Purley CofE Primary School

Inspection Report Purley Church of England Infant School

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109971 Unique Reference Number West Berkshire Local Authority 278326 Inspection number 13 November 2006 Inspection date Christopher Parker Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Purley Village School address Infant Type of school Purley-on-Thames Voluntary controlled School category Reading RG8 8AF 4 °7 Age range of pupils 0118 9842384 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0118 9841315 Fax number 43 Number on roll (school) Mr S Robertson Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs J Goddard Headteacher 11 October 1999 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 278326 13 November 2006 4 °7 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This is a very small school. The social characteristics of the pupils are diverse, with slightly higher than average free school meals. The pupils are predominantly White British with a small number from other backgrounds. A few speak another language at home but all are fluent in English. Six out of ten pupils are girls. Attainment on entry fluctuates from year to year but is broadly average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Purley Church of England Infant School, 13 November 2006

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Grade: 2

The school provides a good education for the pupils. The headteacher directs the work of the school very successfully. Standards have risen over the last few years because of determined efforts to bring improvements. The teaching is effective and pupils make good progress and achieve well although the most able are not always fully challenged. Activities to raise standards in mathematics illustrate well how governors hold the school to account by questioning its performance. This also shows the headteacher's strong leadership and the systematic way in which the co-ordinator analysed test results and set out a plan to raise standards. Improvements to tracking pupils' progress, setting clear targets, training for teachers and teaching assistants and more effective use of information and communication technology (ICT) have all contributed to higher standards in mathematics. There is now a heightened awareness of what pupils can

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Grade: 2

achieve and good approaches to teaching mathematics are well established. However, the very useful information collected about each pupil's progress is not being used well enough to make sure the most able pupils are set challenging tasks whenever possible. One parent commented how, 'children settle very quickly' into school life. They have a good range of teacher led and free choice activities. Improvements to the building have created a well used outdoor area for the children in the Reception Year. Adults skilfully intervene to extend play to make it as beneficial as possible for the children. By the end of the Reception Year they have achieved a good level of development. As a result of effective teaching the pupils build on this good start. The results of national tests, at the end of Year 2, were significantly above average in 2005. Standards were maintained in 2006 when almost half of the pupils reached the higher level in

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Grade: 2

reading and writing. The school provides a broad range of interesting opportunities for the pupils that foster good personal development and well being, as well as good academic progress. Partnerships with parents are excellent and they hold the school in high regard. Their comments show how much they appreciate how, 'each child is valued and respected and made to feel part of the school family'. One parent added how her daughter was, 'very well prepared emotionally, socially and academically,' for the next stage in her education. Good improvement since the last inspection, rising standards and the clear direction given by the headteacher confirm that the school is well placed to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Make sure abler pupils are challenged in all lessons. 2 Inspection Report: Purley Church of England Infant School, 13 November 2006

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Grade: 2

Standards are well above average and achievement is good. The youngest children make good progress. They all achieve a good level of development and many reach the goals set for the end of the Reception Year. This good start provides a secure foundation that is built on effectively in Years 1 and 2. Results dipped to below average in 2003 but have improved each year since then. Standards in reading are now high. In writing and mathematics standards are well above average. The pupils work together well and develop good basic skills that equip them well for the future. For the last two years the proportion of pupils reaching higher levels has been greater than in many schools. However, in some lessons, the most able pupils are not being stretched. Although some tasks extend them by the end of the lesson, the starting point sometimes covers what they are already able to do. The less able pupils and those with learning difficulties are well supported. In most lessons teachers, teaching

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Grade: 2

assistants or volunteers work with individuals and small groups. Consequently they make good progress.

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Grade: 2

The pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Collective worship is attended by all adults who work and help in the school creating an occasion which extends pupils' spiritual awareness. Their good social and moral understanding is well illustrated by their contributions of shoeboxes full of gifts given to Operation Christmas Child for distribution to in children in Eastern Europe and Africa. Arts week heightens pupils' cultural development so they know, for example, about the lives of children in Nigeria. The pupils know that fruit is good for them. They enjoy using the climbing equipment in the playground and the new hall has given them more opportunities to develop their movement and skills. At all times good levels of adult supervision allow the pupils to feel safe. The pupils make a good contribution to the local community, particularly through links with the church. Attendance is much higher than the national average.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Lessons are lively and interesting. There are good levels of adult support in many lessons. Teaching assistants and volunteers provide additional help that is particularly beneficial to the less able pupils. The nursery nurse 3 Inspection Report: Purley Church of England Infant School, 13 November 2006 provides the youngest children with a good range of tasks and activities. Skilful interventions extend activities and develop their vocabulary. Assessment and record keeping are very comprehensive and cover all subjects. Pupils' portfolios provide a very clear picture of the good progress they are making and very useful information for teachers to plan the next stage of learning. Lessons are thoroughly planned. Teachers modify tasks for pupils of different abilities but not enough consideration is given to the starting point for the most able. There are occasions when adult help could be used more effectively to launch abler pupils

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Grade: 2

straight into a more demanding task. As a result these pupils make good rather than rapid progress.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a broad and interesting curriculum that, in most respects, meets the needs of most pupils. There is scope to extend opportunities for the most able. Nevertheless, the diverse range of activity results in the pupils achieving well. Arts week provides a very good illustration of the varied and lively activities, visits and visitors that enhance the curriculum. The Nigerian author and photographer Ifeoma Onyefulu has worked with the pupils to give them an insight into the similarities and differences of their own lives and those of children in another culture. Displays of high quality artwork stimulated by the work of artists such as Andy Goldsworthy, interesting work in the local area and visits to another school demonstrate the good quality of the curriculum. The pupils use ICT confidently and teachers provide them with opportunities to use it to extend their learning.

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Grade: 2

The school takes appropriate steps to keep the pupils as safe as possible. The governors make termly health and safety checks. Procedures for safeguarding pupils meet current government requirements. Pupils are given clear guidance to help them make good progress. Targets are very specific and given to parents at consultation meetings so that they can support their children. One parent commented how, 'the school always keeps me well informed'.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The strong leadership of the headteacher and effective curriculum co-ordination have combined well to make good improvements since the last inspection and raise standards in the last few years. The headteacher provides a clear direction for the work of the school. Effective deployment of part-time teachers and teaching assistants, and skilful use of their 4 Inspection Report: Purley Church of England Infant School, 13 November 2006 strengths and abilities have a marked impact on what the school provides and the pupils' progress. This is evident, in the way music, design and technology and ICT are planned and developed within the curriculum. The governors are given good information about the school's performance and development which they use to hold the school to account. They agree the priorities for improvement. The headteacher keeps them abreast of developments but they are

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Grade: 2

not actively engaged in monitoring the impact on the provision for pupils. 5 Inspection Report: Purley Church of England Infant School, 13 November 2006 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Purley Church of England Infant School, 13 November 2006

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 1 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Purley Church of England Infant School, 13 November 2006

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Purley Church of England Infant School, 13 November 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Purley CE Infant School, Purley Village, Purley-on-Thames, Reading. RG8 8AF Thank you for making me so welcome when I visited your school. I really enjoyed the day. You go to a good school and do well because the headteacher and teachers give you many interesting things to do. You are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. I have asked the teachers to give work that is a bit harder to those of you who are doing really well so that you can do even better. Your behaviour is good. You get on well with each other and enjoy working together. Some of you told me how much you like school and the interesting things you are able to do. I hope you continue to enjoy school and to do well. Yours sincerely Christopher Parker Lead inspector 9 Inspection Report: Purley Church of England Infant School, 13 November 2006

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