Winklebury Infant School

Inspection Report Winklebury Infant School

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115971 Unique Reference Number Hampshire LEA LEA 279716 Inspection number 11 May 2006 to 12 May 2006 Inspection dates Rob Crompton AI Reporting inspector

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

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Willoughby Way School address Infant Type of school Basingstoke Community School category RG23 8AF 4 to 7 Age range of pupils 01256325303 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01256325303 Fax number 137 Number on roll Ms Pat Alexander Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Sue Reid Headteacher 2 October 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279716 11 May 2006 - 4 to 7 12 May 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school had beacon status[1] for five years and was included in the Ofsted 'honours list' in 2005. Although popular locally, a fall in numbers led to some reorganisation this year. Two classes have reception children plus some Year 1 pupils. About a quarter of the pupils have learning difficulties. As they start school, children's personal, social and emotional development is generally weak, and many have poor language skills.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Winklebury Infant School, 11 May 2006 to 12 May 2006

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school. Under the excellent leadership of the headteacher, there is a relentless pursuit of high standards. Everyone pulls together on behalf of the pupils. Effective teaching, coupled with pupils' positive attitudes mean that pupils make exceptional progress and reach well above average standards. The exception is in writing. Although achievement is generally good and standards are a little above average, the most able pupils do not make the same kind of progress in writing as they do in reading and mathematics. The Foundation Stage provides children with a very good start and, because the children achieve well, sows the seeds for subsequent learning. Pupils are extremely well cared for. Their academic and personal development is carefully tracked so that staff are well aware of individual needs and plan work accordingly. The curriculum is excellent. Pupils comment very favourably on all aspects of the school and say they enjoy lessons

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Grade: 1

and the wide range of extra activities. Parents are extremely happy with the school. One said she was, 'very proud of the teachers,' and another that teachers are, 'always receptive to ideas and willing to discuss individual development needs'. The school has a deservedly strong reputation for supporting pupils with learning difficulties. Currently, there are several pupils who are very demanding and the school is aware that strategies to support them need to be reviewed. Leadership and management are outstanding. Through rigorous monitoring, the senior staff, well supported by governors, keep a sharp eye on performance and have an accurate view of the school's strengths and relative weaknesses. The school provides excellent value for money and has a very strong capacity for further improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the writing standards of the most able pupils. • Extend the support for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Grade: 1

Overall achievement through the school is exceptional. From a low start, children progress very well during the reception year, making particularly good headway in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. Almost all reach and many exceed the expected standards for their age in these areas. Children's personal, social and emotional development is well supported and most start Year 1 with positive attitudes and appropriate social skills. By the end of Year 2, standards in reading, mathematics and science are significantly above average. Pupils' achievement in writing is improving rapidly and standards are a little above average. There is room for further improvement as, in spite of the school's commendable emphasis on raising their achievement, more able readers are not as successful in writing. 2 Inspection Report: Winklebury Infant School, 11 May 2006 to 12 May 2006 High standards owe much to the challenging targets set for individual pupils and the

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Grade: 1

meticulous tracking of their progress. Pupils with learning difficulties make rapid progress because of consistent support through the school.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. They have a strong empathy with others and an intense sense of justice for their age. For example, pupils talked passionately about helping African children to obtain drinking water. Most pupils behave very well, are very positive about school and say they enjoy their work. A small minority of pupils have specific behavioural and emotional problems and find it difficult to concentrate. In some lessons, the level of attention they demand hinders the work of other pupils. Attendance levels are broadly average. Pupils are very well informed about health and fitness. They talk confidently about eating 'five-a-day' and the benefits of a balanced diet; as one pupil remarked, 'Fat and sugar but not too much'. Pupils feel safe in the school and know the importance of keeping away from railway lines, electrical plugs and other hazards. They have good

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Grade: 2

basic skills which augers well for their future learning and well-being.

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Grade: 2

Good teaching, informed by rigorous assessment, means that pupils tackle work enthusiastically. Teachers tell pupils what they are meant to learn and encourage pupils to evaluate how well they have done. For example, during a very effective writing lesson, pairs of pupils commented sensibly on one another's work, sharing ideas about how they could improve. Pupils also benefit from the very good feedback they receive during lessons and through careful marking. A strong feature of most lessons is the way teachers base the work on pupils' existing levels of attainment. They keep careful records and identify the next step in pupils' learning, frequently setting different tasks for groups within the class. However, teachers do not always make clear to the most able pupils what they have to do to improve their writing further and this restricts progress a little. Teachers are supported very effectively by teaching assistants who make an informed and valuable contribution

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Grade: 2

through teaching small groups, particularly those with learning difficulties. Pupils of all abilities gain from the flexible approach to grouping. More able pupils, for example, were thoroughly absorbed during an excellent literacy lesson, where the teacher skilfully used drama to develop pupils' vocabulary in order to stimulate writing. 3 Inspection Report: Winklebury Infant School, 11 May 2006 to 12 May 2006

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Grade: 1

The school's curriculum is outstanding. It is regularly reviewed and considerable care is taken to provide appropriate, exciting and challenging work for all children. The very careful match of activities to the needs of individuals ensures that all, including those with learning difficulties, make excellent progress. A real strength is the way in which the school plans interesting topics. These allow pupils to use and develop their literacy, numeracy and computer skills in relevant and purposeful settings. The increasing use of writing across the curriculum is leading to better progress in this key skill. The curriculum is greatly enhanced through themed events, such as book and arts weeks, that involve visitors to the school who work alongside pupils. Visits to farms, museums and other places help to bring learning to life. Pupils' personal development is very well catered for. The focus on rights, respect and responsibility provides a

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Grade: 1

challenging framework for pupils' moral, social and cultural development. Visits by the emergency services, topics on healthy lifestyles and clubs for sport and exercise help to develop pupils' understanding of health and safety.

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Grade: 1

The school provides outstanding care, guidance and support. Parents and pupils wholeheartedly agree that this is an extremely happy and caring school. One parent commented, 'The school has a caring ethos and provides a positive learning environment for all its pupils'. Pupils' confidence and self-esteem are nurtured effectively and pupils know that adults have their well-being at heart. Staff provide good role models and health and safety routines and risk assessments are conscientiously observed. Child protection procedures are clear and widely understood. The school works closely with parents and other agencies to ensure that pupils with learning needs are very carefully supported, allowing them to make excellent progress. Pupils with behavioural difficulties are generally very well supported through classroom management. A nurture group helps the few pupils who find particular difficulty in sustaining relationships and the school is continually exploring further ways of

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Grade: 1

supporting them. Staff have attended numerous courses in order to gain further expertise in helping such pupils control their own behaviour but there are still times when emotional outbursts affect the whole class. However, the school's success in including emotionally disturbed pupils in lessons, without constraining the learning of others, reflects an exceptional commitment to all pupils.

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Grade: 1

The headteacher plays a central role in sustaining high standards of education and care. She is ably supported by the deputy headteacher and leadership team who share 4 Inspection Report: Winklebury Infant School, 11 May 2006 to 12 May 2006 a common sense of purpose. The school's self-assessment is very accurate. The school continually strives for improvement, reflected in the very high standards maintained since the previous inspection, the improvements in ICT and the successful tackling of areas identified in the current improvement plan. The school recognises that more needs to be done to raise the standards of writing of the most able pupils, and is tackling this in well thought out and creative ways. Well established systems have enabled the school to sustain its effectiveness despite recent staff changes and falling numbers. Monitoring shows that good teaching and learning have been maintained. Regular lesson observations identify good practice;

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Grade: 1

any areas for development are acted upon and lead to further improvements in provision. Governors are very supportive and have a clear understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. Very good links are maintained with the neighbouring pre-school and junior school. Good work is being done to ease pupils' transition across these three phases. Parents and pupils are encouraged to contribute their ideas for improvement, resulting lately, for example, in a change to the school's opening time. 5 Inspection Report: Winklebury Infant School, 11 May 2006 to 12 May 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: Winklebury Infant School, 11 May 2006 to 12 May 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 1 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 1 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 1 How well do learners achieve? NA 1 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 1 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 1 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 1 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 1 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 1 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 1 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 µ 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

Children Thank you for making my colleague and me so welcome during our visit to your school. We enjoyed talking to you and seeing how well you are doing. You told us that you think the school is excellent and we agree with you. Mrs Reid and all the adults work very hard to help you do your best. We were impressed with how well you are doing in literacy and numeracy. We know that some of you don µt do as well in writing as you do in reading and we have asked your teachers to do some more work on helping you improve. You behave very well in lessons and around the school, although a few children find it difficult to settle down sometimes and we have asked the teachers to help those children to improve. What a lot of exciting things you do! The trips you go on and the many visitors make school a fun place to be. You must have been really excited when the helicopter landed in the field and when Gary the Pirate came!

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You told us that you feel very safe in school and we were very impressed with all you knew about avoiding danger and keeping healthy. It was good to see how well you get on with one another and how you try to help other people, for example, by raising money for Water Aid. We are sure that you will continue to work hard in lessons and enjoy school. Yours sincerely, Rob Crompton Lead Inspector

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