Kells Infant School

112169 Unique Reference Number Cumbria LEA 278868 Inspection number 14 February 2006 to 15 February 2006 Inspection dates Mr Geoffrey Yates Reporting inspector

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

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High Road School address Infant Type of school Whitehaven Community School category Cumbria, CA28 9PQ 3 to 7 Age range of pupils 01946 852687 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01946 852688 Fax number 126 Number on roll Mr Barry Prest Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Margaret Kershaw Headteacher 1 May 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 278868 14 February 2006 - 3 to 7 15 February 2006 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

Kells Infant School is a small school, with its own nursery class. It is situated just outside Whitehaven, high on the cliffs overlooking the Irish Sea. The surrounding areas are characterised by rented property and long-term unemployment. No children speak English as an additional language. The percentage of children eligible for a free school meal is higher than in most schools. The school has an above average number of children with learning difficulties. When children start school they have very limited skills, especially in speaking, listening and social skills.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Kells Infant School, 14 February 2006 to 15 February 2006

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Grade: 2

The school provides a good standard of education and has some outstanding features. The overall judgement matches the school’s own evaluation of its effectiveness. However, the inspectors feel that children’s personal development and well-being are better than the school’s own assessment and are outstanding. Parents are justified in the confidence they have in the school. It is very welcoming and the children are a pleasure to be with and enjoy lessons. Teaching is good and children of all attainment levels, including those with learning difficulties, make good progress. The findings from assessments of what pupils know, understand and can do are used consistently in all classes. As a result, children achieve well throughout the school. Although standards are still below average when children enter Year 1, by the end of Year 2, they are average in reading, writing and mathematics, with higher attainers doing

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Grade: 2

particularly well. The curriculum is good and links between subjects make learning meaningful for the children. The school takes good care of its pupils and has a good understanding of their individual needs. The headteacher provides good leadership and the governing body carries out its duties well. The school rightly recognises that more still needs to be done to extend the opportunities for children to use their writing skills in other subjects and for better use to be made to be made of marking. The school provides good value for money. It has overcome all its previously identified weaknesses and is well placed to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Provide more opportunities for children to use their writing skills in other subjects. • Ensure that, where appropriate, marking provides written pointers for improvement.

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Grade: 2

Children’s standards and achievement are good. The school’s performance has been above the national trend over the past three years. Children with learning difficulties or disabilities make good progress as do higher attainers. On entry to school attainment is well below average. Children in the nursery and reception class make good progress but do not reach the standards expected of them before joining Year 1. Good progress continues in Years 1 and 2. By the end of Year 2 standards in reading, writing and mathematics are broadly in line with national standards and around a quarter of the age group exceeds them. Standards in science are in line with those found in most schools. Although standards in writing are average, some opportunities are missed for raising them further; children have too few chances to use their writing skills in other subjects. There is no significant difference in the achievement of boys and girls. Children reach the targets set for them and the targets

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Grade: 2

2 Inspection Report: Kells Infant School, 14 February 2006 to 15 February 2006 set are suitably challenging. A particular strength is the quality of children’s singing. In all subjects children make good progress because of good quality teaching.

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Grade: 1

The school’s provision is outstanding. By the time they enter Year 2, children are confident which demonstrates outstanding improvement from the time they enter the nursery. Children behave very well in lessons and around the school and there is a really happy atmosphere in which children thrive. Most children demonstrate very good attitudes to learning and those that don’t receive very good help from the learning mentor. Children say they enjoy being at school and that teachers give them interesting things to do. A good emphasis on learning basic skills is laying very good foundations for children's economic well-being. Provision for their spiritual, moral and social development is good and, as a result, children know what is right and wrong, accept responsibility and care sensitively for each other's safety and well-being. Cultural aspects are developed well and have included visits from an African dance team.

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Grade: 1

Children are taught how to stay healthy and keep fit. The start-of-the-day ‘mind gym’ activities are outstanding with a high uptake of children who really enjoy taking part. Children know who to go to if they are worried or unhappy, and are confident that staff will help them. Time is set aside in all classes for children to share their concerns. Positive strategies to encourage good attendance have been successful and attendance is broadly in line with the national average.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning are good. The learning mentor and teaching assistants provide invaluable support for individual children and work effectively with teachers in lessons. Consequently, all children, including those with learning difficulties, do well. Adults and children enjoy very good relationships so that children behave well and usually pay close attention in lessons. Teachers use assessment information effectively to plan lessons and, as a result, children make good progress. Particular good use is made of teaching children in groups based on prior attainment in mathematics in order to ensure that all children make good progress. However a weakness in teaching is the lack of opportunity for children to use their writing skills well in subjects other than English. The best teaching is characterised by high expectations and good rapport with children. Good use of planning in the Foundation

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Grade: 2

Stage ensures that all areas of learning are catered for well. 3 Inspection Report: Kells Infant School, 14 February 2006 to 15 February 2006

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. It is thoughtfully planned and sufficiently broad and balanced. The good personal, social and health education programme helps children to keep safe and stay healthy and prepares them well for the future. Children in the Foundation Stage benefit from good facilities, including a well planned outdoor area. Good links are being made between subjects in Years 1 and 2 so that children can see a greater relevance in what they are learning. Children take part in a good range of extra curricular activities which they enjoy, for example the computer club and the town music festival. The curriculum is enriched by a wide range of visits and visitors which extend children’s understanding of other cultures and the wider community.

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Grade: 2

The quality of care provided for pupils is good. All adults in the school show a commitment and competence in promoting the health and safety of the children, and arrangements for child protection are understood by all staff. Staff are sensitive to children’s feelings and anxieties. They take particular care that all children are included in every aspect of school life. Induction arrangements for children starting school are good. Children’s personal needs are thoroughly understood, especially those with learning difficulties. One parent commented, ‘Staff deserve recognition for their perseverance, patience and outright brilliance.’ A 'playground helper' system helps children to care for each other. Children are supported to improve their academic work through target setting and feedback in lessons but teachers' written comments in children's books do not provide enough pointers to show children how to improve

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Grade: 2

their work. The records for children with learning difficulties are good and the school works very well with parents and other agencies to ensure that children can achieve their potential. Children arriving at school in the Foundation Stage at different times of the year are well cared for. Families receive good support from the learning mentor as do the children with emotional needs.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher is the driving force in developing a successful school and raising standards. The school has good capacity to improve further. The headteacher’s good leadership, firmly based on a good knowledge of infant education, has created a happy school where children achieve well. The views of governors, parents and pupils are considered as part of the school’s self-evaluation process. One parent commented, ‘The school is very well run and caters well for my children’s needs.’ The school's leadership team is very aware of how the school is performing overall. The ‘next step’ approach is proving to be successful in 4 Inspection Report: Kells Infant School, 14 February 2006 to 15 February 2006 explaining to children how they might improve but opportunities are missed when children’s work is marked to provide written pointers for development. All children, regardless of ability or background, are included and able to achieve their best. This

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Grade: 2

aspect of provision is outstanding. Teamwork is a very strong feature and the assistant headteacher and subject coordinators carry out their duties well. Parents are very supportive of the school. The monitoring of teaching and learning is good. The governing body has improved since the previous inspection. Its role in finding out how well the school is doing is met well through the links made by governors with subject coordinators and the chair of governors’ regular contact with the headteacher. 5 Inspection Report: Kells Infant School, 14 February 2006 to 15 February 2006 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Kells Infant School, 14 February 2006 to 15 February 2006

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Overall

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

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learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 2 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

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

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 Ofsted helpline 08456 404045 Kells Infant School High Road Whitehaven Cumbria CA28 9PQ 16 February 2006 Dear Children I want to thank you for the very friendly welcome you gave me when I visited your school. I enjoyed talking to you and seeing your work and also enjoyed talking to your headteacher and teachers and watching your ‘Brain gym’ session. What I liked most about your school You are well looked after and enjoy going to school. You are taught the right things, make good progress and are learning as well as you should be. You behave well, and get on well with each other. You have a good headteacher; she is doing the right things to make your school even better with help from your teachers, the learning mentor and classroom helpers. Your parents are very happy with the school. What I have asked your school to do to make it even better

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

To provide you with more opportunities use your writing skills in subjects such as religious education, history and science. To make sure your teachers when they mark your work sometimes write comments that when you read them will help you make your work better still. I hope you will all do as well as you can at school. My best wishes for the future! Yours truly Geoffrey Yates Lead inspector

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