Meonstoke Church of England Infant School

Inspection Report Meonstoke Church of England Infant School

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116301 Unique Reference Number Hampshire LEA LEA 279787 Inspection number 31 January 2006 to 1 February 2006 Inspection dates Peter Thrussell AI Reporting inspector

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

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Chapel Road School address Infant Type of school Meonstoke Voluntary controlled School category Southampton SO32 3NJ 4 to 7 Age range of pupils 01489877568 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01489877196 Fax number 61 Number on roll Ms Alexandra Rowe Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Louise Pearce Headteacher 12 June 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279787 31 January 2006 - 4 to 7 1 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

Meonstoke is a very small infant school serving several rural villages. Pupils come from a range of backgrounds, but the majority are from professional families. Almost all pupils have British White heritage, and none is at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is less than in most other schools.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Meonstoke Church of England Infant School, 31 January 2006 to 1 February 2006

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Grade: 2

The school accurately identifies itself as one that is good, with some outstanding features. It provides good value for money. Pupils' personal development is outstanding. They are extremely well cared for, feel safe and enjoy coming to school. Outstanding links with parents, other schools and agencies reinforce this high level of care. Children receive a good start to their education in Reception and make good progress. The quality of education throughout the rest of the school is also good. Pupils make good progress in their learning and overall consistently attain above average results at the end of Year 2. This progress is carefully checked and a weakness in reading has been effectively addressed. The provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is very good and consequently they progress well. Teachers use assessment data well to set targets for pupils and to plan lessons. However, day-to-day assessments are

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Grade: 2

not used consistently to more carefully match work to the learning needs of all pupils. Although teaching is good overall, the instability in staffing in Year 2 has meant that teaching is not fully effective here. There is insufficient joint planning and the quality of teaching has become inconsistent. The leadership of the head teacher is very good. She is well supported by her new management team and the governing body. The school has clearly identified its strengths and where it could improve further, and is well placed to continue making progress.

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What the school should do to improve further

* Improve the effectiveness of the job share arrangement in Year 2 so planning is shared and the quality of teaching more consistent.* Make better use of the information that teachers have about pupils' progress when planning the next steps in their learning.

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Grade: 2

Standards on entry to Reception are above average. Children get a good start to their education; they make good progress and most achieve the learning goals expected by the end of the year. A significant number exceed them. In Years 1 and 2, pupils continue to make good progress in meeting the challenging targets set for them. The school's overall performance in national tests for Year 2 has consistently been above average. Reading standards had declined in recent years and were broadly average in 2005. The school has analysed these results very carefully and taken effective action. Higher attaining pupils do well, but the school recognised that other pupils had not made the progress they should have. A phonic approach has been introduced along with new graded reading books. Reading skills are now taught systematically, enabling a careful check on individual progress to be made. Parents strongly support early morning

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Grade: 2

reading sessions, which greatly encourages all pupils in their reading and contributes to their current good progress. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make good progress in meeting their individual targets due to the very good care and support given to them. 2 Inspection Report: Meonstoke Church of England Infant School, 31 January 2006 to 1 February 2006

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development and well-being are outstanding, equipping them very well for their move to other schools and their future. They are very enthusiastic about school and have positive attitudes to learning, which is shown by their good attendance. Their behaviour is good as they move about the school and take part in assemblies. They are confident, polite and courteous. Parents wholeheartedly say that their children enjoy school, and pupils confirm this. They particularly enjoy lessons where they are more actively involved and get to use computers. The school council gives opportunities for them to express their views and contribute to the life of the school community. Pupils were pleased that some of their ideas for playground safety improvements were carried through. They describe playtimes as 'fab!' They make full use of the school's extensive grounds, demonstrating that they know how to play sensibly and safely.

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Grade: 1

Pupils have an excellent understanding of healthy living. They know the importance of eating the right things, both in snacks and school lunches, and taking plenty of exercise. There are outstanding strengths in pupils' moral and social development. This is seen in the excellent relationships and in the care and consideration pupils show for each other, including those with learning needs and disabilities, and in their charity fund-raising. Their good spiritual development is seen in their appreciation of daily assemblies and their concern for the environment. Further planned opportunities are needed to develop pupils' satisfactory awareness of cultural diversity.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good overall, helping all pupils to achieve well and develop positive attitudes to learning. Lessons are well prepared with a good range of activities that retain the pupils' interest. They are generally well managed with pupils quick to follow instructions and settle to work so that little time is wasted. In better lessons, careful questioning by teachers encourages pupils to think about their learning, express themselves and so further their understanding. In the past, boys have not always been doing as well as girls, but teaching now takes full account of this. Reading materials that appeal to boys are used and a greater emphasis is placed on active learning, for example by working outdoors on environmental science.In Year 2, the school's monitoring shows that teaching has been equally as strong. In recent months, staff illness has weakened the job-share arrangement so that much of the teaching here has become satisfactory.

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Grade: 2

The head teacher has immediately ensured that the good progress of these pupils is being maintained. She involves herself in lessons and provides well-planned withdrawal support for different groups of pupils, so that literacy and numeracy skills, particularly, continue to be developed at an appropriate and challenging rate.Pupils' progress is carefully monitored and challenging end-of-year targets are set to inform teachers' planning. However, this planning does not always take sufficient account of day-to-day 3 Inspection Report: Meonstoke Church of England Infant School, 31 January 2006 to 1 February 2006 assessment. As a result, the teachers do not always recognise when some pupils could move on more quickly in their learning or where others require further support.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a very good curriculum with a wide range of interesting activities for its pupils. Topics make good links between different subjects, which encourage the purposeful use and development of different skills. The use of computers is developing well, enabling pupils to carry out research and record their findings. All pupils start to learn French. The school makes extremely good use of its extensive grounds to promote environmental science. Planning takes good account of pupils' health and safety through visits by the police and fire services, opportunities for sport and exercise, both indoors and outdoors, regular swimming, and studies on healthy eating. Pupils' independence and decision-making is encouraged through weekly workshops. Many enrichment activities add further interest and enjoyment to pupils' learning. Good use is made of visits to broaden their experiences and a range of clubs

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Grade: 2

extends their learning. Visitors to the school, such as dancers and theatre groups, provide a good stimulus for learning.

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Grade: 1

Parents and pupils wholeheartedly agree that this is a very happy and extremely caring school. Pupils know that adults have their well-being at heart. Staff provide good role models and children's confidence and self-esteem is nurtured throughout the school. Health and safety routines and risk assessments are now fully in place and conscientiously observed. Child protection procedures are clear and widely understood.Pupils with learning needs and disabilities have very good support. The school works closely with parents and other agencies to ensure that these pupils' needs are carefully supported and that they are fully included in the life of the school. All pupils are involved in setting their own personal and learning targets, which they are well aware of and keen to meet. More formal targets are set for English, mathematics and science, which relate to National Curriculum levels. These are reviewed and shared

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Grade: 1

with parents termly, keeping them very well informed of their children's progress and what they need to do to reach their targets.

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Grade: 2

The head teacher provides very good leadership and management. She gives a clear direction for the school's work and focuses very strongly on the all round development of pupils. The school assesses itself very accurately and makes good use of information to plan its improvement. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. Clear learning targets are now set for all pupils and this information is regularly shared with parents.The head teacher has been keen to involve other members of staff in 4 Inspection Report: Meonstoke Church of England Infant School, 31 January 2006 to 1 February 2006 school management. They now contribute effectively to the oversight of the Foundation Stage and lead developments in literacy and numeracy. The provision for pupils with learning needs and disabilities is well led and managed.Lessons are regularly monitored. This has resulted in improvements in teaching and learning, brought about by well

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Grade: 2

focused training and support linked to performance management targets. Pupils' progress is carefully tracked and prompt action taken, when required, for example to raise reading standards and boys' achievement.The work of the governing body is good. Committee structures now ensure that aspects of the school's work and well-being are more fully shared, discussed and understood, enabling more searching questions to be asked. Finances are well used. Links and consultation with parents, other local schools and the community are excellent. This is shown in the very strong support given to the work of the school and to children's learning. 5 Inspection Report: Meonstoke Church of England Infant School, 31 January 2006 to 1 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: Meonstoke Church of England Infant School, 31 January 2006 to 1 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 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 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 2 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 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 2 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 2 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 2 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

I am writing to let you know what I found out when I visited your school. Thank you for taking part in the inspection. I spoke to many of you during my visit and you were always interesting to talk to, polite and helpful. You spoke enthusiastically about enjoying school and all of the things you take part in. I liked these things the most:* You behave well, work hard and enjoy your lessons and playtimes.* The school is extremely caring; pupils who need extra help are very well supported. I think that this is outstanding.* The school provides lots of interesting and exciting things for you to do.* You understand the importance of eating the right things and taking plenty of exercise.* The school listens to you when you suggest how things could get even better.* Your parents are very keen to help you and give excellent support to all that the school does.* Your head teacher does a very good job and is well supported by the governors.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

I have asked the school to work on these things now:* Make sure that teaching in Year 2 continually helps you to do your best. * Work to make all of your lessons even better.Thank you again.

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