Harefield Infant School

Harefield Infant School Inspection report

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102382 Unique Reference Number Hillingdon Local Authority 286355 Inspection number 27 °28 March 2007 Inspection dates Sue Vale Reporting inspector

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

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Infant Type of school Community School category 3 °7 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 209 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr B Evans Chair Mrs M Pain Headteacher 9 July 2001 Date of previous school inspection High Street School address Harefield Uxbridge UB9 6BT

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01895 671954 Telephone number 01895 822553 Fax number

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3 °7 Age group 27 °28 March 2007 Inspection dates 286355 Inspection number .

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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

Harefield is an average sized infant school. The majority of pupils are of White British heritage and approximately a quarter are entitled to free school meals, which is higher than average. About one in ten pupils are learning English as an additional language, which is lower than average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Harefield Infant School, 27 °28 March 2007

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Grade: 2

Harefield Infant School is a good school with some outstanding features. Central to this success is the very good leadership shown by the head teacher and the deputy head teacher. The school is accurate in its own self evaluation and clearly focused on identified areas for development. Parents are very supportive of the school and are delighted with the progress their children make. Most of the children begin school with expected skills for their age. They have good social skills, but an increasing number need extra support in developing their speaking skills. Children make good progress in the Foundation Stage due to a well planned curriculum, and because of teachers' high expectations of what they can achieve. Basic skills are taught well. This means that when they enter Year 1 they reach standards above what is expected for children of this age. Pupils build on this good start and continue to make good progress, reaching well above

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Grade: 2

average standards in reading, and mathematics by the end of Year 2. Standards in writing are slightly above average. The school has rightly identified writing as an area for improvement, and the whole school focus on this area of the curriculum is having a positive impact on raising standards. Good progress is made throughout the school and is due in a large part to an excellent and interesting curriculum and an ethos where pupils want to learn. Consistently good teaching has a positive effect on the progress and achievement of pupils. Assessment is used effectively in Years 1 and 2 to help pupils to improve their work. The school has rightly identified assessment as an area for future development in the Foundation Stage, as it is currently repetitive and not used fully enough to support children's learning. Pupils' behaviour is good. This gives pupils a strong foundation for the next stage of their education.

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Grade: 2

The personal development and well-being of pupils is outstanding. Pupils feel safe and very well cared for. The school is rightly focused on every child matters. Parents make very positive comments about the school, and are pleased with the education their children receive. All these factors make a significant contribution to pupils' achievement. The school has tackled the issues from the last inspection effectively. Its record of improvement shows that its capacity to improve further is good.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve assessment in the Foundation Stage so that children's progress is clearer and supports the next step of their learning.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' achievement is good. They start school in Nursery with skills broadly as expected in most areas of learning, although there are increasing numbers of children who need extra support in speech and language development. They make good progress in the Foundation Stage. On entering Year 1, most have met expected levels in their language development and many exceed expected levels in other areas of learning. Pupils continue to make good progress and attain standards that are above average by the end of Year 2. Standards in reading and mathematics are better than in writing. The school has rightly identified writing as an area for improvement. As a consequence of action taken, such as 'the big writing project', standards 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Harefield Infant School, 27 °28 March 2007 have improved in this area of the curriculum. Pupils' with learning difficulties and disabilities, and those learning English as an additional language, also make good progress on their identified

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Grade: 2

targets due to the carefully planned extra support.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development and well-being is outstanding. They are confident and self-assured. Pupils behave very well both in lessons and in the playground and have very positive attitudes to learning. They enjoy school immensely. Attendance although slightly below average is satisfactory. The school along with the home school liaison officer is successfully working with a small number of families to improve it. There is excellent provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and they respond well to this. An excellent example of their spiritual development was seen when pupils in Year 2 watched a caterpillar weave silk on the interactive white board. This created a real sense of awe and wonder. Their moral and social development is well supported by the active encouragement of good relationships throughout the school. They have an exceptionally good understanding of the need to stay healthy, for instance through balanced eating and

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Grade: 1

participation in the good range of physical education activities on offer. 'We eat more fruit and less chips, and crisps just once a week', said one. Pupils work carefully with equipment and they know how to keep themselves safe. They say that there is always someone they can turn to if in difficulty. Pupils make an extremely positive contribution to their own school community through a range of responsibilities and to the wider community through raising money for charity.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. The relative stability of staffing has helped produce a consistently good level of classroom practice, and as a result, pupils achieve well. Teachers expect high standards. In addition to good classroom teachers, the school makes very good use of additional teaching and support staff, who work effectively, with pupils with specific individual needs. Pupils' learning is at its best when the interesting and stimulating curriculum captures their interest and concentration. This was observed in a Year 2 lesson where pupils were using skills learnt in English lessons to clearly explain the life cycle of a butterfly. They were very interested and used correct scientific vocabulary to explain their findings. However, the overuse of photocopied work sheets on occasions restricts pupils' opportunities to record their own thoughts and ideas independently. Teachers have good relationships with pupils and

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Grade: 2

high expectations of their behaviour. As a result, pupils enjoy learning. Marking and assessment of pupils work is good in Year 1 and 2.

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Grade: 1

The curriculum is excellent. The school fulfils its aim to provide good equal opportunities for all. As a result, all groups of pupils are well provided for. Beginning in the Foundation Stage, the school provides a broad and balanced curriculum with a wide range of relevant and interesting learning opportunities that stimulate pupils' interest and imagination. Provision for 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Harefield Infant School, 27 °28 March 2007 basic skills, such as the use of information and communication and technology is effective. The curriculum is modified to take account of the needs of the less able and those with particular talents. There is a particular focus on ensuring that pupils are healthy and fit. Projects such as, 'I say, I say' (developing speaking and listening skills) further stimulate interest and enthusiasm. Enrichment opportunites, including visits and visitors are excellent and increasing numbers of

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Grade: 1

pupils take advantage of the lunchtime and after school clubs.

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Grade: 2

The quality of care is outstanding. One parent comments, 'I have nothing but praise for the individual care and attention given to my son.' Guidance and support for pupils is good. Health and safety procedures and risk assessments are robust. Child protection procedures are fully in place. The monitoring of behaviour is good. Assessment and tracking systems are effective in Year 1 and 2 and used to check the progress of each pupil and to set targets for reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers mark and discuss pupil's work well and make sure that pupils have time to reflect on their comments in order to improve their own work further. The school has identified that assessment in the Foundation Stage is not as robust and are currently reviewing it. Teachers make thorough observations of what children know, understand and can do, but there are missed opportunities to show the progress which children make and to help

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Grade: 2

them to move on to the next step in their learning.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good and have led to good provision and pupils' outstanding personal development and good achievement. The school is very well led by the headteacher. The leadership team, consisting of the head teacher and the deputy head teacher and the Foundation Stage leader have a clear vision for the development of the school. Their evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses is accurate and relevant to the needs of the pupils. The school development plan is good and clearly identifies areas for development. The governing body is shared with the junior school and this has a positive impact on the governors' understanding of progression between the two schools. The governing body is supportive of the drive to raise standards and are clear in their understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They ask relevant and pertinent questions, and successfully act as a critical friend. Parents are

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Grade: 2

fully included in their children's education and their views valued. The school involves other agencies well in its work. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Harefield Infant School, 27 °28 March 2007 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Harefield Infant School, 27 °28 March 2007

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Inspection judgements

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

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

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

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and interests of learners?

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

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Harefield Infant School, 27 °28 March 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Harefield Infant School, 27 °28 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making us welcome when we came to visit your good school. It was lovely to be able to meet some of you. You and your teachers do lots of things really well. • You work very hard and you enjoy learning and that is why you make good progress. • By the end of Year 2 you reach good standards in your work. • Your teachers also work very hard and make what you learn fun and interesting. • Your headteacher and other staff are very good at helping you to do as well as you can, and they look after you very well. • Your personal development and well being is outstanding. This means that most of you are confident and happy learners. • Your school is well led by your headteacher and the governing body. In order to make your school even better I have asked the teachers to look at the way they assess your work in the Nursery and Reception classes. This is so that the progress that you make can be seen more easily and so that it will help you to know clearly what is the next step

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

in your learning. With best wishes Sue ValeLead Inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Harefield Infant School, 27 °28 March 2007

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