations of what the school can achieve. She works alongside the headteacher and gives

p.15

Commentary

much useful feedback, advice and support. Wroughton Infant School - 17 32. The governing body provides clear direction and good support and fulfils all its statutory duties. There have been many changes in the governors in the last few years and they have gained confidence and understanding of their roles and responsibilities well through attending appropriate training and the opportunity to put knowledge gained to practical use – for instance in establishing governor links with subjects, regular meetings with co-ordinators and visits to school in order to follow these up. In addition to monitoring various aspects of the curriculum, these visits have served to build good relationships between staff and governors and give a greater insight into how the school is organised. As a result the governors have a good awareness of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and know how weaknesses are being tackled. The governors play a crucial role in the development planning of the school.

p.16

Commentary

They receive very good information on the curriculum and other aspects of the school’s organisation through reports from the headteacher and operate effectively in committees, which deal with issues relating to finance, premises, staffing and pay. They have a good understanding of their monitoring role and carefully review progress made towards targets.

p.17

Commentary

33. The headteacher has a very clear picture of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, and uses monitoring effectively to target action plans for development. There is a shared desire for pupils to achieve high standards, but this does not compromise the broad curriculum and wide range of learning opportunities provided by the school, and the development of all children as individuals. A highly positive environment has been developed and maintained. This, combined with pupils’ very good attitudes and behaviour, makes a significant contribution to their learning. The headteacher receives very good support from the senior management team and they work very closely together in deciding whole-school priorities for development. This year, although they have carried a heavy burden of subject management, senior managers have enthusiastically taken this on as well as effectively training up the new, inexperienced and very keen team of teachers to shoulder responsibilities next year.

p.17

Commentary

34. The management of the Foundation Stage is good. All the adults involved with the Reception classes work successfully together as a team. This is because all systems are clear and understood by everyone and they all have a secure knowledge of how these young children learn. As a result these children achieve well and often very well. Leadership and management of special educational needs is good. The co-ordinator has updated all the required documentation efficiently, and meets with teaching assistants regularly to discuss pupils’ progress. There are effective systems in place for early identification of pupils with possible special needs from baseline assessment data when pupils first join the school.

p.17

Commentary

35. Induction procedures are very good, for both newly qualified teachers and all teachers new to the school, enabling them to settle and learn quickly how things work. They are supported well in their professional development to enable them to achieve their full potential.

p.17

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 617,159 Balance from previous year 116,051 Total expenditure 628,905 Balance carried forward to the next 104,305

p.17

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

36. The school improvement plan is linked closely to its finances. This ensures that evaluations are made on the extent to which all pupils benefit from targeted spending in the curriculum. Finances are managed in an exemplary manner by the school’s administrative officer. The headteacher and governing body apply the principles of b est v alue well. The school administrator plays a key role in this process, ensuring materials are bought at the best price, and keeping everyone informed about the state of the school’s budget. The balance brought forward into 2004 - 2005 was very large, due to two factors. A planned programme of Wroughton Infant School - 18 improving accommodation and equipment had fallen behind schedule, and there were considerable concerns over falling rolls, which led to some hesitancy about spending. However, the accommodation and equipment renovations have now been completed and the

p.17

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

excess money has now been allocated to staffing, ensuring that the school retains small class sizes. Governors are aware of the need to ensure that the school remains financially secure. They are well involved in forward planning and carefully consider all options to so that the educational provision made for the pupils remains as good as possible. Wroughton Infant School - 19

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Children enter the Reception class in the September following their fourth birthday. Nearly all the children have attended local pre-school provision. The attainment of children on entry to the school is generally below average but covers a wide range. The children in the Reception classes learn effectively and achieve well, because a good range of exciting and interesting activities is provided. This reflects the position at the last inspection. The teaching is good and shows a good understanding of the needs of children of this age. The curriculum is exciting and innovative and matches the six areas of learning for this age well. Children with special educational needs receive well-targeted support, carefully matched to their own capabilities. There is good leadership and management of the Foundation Stage. Teaching time is well organised and there is good monitoring of pupils’ progress and good record-keeping which is building up into a comprehensive

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

record of achievement. The accommodation for the pupils is good and there are roomy outside areas where children can pursue curricular activities as well as ride on a range of wheeled vehicles and use play equipment.

p.19

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well and are self-confident because of the good organisation and well- established classroom routines. • Very good relationships are evident, which make the children feel secure and cared for.

p.19

Commentary

37. When children enter the school most have sound personal and social skills. They make good progress because they are taught very well. Most will meet and some are likely to exceed the early learning goals by the time they reach Year 1. This reflects the position at the previous inspection. The staff build well on pre-school experiences. The children respond well to daily routines with which they are completely comfortable. They know exactly what to do on entering school, and are very familiar with the routines for taking the register and getting ready for play, drink and lunch times. They relate well to one another and show concern and care where appropriate. There is a good variety of activities that ensures children are purposefully employed and move confidently from task to task. Children work very well together in small groups and with members of staff. Adults work constructively with the children, helping them

p.19

Commentary

to take turns and encouraging sharing. Adults provide good role models and children respond positively to the care shown towards them. Children make good progress and work independently, unsupervised, maintaining their concentration well. When working as a class group, children are expected to take turns, put up their hands when answering questions, and listen carefully to each other. Behaviour is very good and children are kind and courteous to each other.

p.19

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers plan and organise activities well so that the children can practise and develop a full range of skills. Wroughton Infant School - 20 • Adults’ skilled interaction with the children ensures that they learn to reason and use language with increasing expertise to tell, explain and describe. Wroughton Infant School - 21

p.19

Commentary

38. Children are becoming confident speakers and listeners. Most can recognise letters and their sounds and a few can already read, and the majority sound out simple words confidently. They are learning correct letter formation and have many opportunities to practise. Most children are likely to meet the learning goals required for this area by the time they reach Year 1. Teaching is good and children achieve well because they are given a wide range of activities to develop their speaking, listening and early reading and writing skills. This is an improvement on the findings of the previous inspection when the children made sound progress. Whole-group sessions ensure that children learn to listen carefully. They answer questions fluently about The Very Hungry Caterpillar , and have good recall of the story of Jasper and the Beanstalk. They reply to questions in full sentences and are gaining a good

p.21

Commentary

range of vocabulary. When they work in small groups, adults take every opportunity to encourage the children to talk, ask questions for themselves and generally increase their vocabulary. All children are taught how to form letters properly and as a result many children write neatly. When sequencing the story of Jasper they know to put finger-spaces between their words. Reading skills are developed well which results in the children picking up books with great enthusiasm and confidence. Many children begin to sound out simple words correctly as they read and as they write.

p.21

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is consistently at least good, and sometimes very good. • Activities are well planned and promote the vocabulary associated with this area well.

p.21

Commentary

39. Children achieve well and by the end of the school year, nearly all are likely to meet the expected levels in their mathematical development. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection and children enjoy mathematical activities. Children learn effectively because the teaching is good and learning is made lively and interesting. They accurately and reliably identify missing numbers in number lines and their basic mathematical vocabulary such as ‘more than’ and ‘less than’ develop well. Children are developing a good idea of basic addition and subtraction and can find different ways of making numbers up to 20. Teaching is always at least good, sometimes very good, and the teaching assistants support the children effectively during all activities. Most children recognise and name basic shapes such as triangles, squares, circles and rectangles that they see around them. Children’s

p.21

Commentary

previous work shows that they are developing a good idea of how to estimate as they use counters and write numbers up to 20. In practical situations they buy plants and flowers from Jasper’s shop and correctly count groups of pennies. As they work on mathematical activities, all children work very amicably together, concentrate well and listen attentively to instructions from adults . A brisk pace is maintained and supplementary, more challenging activities are provided to extend each group.

p.21

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teachers provide a wide range of activities in order to develop children’s knowledge of the world around them. • Children’s computer skills are developed well. Wroughton Infant School - 22 • Pupils are taught to observe carefully in order to learn about their environment.

p.21

Commentary

40. The quality of teaching and learning in this area is good and children are on course to meet the early learning goals by the end of this year. They achieve well. This is an improvement on the position at the last inspection. Activities linked to topics, develop children’s understanding and enable them to achieve well. In addition, the teachers provide a wide range of other activities which stimulate the senses and interest the children. They have undertaken a comprehensive topic about Australia and learned about indigenous animals and mini-beasts and compared them to those found here. They have been for a walk around the local area and drawn specific features and places of interest. Most children are developing good computer skills. Most manipulate and control the mouse effectively to click and drag objects across the screen and can create and print their own pictures using a painting program. There is very good interaction between adults and children, with lots of

p.22

Commentary

encouragement and praise which motivate and encourage the children to do well. The school makes appropriate provision for the teaching of religious education, in line with the locally agreed syllabus, in the Foundation Stage.

p.22

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well. • The quality of teaching and learning is good.

p.22

Commentary

41. Children achieve well in this area of learning and by the end of the Reception year the vast majority will meet the expectations of the early learning goals. Standards are in line with those expected and have been improved since the last inspection because the outside areas are used more profitable than previously. The quality of teaching and learning is good because sessions are well planned and teachers use clear explanations, which the children understand. The activities provided are interesting and this encourages children to be imaginative; for instance, they stretch and shake out in a good warm up, and are gaining a good awareness of space as they move around the playground. They observe other children patiently and use this as a model to improve their own skills when using hoops, bats and balls. Children have mature attitudes for their age and show good levels of independence when putting on their socks and fastening their shoes. Pupils have plenty of opportunities to

p.22

Commentary

develop their fine co-ordination skills through using scissors, pencils and painting tools. Outside they climb apparatus confidently and control a wide range of wheeled toys competently.

p.22

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teacher plans a wide variety of activities that provide children with good opportunities to explore and create.

p.22

Commentary

42. Teaching in this area is good and children achieve well. This reflects the findings of the previous inspection. Activities are carefully planned which help children to develop and use Wroughton Infant School - 23 their imaginations. During the inspection, groups created colourful butterflies using a new modelling material. The teacher showed them how pliable it was and what they could achieve before leaving them to experiment for themselves. They enjoy painting and have created colourful pictures of flame trees using tissue or crepe paper for the blooms. Children enjoy discovering the effects of mixing colours together. Children have access to a wide range of media in order to experiment and also learn a little of artists such as Van Gogh; in response they have created their own pictures of sunflowers using tissue and paint. The large majority of children are likely to attain at expected levels by the end of the Reception year.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• By the end of Year 2 standards in speaking and listening, reading and writing are above average, and all pupils achieve well. • Teaching and learning are good. • The subject is well led and managed. • Pupils listen well and their very good attitudes contribute positively to their learning. • Opportunities are not always taken for pupils to practise their literacy skills in other subjects.

p.23

Commentary

43. Standards of attainment have improved since the previous inspection and are above average at the end of Year 2 in speaking and listening, reading and writing. Early indications from the latest national tests show that standards have risen since the previous year, all pupils are achieving well, and a significant proportion are achieving very well, having joined the school with slightly below average language skills. More pupils are attaining the expected national level 2 and the higher level 3, and this is a further good improvement since the previous inspection. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well owing to the good support provided for them.

p.23

Commentary

44. Standards in speaking and listening are above average at the end of Year 2. Teachers actively engage pupils in discussion and develop speaking skills through good use of open- ended questions. Pupils discuss work together in pairs and small groups. Further opportunities to develop oracy skills are provided in circle time, through the school council, and in plenary sessions at the end of lessons. Pupils spoken to by inspectors, both informally and in more formal discussion, were lively, articulate and confident speakers.

p.23

Commentary

45. Standards in reading are above average at the end of Year 2. The school has recently introduced a new system for the daily teaching of reading, and this is having a very positive effect in raising standards. Parents are very pleased with the improvement in their children’s reading. Quiet, guided reading sessions are also provided on a daily basis and provision to hear pupils read to adults individually is better than average due to the number of teaching assistants in the school, and the good support of parents. Year 2 classes visit the local library weekly and library skills at the end of Year 2 are above average. Graded reading material is readily available and teachers ensure that books are well matched to pupils’ capabilities.

p.23

Commentary

46. Standards in writing are above average with an increasing proportion of pupils gaining the expected national level 2 and the higher level 3 in the national tests. Pupils write for a variety of purposes, choosing vocabulary carefully, and their standards of grammar, spelling and punctuation are above average. Year 1 pupils have a very good understanding of the use of capital letters and full stops. Spellings are set weekly in Year 2, at different levels of difficulty, Wroughton Infant School - 24 and pupils regularly tested. Handwriting is generally legible, letters are well formed and of uniform shape, but not all pupils are joining up their letters. 47. Teaching and learning were good in all classes observed. Teachers plan well, make learning objectives very clear, manage their pupils very well, and make good use of time, moving lessons along at a good pace, and thereby rectifying criticisms from the previous inspection.

p.23

Commentary

They plan carefully for pupils of different attainment levels ensuring that less able pupils and those with special educational needs are well supported, and that higher attainers are stretched. Plenary sessions at the end of lessons are often well used for further small group work with pupils with special educational needs. All literacy lessons are well supported by teaching assistants and other adult volunteers, such as parents. The generous pupil/adult ratio contributes very positively to the quality of learning. Pupils have very good attitudes to their lessons and behave well. In this very positive learning environment all pupils achieve well and many achieve very well by the end of Year 2. Aspects of assessment in English are real strengths. There are procedures in place for the assessment of all aspects of the subject including speaking and listening, and spelling, and good use is made of the data gathered to

p.24

Commentary

track pupils, identify areas of concern and introduce initiatives for improvement. Marking is satisfactory and encouraging, but does not always tell pupils how to improve their work. Some teachers have insufficient experience to level pupils’ work accurately.

p.24

Commentary

48. The subject is well led and managed. Priorities are quickly identified and rectified. The teaching of English has been monitored thoroughly, improvements suggested, and in-service training provided in order to help raise standards. Resources for the subject are good. Computers are well used to support the subject in classrooms where programs to support spelling, for example, are well used. The subject is well enriched through visits from authors, drama groups, poets and puppet shows, and through drama productions for each year group. There is much focus on the subject round the school, every classroom having language and literacy areas, with awareness of vocabulary, grammar and punctuation prominently displayed. Improvement since the previous inspection is good.

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

49. Speaking and listening skills are well developed across other subjects of the curriculum. Opportunities to improve reading are taken in other subjects. Writing is less well supported. In some literacy lessons pupils may write about a person in history, or an aspect from their religious education lessons, but insufficient use is made of history, religious education and other lessons to extend pupils’ writing opportunities, and develop their literacy skills.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well in mathematics. • Lessons are well taught so that all pupils learn well. • The pupils are enthusiastic about their learning and the teaching assistants give the pupils very good help. • Assessment systems are not comprehensive enough. • The subject co-ordinator has targeted resources effectively as the result of systematic analysis of data.

p.24

Commentary

50. Standards in mathematics in 2004 were above average, with over a third of the pupils reaching the higher than expected level. The current Year 2 pupils are expected to achieve well and attain standards that are above average, with a significant number of pupils reaching the higher level. This is good achievement for all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs Wroughton Infant School - 25 make good progress and achieve well because of the good support they receive. There is no significant difference observed between the achievement of the boys and girls. The co- ordinator has been effective in analysing how well the pupils are doing and identifying specific areas for improvement. This has been a key feature in ensuring all pupils achieve well. The good improvement in mathematics since the previous inspection is because the profile of mathematics has been raised in the school. Parents have been welcomed to meetings where

p.24

Commentary

the teaching of mathematics has been explained, so that they feel a lot more secure about the methods used and are able to support their child’s learning. Throughout the school staff plan their lessons very well and make sure that all levels of ability are well catered for. As a result, by the end of Year 2, most pupils have developed a good understanding of basic number activities and simple sums and problems requiring addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Higher attaining pupils sort shapes onto complex Carroll diagrams, whilst paying due regard to the different properties of the shapes. The lower attaining pupils work on practical sorting activities involving mini-beasts.

p.25

Commentary

51. Teaching and learning in mathematics are good. Teachers provide well-prepared lessons and use resources well. Lessons are practical and visual so that pupils are engaged and learn well. Occasionally there is insufficient time allocated to formal recording of work. Teachers are clear about what their pupils know and can do, and what they need to do next; day-to-day assessment is generally effective. The teachers are good at making sure that at the end of the lesson they recap the pupils’ learning effectively. The pupils enjoy their mathematics lessons and as a result their behaviour and attitudes to their work are very good and no time is wasted. The pupils are encouraged to give their ideas and suggestions on how to work out problems set by the teachers. Because their contributions are valued by staff the pupils are encouraged to be confident about their work and so they try hard. In the Year 1 lessons, the

p.25

Commentary

pupils were asked to think of questions they would ask, to find out the value of a coin concealed by one of their friends. The pupils came up with some very searching questions, which led them successfully to guess the correct value of the coins. Adult helpers make a valuable contribution in lessons. This has a significant impact upon the learning of the pupils. The high level of individual help for pupils in lessons strengthens their learning.

p.25

Commentary

52. The subject is well led and managed. The quality of teaching and learning is checked and data are analysed closely. The co-ordinator has ensured that key groups have had specific and targeted support and this has had a significant impact upon these pupils’ achievements. She rightly feels that there is more work to be done in ensuring that all staff are clear and accurate in their assessments of pupils’ work. At present assessment systems do not allow for the formal recording of the progress of pupils who are achieving at a particularly high level. Resources are good and promote learning well ICT is used well to support learning and pupils are confident about entering data to create graphs as well as using programs to practise their basic skills.

p.25

Mathematics across the curriculum

53. The development of pupils’ mathematical skills in other subjects is good. Teachers identify occasions when pupils need to use their mathematical knowledge. For example, the understanding of how to record information on graphs is built frequently into learning, as in supporting science learning when pupils made a graph of the different mini-beasts they had found in the school grounds.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Although standards are not as high as in other core subjects they are improving as a result of actions taken this year. Wroughton Infant School - 26 • New curricular planning is beginning to have a positive impact on standards. • Teachers plan interesting activities, with pupils being encouraged to investigate and find out for themselves. • The leadership and management are good.

p.25

Commentary

54. Standards at the end of Year 2 in the 2004 teacher assessments were in line with those expected nationally. However a well below average percentage of pupils achieved the nationally expected level 2, while a well above average percentage of pupils achieved the higher level 3. In the course of this year the task has been to raise the standards of pupils achieving the expected level. The school has succeeded to a certain extent although standards are still likely to be broadly average overall, at the end of Year 2. Provision overall is satisfactory, but is improving rapidly and the benefit of new curricular planning is having a very positive impact on standards in Year 1 where the work seen was already in line with nationally expected standards. This indicates that overall pupils, including those with special educational needs, are achieving well. Pupils generally enjoy their work. The majority try

p.26

Commentary

hard in lessons, and the presentation of their written work is good. Their oral work is of a high standard. In lessons, their answers and suggestions show they have a good grasp of the subject. Pupils’ books show that they have covered a good amount of work in the time available.

p.26

Commentary

55. Teaching is good overall, with some significant strengths. Teachers generally have high expectations of the pupils in terms of behaviour and the standard of work produced. Questioning is used well to find out what pupils already know and to encourage them to apply what they know to new situations. Teachers plan interesting activities, linking them to current work in other subjects whenever possible. All teachers have a secure understanding of the subject. Pupils are encouraged to investigate and find out things for themselves. For example, pupils in Year 2 carried out an investigation of the wildlife area to find out what habitats it provided. Teachers plan their lessons carefully and are generally well organised. Teachers match work well to pupils’ abilities, which results in good learning and overall levels of achievement during lessons. Relationships between teachers and pupils are good. This

p.26

Commentary

leads to very positive attitudes and behaviour in lessons. The use of computers is incorporated well into planning. They are frequently used for recording the results of investigations, as well as setting up data-bases and creating graphs.

p.26

Commentary

56. The leadership and management of science are good. The main strengths and weaknesses have been identified, such as the need to further extend the already improved assessment system and introduce a new, more comprehensive scheme of work. This last has already been implemented and its use carefully monitored by the co-ordinator and as a result there is a good broad experience for pupils. There are good quality resources, which are enhanced by the local secondary school which is a designated science and technology college, and with whom the school has established very close working links. Improvement since the last inspection has been good, particularly in relation to the reliability of assessment and in the implementation of a broader curriculum.

p.26

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above the levels expected nationally by the end of Year 2. • The teachers plan their lessons well. • Co-ordination in ICT is good. Wroughton Infant School - 27

p.26

Commentary

57. By the end of Year 2 standards of work are above the levels expected nationally. Achievement is good among pupils of all abilities, and including those with special educational needs. This is an improvement since the previous inspection when achievement was satisfactory. This improvement is due to improvements in the provision of additional computers, the installation of a computer suite and the skills and expertise of the teachers. Teaching and learning are good overall. By the end of Year 2 the pupils use a number of programs successfully. They log on, select the appropriate program at the correct level and begin their work. They use the icons to choose which tools they wish to use and print off their work at the end of the session. They construct graphs from data and talk knowledgeably about the way the program organises the information.

p.27

Commentary

58. The quality of teaching and learning is good. The teachers, teaching assistants and adult helpers are all skilled and use their expertise well to support the pupils’ learning. The teachers plan their lessons well and make effective use of the time allocated in the computer suite by splitting the session in half and taking in half the class at a time. This allows each pupil to have access to a computer and means that the teacher is able to help the pupils on an individual level. The teachers employ a range of good strategies for learning, teaching and improving mouse control and also allowing the pupils to experiment with programs and then to discuss and share ideas and interesting tool effects with their ‘talking partners’.

p.27

Commentary

59. There is good leadership and management of ICT. The co-ordinator has played a major part in improving the provision in the school and recognises that the next steps are to ensure that ICT is used even more to support other subject areas and that there is a need to install interactive whiteboards to further improve teaching. Assessment procedures are not fully in place and will need to be reviewed in order to take into account the use of new resources. An order has already been made for an interactive whiteboard for use in the computer suite and all are keen to see it installed. Resources are satisfactory. The curriculum has been strengthened by the careful purchase of software, which has different levels of difficulty, and this helps the teachers to target pupils’ work accurately.

p.27

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

60. ICT is used well to support the pupils’ learning in other subject areas to enable the pupils to develop, refine and use their skills. ICT is used to support learning in mathematics and science as the pupils create graphs of different mini-beasts. The pupils also use the Internet for research purposes, for example to find out more about snails and slugs in science.

p.27

HUMANITIES

61. During the inspection no lessons were seen in history or geography. Consequently, no judgements can be made about overall provision or teaching in these subjects. Other judgements are based on discussions with teachers and pupils and from scrutiny of pupils’ work and teachers’ planning.

p.27

HUMANITIES

62. In history, standards of attainment are likely to be average at the end of Year 2, with pupils achieving satisfactorily, maintaining the standards identified by the previous inspection. Year 1 pupils look at a range of toys to establish if they are from the past or present, and devise their own family tree having looked at the family tree of Katie Morag during their literacy lessons. Year 2 pupils study famous people, such as Robert Bruce, and compare old and new features of buildings in their immediate locality, placing them in chronological order. Pupils spoken to identified the old school hall as one of the oldest buildings in the village, dating it with reasonable accuracy and showing a good understanding of chronology. The new subject co-ordinator has updated the policy and scheme of work and has good ideas for taking the subject forward. Emphasis is on the progressive teaching of skills. There is

p.27

HUMANITIES

Wroughton Infant School - 28 currently no formal assessment of pupils’ work in history. The quality of displays seen around the school is good, and well supported by artefacts and other good resources. 63. In geography, standards are likely to be average at the end of Year 2, as at the time of the last inspection, with pupils achieving satisfactorily across the school. Year 2 pupils studying the contrasting locality of the Isle of Coll identify similarities and differences with their own village. They can identify physical features such as rivers, and rightly define an island as “a piece of land surrounded by water”. They use detailed local maps to identify their own homes and other important buildings in the neighbourhood, such as the church and their future junior school. Visits to the immediate vicinity and to Lydiard Park enhance the quality of pupils’ learning. Geographical skills are strongly promoted through teachers’ planning. Resources

p.28

HUMANITIES

for the subject are good and well used. There is a good focus on the subject in displays around the school, but no formal assessment procedures to enable teachers to develop pupils’ learning.

p.28

Religious education

Provision in religious education is good .

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Links with the local church are good. • The subject supports pupils’ learning of other religions and cultures well. • No procedures are in place for assessing pupils’ work.

p.28

Commentary

64. Standards at the end of Year 2 are in line with the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus and all pupils, including those with special educational needs, are achieving well. Improvement since the previous inspection is satisfactory. Both attainment targets – learning about and learning from religion and human experience are well covered in the curriculum.

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Commentary

65. Teaching and learning are good. Year 1 pupils study special people and places, such as a hospital and the local church, and write their own Church dictionaries defining special words such as font, gravestone and altar . Year 2 pupils also visit the local church, and have good recall of a dramatisation of a christening. They broadly understand the concept of baptism. In their study of another religion – Islam - they learn about Mohammed, the Qur’an, Allah, and understand procedures for entry to a mosque. In their study of Christianity they learn about the parable of the lost sheep, and celebrate festivals such as Easter and Christmas. Teachers have good subject knowledge and take care to reinforce new vocabulary with visual aids. They use good, challenging, open-ended questions such as “What does Allah say about prayer?” creating good opportunities for developing pupils’ speaking and listening skills.

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Commentary

Pupils show very good attitudes towards the subject which contribute positively to their learning. Planning provides well for pupils of all levels of attainment, and pupils learn well through enjoyment. Teaching assistants give good support to small groups of pupils.

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Commentary

66. There are good links with the local church. Both year groups make visits with well-planned lessons and the curate visits regularly to take collective worship. Resources for the subject are good with a plentiful supply of quality artefacts to enrich the pupils’ learning. Leadership and management are satisfactory. There are some good displays round the school to support the subject but there is no formal assessment of pupils’ work and insufficient awareness of their writing. Reception class pupils perform a Christmas Nativity play for parents. There is a strong Christian focus throughout the school. The subject supports pupils’ personal, moral, cultural and spiritual development well. Wroughton Infant School - 29

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

67. Too little teaching was seen in music and design and technology and physical education to make an overall judgement about provision. Inspectors looked at work and talked to pupils about their experiences, skills, knowledge and understanding in these subjects.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

68. In design and technology the school provides a variety of interesting activities, often as part of cross-curricular topics. These are well planned to capture pupils’ interest and are effective in ensuring that pupils of all abilities are fully included. The pupils have recently been making pop-up cards, as a result of a talk from a visitor to the school who showed the pupils how effective they are. In Year 2 the pupils have designed and made their own mini-beast collectors. The pupil’s ideas including pooters, sieves, traps, and parachute traps were evidence of the pupil’s original ideas. These ingenious devices were then made and tested. These activities gave the pupils good opportunities to work through the design, make and evaluate process and so develop their understanding of the principals of design technology. The work also made a worthwhile contribution to pupils’ personal and social development, as

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

they had to work together to solve problems.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

69. In music the pupils experience an appropriate programme of musical activities. The pupils sing tunefully and are keen to learn new songs and to improve their performance. The pupils enjoy singing and this is very evident during assemblies. The teachers make good use of musical instruments in lessons to help the pupils to work together to compose pieces of music. They generally co-operate well and carefully follow the instructions of the conductor as they play their pieces. The pupils say that they have really enjoyed singing ‘The Ugly Bug Ball’ and have put together a number of instruments to add to their performances and make them better. They say they particularly enjoy assemblies when the vicar comes and plays the guitar.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

70. In physical education pupils take part in a very wide range of sporting activities, designed to improve their skills and keep them healthy. The physical education curriculum shows an appropriate balance of activities including gymnastics, dance and games. The pupils enjoy their lessons and try hard to improve their skills. The co-ordinator has identified with her colleagues a need to improve the teaching of dance, and so training is to be accessed in this area. In the lessons observed the pupils were encouraged to learn new skills and to improve their skills through practice. In one lesson the teacher made the task harder for those pupils she had assessed as being more proficient and this showed the good ways the teachers respond to the pupils’ individual needs.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils produce good quality artwork using a wide range of media. • Pupils’ enjoy art and achieve well.

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Commentary

71. Standards in art are above those expected at the end of Year 2. Achievement is good overall, among pupils of all abilities. Work in art and design is planned to introduce pupils to the required skills and understanding and to support work in other subjects, such as history, science and design and technology. This is very successful, and pupils in both year-groups have produced a wide variety of work to good standards in a range of media. In addition, there has been a good amount of work on art appreciation and in critical studies of a range of art and design. Pupils have a good knowledge of the work of a range of famous artists and have learned a good deal about art from different cultures, particularly Australia. Lively examples of art, including pupils’ own work, are well presented in stimulating displays around Wroughton Infant School - 30 the school. These are of a good standard and create a bright and welcoming atmosphere.

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Commentary

Improvement since the previous inspection is good.

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Commentary

72. Teaching and learning are consistently good and this leads to good quality work being produced. Pupils’ are confident and enjoy celebrating their achievements. They have very good attitudes and concentrate and collaborate very well in lessons. This enhances their personal development very well. Pupils explore a wide range of techniques and media. The work of famous artists such as Lowry, Rothko and Matisse, make a significant contribution to pupils’ artistic and cultural development. Pupils have produced a wide range of artefacts using clay and other natural materials. Assessment is unsatisfactory as a system common to the whole school has not yet been developed.

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Commentary

73. Leadership and management of the subject are good. Good links are made with other subjects particularly ICT, history, design and technology and science. Planning ensures that pupils have the opportunity to develop skills and techniques over a sustained period of time.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education and citizenship is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good opportunities are available for pupils to be involved in the running of the school. • The school is very effective in supporting the pupils’ personal and social development.

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Commentary

74. Personal, social and health education play a very successful role in the school’s aim to raise pupils’ achievement by building confidence and independence and has a positive impact on pupils’ personal development overall. This is because the co-ordinator leads this area well with a well planned programme. Pupils have a good understanding of the values and responsibilities involved in good citizenship and they are becoming mature members of their community.

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Commentary

75. All pupils are involved in helping the classes and the school to run smoothly. They help to tidy up at the end of lessons and to look after the school grounds. Pupils have good opportunities for involvement in the work of their school through the school council, which gives pupils insights into the workings of democracy as well as experience of citizenship. They learn to appreciate ways in which the school can be better and how they can make a difference to school. The school councillors are particularly pleased that they have been able to provide hoops for the playground, for pupils' use at playtime.

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Commentary

76. The school has very good strategies for working in partnership with parents to help pupils to develop good social and personal skills. There are very good role models provided by adults in the school. The quality of concern and care shown to the pupils is good. This creates an extremely positive ethos for the personal and social development of all pupils. The pupils have access to fresh fruit daily and there is a programme in place, which includes work on diet, healthy lifestyles, sex education, drugs awareness and personal safety. The school regularly asks the pupils for their views about school and other important issues and acts upon their findings. For example, the Year 2 pupils have been asked about their feelings about their move to the junior school. The pupils concerns have been addressed in class sessions so that any fears can be allayed. Throughout the school the pupils learn to be active

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Commentary

and responsible members of their school community. Wroughton Infant School - 31

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The overall effectiveness of the school 3

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

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2

Attendance 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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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 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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The leadership and management of the school 3

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

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The leadership and management of the school 3

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7). Wroughton Infant School - 32

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