Fairway Infant School, Copthorne

Inspection Report Fairway Infant School, Copthorne

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125943 Unique Reference Number West Sussex LEA 282026 Inspection number 29 June 2006 to 30 June 2006 Inspection dates David Collard AI Reporting inspector

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

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The Fairway School address Primary Type of school Copthorne Community School category Crawley, West Sussex RH10 3QD 4 to 7 Age range of pupils

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01342 713691 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01342 718514 Fax number 167 Number on roll Mrs L Rintoul Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Loretto McKeown Headteacher 19 September 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 282026 29 June 2006 - 4 to 7 30 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

Fairway is an average sized, village infant school. Almost all pupils come from a White British heritage and all but one speak English as their first language. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is below the national average. At the time of the inspection the school was being led by an acting headteacher, formerly the assistant headteacher, as the expertise of the headteacher was being used to support another school locally.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Fairway Infant School, Copthorne, 29 June 2006 to 30 June 2006

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Grade: 1

Following a celebration production of the Queen’s birthday, one parent wrote, 'I wish I could keep my child dancing for a few more years at Fairways.' In a nutshell, this sums up the outstandingly effective educational provision at a school that underestimates its own success. The self-evaluation recognises that overall pupils start school with better than average ability in some areas of learning although language and mathematical skills are relatively weaker. The highly effective provision in the Foundation Stage ensures higher than expected standards are reached by the end of the Reception year. The school not only maintains the excellent achievement to the end of Year 2 but also manages to enhance key areas such as writing, numeracy, science and art and design. At the same time, through an exciting and interlinked curriculum, pupils are given the tools that enable them to think and make connections between different subjects. As a result of

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Grade: 1

exemplary but also consistent teaching in each class, pupils make excellent academic and personal progress. They reach at least well above average, and in some years exceptionally high, standards in national tests. A fundamental element to the school’s outstanding provision lies in the strength of the leadership team, particularly of the substantive and acting headteachers, and of the commitment of the whole staff to ensuring pupils are as well prepared for their future education as possible. Improvement plans are based around a very clear understanding that the potential of these pupils is high. For instance, one of the present priorities is rightly looking at why the reading scores in national tests are only above average and not well above. There is no doubt that the school provides excellent value for money and has a very high capacity for continuing development.

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What the school should do to improve further

• In this outstanding school there are no significant aspects for further development because the school knows where improvements are needed and has planned for it. Now it should focus on: • Determining whether its analysis of reading tests provides any factors that need remedying to account for its most recent results.

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Grade: 1

Pupils make excellent progress throughout the school. While generally above average, children’s standards do fluctuate on entry. They have relatively weaker language and mathematical skills than those for personal development. However, the close monitoring of progress ensures nearly all pupils start Year 1 having at least reached the nationally expected learning goals and over half the children exceed them. Through Years 1 and 2, the consistently high targets are proof of the close attention given to ensuring pupils are constantly challenged and the high pace of learning is 2 Inspection Report: Fairway Infant School, Copthorne, 29 June 2006 to 30 June 2006 maintained. Pupils leave Year 2 with standards well above those expected for their age, a fact confirmed in national tests. These high standards are not restricted to reading, writing and mathematics but are also evident in science, humanities and

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Grade: 1

particularly art. The wonderful wall displays demonstrate that there are a number of potentially talented artists. The relevant learning is the basis for this outstanding achievement and results in pupils understanding the significance of what they are doing. A good example is the way that writing has been improved since the last inspection when it was judged very positively. Now the learning makes pupils think harder and they determine how, for instance, stories will develop logically or about how to write up instructions in a logical and readable sequence.

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Grade: 1

Personal development is outstanding. Pupils really enjoy school and the wonderful opportunities offered to them. Pupils say, 'It is really good fun here'. Their social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is outstanding. The school has developed a site of awe and wonder, which has led to inspirational work. For example all the pupils’ artwork is painstakingly displayed giving pupils a powerful feeling of success. Pupils understand the differences between right and wrong and their behaviour is excellent. Their growing awareness of the different cultures in this country and abroad helped them to enjoy celebrating Divali and the Chinese New Year. Pupils enjoy the responsibilities they are given and take them seriously. The school council feels strongly that their voice is heard. Despite their good attitudes to school and the high opinion parents have of the school the attendance rate is only satisfactory

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Grade: 1

even though all is done to inform parents of the importance of regular attendance. Punctuality is excellent. The pupils learn about healthy lifestyles, they eat healthy snacks and readily take part in a variety of physical activities. Their contribution to the local and wider community, through projects such as looking at the effects of the water shortage, is outstanding.

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Grade: 1

Teaching is outstanding and the main reason that pupils achieve as well as they do. They learn extremely well. At the heart of the teachers’ planning is a priority to interlink skills. For instance, in a topic on pirates, pupils learnt how to make, draw and describe ‘wanted’ posters, they had to investigate the ‘WOW’ words that would bring their writing alive, they had to research and discover ‘lost treasure’ as well as evaluate their work and say how it could 3 Inspection Report: Fairway Infant School, Copthorne, 29 June 2006 to 30 June 2006 be improved. This practice is universal through the school so that learning is exciting and stimulating. As one pupil said, 'My teacher is a treasure chest’. Teaching assistants are used very effectively. They are very experienced and quite capable of taking extended group sessions. One member is soon to be part of the senior management team. For pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities there

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Grade: 1

are ‘child friendly’ individual education plans. For instance, there are sections for ‘What I need to do’ and ‘How did I get on’ which means that the teacher and the pupil know what is expected as well as giving the criteria for success.

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Grade: 1

The outstanding curriculum is very highly creative and innovative. It is well balanced between improving basic skills and ensuring a range of learning experiences which are relevant to the pupils. Writing has been the main curricular focus since the last inspection. In many lessons key vocabulary, different styles of writing as well as spelling and presentation are explicitly stated. However, this is never at the expense of the creative, physical and aesthetic elements. Art is a particular strength. The quality of drawing and painting and three-dimensional work is extremely good. Equally, the school capitalises on the skills of specialists very effectively to extend knowledge and skills, such as the support from a college of further education and a premier division football club. The outside areas are real outdoor classrooms. The conservation area, for instance, is consistently used to develop research and investigational skills. There

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Grade: 1

are a good number of well attended extra-curricular activities. Every pupil in the school, for example, applied to join the gardening club.

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Grade: 1

The quality of care, guidance and support is outstanding because all staff are highly committed to making the school a safe and happy environment in which pupils flourish and succeed. Secure child protection procedures are in place and understood by all staff. The school is a welcoming place for pupils who reported that they feel safe, secure and free from bullying, harassment or discrimination. Pupils with learning difficulties, behavioural problems or physical disability are completely integrated into the life of the school. Teachers make sure that these pupils are very well supported. Parents have confidence in the school and are pleased with the way the school seeks their views and responds to questions and concerns. Teachers give their pupils much ongoing support and encouragement. They take time marking the work carefully and give individual clear guidance for improvement. The school has excellent tracking systems that are used effectively by staff to ensure that

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Grade: 1

all pupils make the best possible progress in their work. 4 Inspection Report: Fairway Infant School, Copthorne, 29 June 2006 to 30 June 2006

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Grade: 1

The outstanding leadership and management stems from a headteacher who is dedicated to school improvement and is not prepared to accept second best or allow any complacency. She has a determination to get the best from everybody. Monitoring and evaluation of school performance is comprehensive and rigorous. Strengths are identified and shared, and areas for improvement are followed up effectively. There is a willingness and drive amongst all staff and governors to get things done. This year the school has been led by an acting headteacher who has managed the school with the utmost of care, maintaining the outstanding aspects of school life. The development planning is excellent. Everyone has a clear knowledge of the school’s strengths and its priorities for improvement. Parents, all staff, pupils and governors are consulted about change and involved in future planning. The school’s values are well understood and shared by the whole school community. The governors are most

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Grade: 1

effective and make a very strong contribution to the school’s success. They are supportive and understand the school’s strengths and priorities for development well. Governors play an important role in monitoring and evaluating the work of the school. They are questioning and check the indicators of school performance most carefully in their quest for an even better school. The school evaluated the quality of its leadership and management as good but this is too modest because the way the school prepares its pupils for the next stage of education and the vision it has for the future are outstanding. 5 Inspection Report: Fairway Infant School, Copthorne, 29 June 2006 to 30 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. 6 Inspection Report: Fairway Infant School, Copthorne, 29 June 2006 to 30 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 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 1 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 1 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 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 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 1 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 1 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 1 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 1 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 looking after us so well during our visit. We very much enjoyed joining you in lessons and seeing all the wonderful work you were doing. Many of you asked us what we thought of your school so I have included a few of the main points below. ?You said your school was exceptional and we agree. ?We think you are all doing very well in your work. From the time you are in the Reception classes to when you leave in Year 2 you all make excellent progress. ?You also told us how well your teachers looked after you and we agree. We think they are all doing an excellent job and teach you exceptionally well. As a result, you all achieve good standards by the time you leave Year 2. ?Your school council are very pleased that any ideas you have are taken note of. For instance, we especially liked the way that you all have a chance to make decisions about how you use your ‘cake money’ to make improvements. ?We could see that you all behave very well and you are a credit to your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You help each other and are very polite. Clearly, you all really enjoy your lessons. ?We think that the work you are given to do is exceptional. There are just too many exciting things to list but we particularly enjoyed looking at your wonderful paintings and joining you for your science lesson in the conservation area. ?Your headteacher has worked hard to give you all the best possible opportunities. While she has been working at another school your acting headteacher has made sure everything has run smoothly and continued to make improvements. We have said that we think these developments should be carried on because they are all things that will make the school better. Finally, we would like to wish you all the best for the future and – keep up the good work!

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