Woodthorpe Infant School

Inspection Report Arnold Woodthorpe Infant School

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122511 Unique Reference Number NOTTINGHAMSHIRE LEA LEA 281285 Inspection number 27 June 2006 to 28 June 2006 Inspection dates Ms. Sheelagh Barnes AI Reporting inspector

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

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Arno Vale Road School address Primary Type of school NG5 4JG Community School category 4 to 7 Age range of pupils 0115 9263820 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0115 9263820 Fax number 171 Number on roll Mrs.V Mattinson Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Ms. S Mackay Headteacher Not applicable Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281285 27 June 2006 - 4 to 7 28 June 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

This smaller than average infant school is situated in the Woodthorpe area of the City of Nottingham. The number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well below most schools, as are the proportions of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. More pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds than nationally, but fewer speak a language other than English as their first language. There are slight variations in the make up of groups of pupils who enter the school year-on-year, but the standards they have attained before they start Reception are above average overall. There have been changes to leadership since the previous inspection.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Arnold Woodthorpe Infant School, 27 June 2006 to 28 June 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school that provides good value for money. Inspectors agree with the school's evaluation of its current overall effectiveness. Teaching and learning are good overall. Assessment is satisfactory but the school acknowledges that more use could be made of information gathered to track the progress of groups to ensure that all pupils are making the best possible progress. Marking is accurate and regular and teachers know their pupils well. Children have a good start to their education in the Foundation Stage and provision in both Reception classes is good. Progress overall throughout the whole school is good and the standards pupils attain are well above average by the end of Year 2 in most subjects. Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is satisfactory and the school has highlighted this as an area for improvement. In particular, the school needs to ensure that all pupils are

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Grade: 2

appropriately challenged in the subject. Behaviour is good. Pupils enjoy lessons and are keen to come to school, and as a result attendance is above average. Leadership and management are good overall and the head teacher and governors work together effectively. Leadership and management by subject coordinators are satisfactory. The school has identified the need to develop the monitoring roles of the coordinators further. Parents are generally supportive of the school and appreciative of the good education it provides. The school has the capacity to continue to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Develop subject coordinators' roles, particularly in using assessment and other monitoring information, to ensure that pupils from all groups are making the best possible progress. - Embed ICT more thoroughly in the curriculum and set higher challenges for pupils' attainment in the subject.

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Grade: 2

Pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those with English as an additional language, achieve well and reach the challenging targets the school sets for them. Due to the good quality of education the school provides, pupils make good progress in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science and standards overall are well above those normally attained by the end of Year 2. Standards in reading at the most recent end of year assessments are above average. However, pupils in Year 1 are set to attain standards in reading that are well above those expected for their ages by the time they leave the school. The progress that pupils make in ICT is satisfactory but the school does not, as yet, set the same rigorous challenges for attainment in this subject as it does in others. The school is aware that this is an area for further development. 2 Inspection Report: Arnold Woodthorpe Infant School, 27 June 2006 to 28 June 2006

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. They behave well in lessons when most listen attentively and try hard. When moving around school, for example to assembly, their behaviour is exemplary. Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning shown in the neat presentation of their work and their declared enthusiasm for mathematics. Attendance is above average. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The school helps pupils identify what is right and wrong and they are clearly encouraged to get on well together. Most pupils are confident there is no bullying and that their worries are taken seriously. The older pupils particularly enjoy taking on responsibilities, especially when serving dinner to younger children at lunch times. The well-organised mealtimes not only encourage safe practices and healthy eating but also provide enjoyable social opportunities for all. Active

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Grade: 2

playtimes are encouraged although more effective use could be made of supervisory staff and play equipment to encourage the development of a range of skills.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Pupils with English as an additional language, higher attaining pupils and those with learning difficulties or disabilities all make good progress due to the good teaching they receive. Lessons are interesting and build effectively on pupils' skills and knowledge. Teachers place good emphasis on practical activities and pupils enjoy their lessons as a result. This is particularly the case in mathematics and many pupils cite these lessons as their favourite subject. They say 'Maths is fun!' Teachers and other staff are consistent in their expectations of pupils' behaviour and response and boys and girls know what is expected of them. As a result, behaviour is good and little time is wasted. Teachers make good use of interesting and exciting resources, as when Reception pupils watched snails as part of their study of mini-beasts. The use of computers as a teaching aid is satisfactory overall, but often opportunities

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Grade: 2

for its use are missed. Assessment overall is satisfactory. Teachers' marking is effective and they have a good knowledge of what each child in their class can do and what they need to do next. However, coordinators are not always completely accurate when setting groups of pupils' attainment in a national context. Assessment of each pupil's progress is detailed but the handwritten format used makes the tracking of groups cumbersome. The school is aware of this weakness and has highlighted the development and use of assessment information as an area of priority in the coming year.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good, with a strong emphasis on the development of literacy and numeracy skills, which help pupils prepare well for their future economic well-being. 3 Inspection Report: Arnold Woodthorpe Infant School, 27 June 2006 to 28 June 2006 There is a good focus on developing writing across the range of subjects. In mathematics all pupils have plenty of chances to develop their confidence through a range of problem solving tasks. The commendably open-ended opportunities for pupils to record their ideas in a range of styles rather than using commercial formats are successfully contributing to raising standards. Whilst the school has provided staff training to develop the use of ICT in several lessons classroom computers are not used and staff do not provide regular enough occasions for pupils to develop and practise higher level skills. There is a good range of visits and visitors to the school to extend

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Grade: 2

learning but relatively few other extra-curricular activities.

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Grade: 2

The care, guidance and support of pupils are good overall. Parents are confident that staff all know pupils well and provide good pastoral care. Child protection and health and safety procedures are effective and ensure pupils are safeguarded well. The school has recently introduced a good range of activities designed to inform pupils and parents of the work specifically undertaken. This is illustrated well in attractive displays around the dining area identifying the benefits of healthy eating in supporting a healthy lifestyle. There is good support provided for pupils with learning difficulties and those with disabilities. The school conscientiously monitors the academic progress pupils make with a wide range of assessments. However, such data is not managed to best effect. The school is now wisely considering extending the use of ICT to handle such information in a more time efficient manner.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good overall. The head teacher leads the school well and has a good understanding of what needs to be done next to improve. As a result of her accurate identification of issues for improvement in standards and action taken so far, a good start has been made. The school has a good capacity to improve. The school self-evaluation was arrived at by taking consideration of the views of parents and pupils as well as staff and governors. It broadly reflects the findings of the inspection. Governors are pro-active and fully involved in school decisions. They are prepared to challenge the school to justify the plans it makes and support it effectively. The role of coordinators is currently satisfactory. They provide good support for their colleagues but their monitoring of teaching, learning and pupils' progress is not developed sufficiently. 4 Inspection Report: Arnold Woodthorpe Infant School, 27 June 2006 to 28 June 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. 5 Inspection Report: Arnold Woodthorpe Infant School, 27 June 2006 to 28 June 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 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 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 3 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

Thank you for making us feel so welcome and for talking to us so politely about school and your work. It was nice to see how much you enjoy the things you do at school. We particularly enjoyed seeing the children in Reception dress up as mini-beasts, watching some of your interesting mathematics lessons and talking to the school council. You take care of each other well and it was very pleasant to have lunch with you and to see how older children serve dinner sensibly to the others on their table. Your school is good and your teachers, head teacher and governors all work hard. They look after you well and make sure you know what to do. All the adults who work with you make sure school is a happy place where you can learn a lot. They are doing a good job. You are all doing well with your work and are well behaved. Your parents told us that they are pleased at how well you do and how much you like school as well. We

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

have asked the teachers in charge of each subject to carry on with developing the way they check that all of you are able to do your best. We have also asked the school to give you more opportunities to use computers in your work. We hope you will carry on having fun and learning so much. We really enjoyed visiting your school and talking to you.

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