Whiteheath Infant & Nursery School

Whiteheath Infant and Nursery School Inspection report

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102413 Unique Reference Number Hillingdon Local Authority 286367 Inspection number 11 May 2007 Inspection date 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 323 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs H Payne Chair Mrs C Weaving Headteacher 30 January 2001 Date of previous school inspection Ladygate Lane School address Ruislip HA4 7RF

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01895 630262 Telephone number 01895 624474 Fax number

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3 °7 Age group 11 May 2007 Inspection date 286367 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Whiteheath Infant and Nursery School is a larger than average school. It is located in a residential area with a mixture of housing. Attainment on entry is above the national average. Approximately a quarter of pupils are from ethnic minorities.

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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: Whiteheath Infant and Nursery School, 11 May 2007

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Grade: 1

Whiteheath Infant and Nursery School is an outstanding school. This is because as one child explained, 'we live up to our motto: learning, fun and friends.' Outstanding leadership from the headteacher ensures that there is a clear shared vision and very high expectations of what can be achieved. She is ably supported by strong team work from the rest of the staff and from the knowledgeable and forward looking governing body. This means that children make excellent progress and achieve really well. As one parent commented, 'We cannot praise the school enough.' This reflects the views of the vast majority of parents. Most of the children begin school with above expected skills in many areas of development. They make very good progress in the Nursery due to a well planned, practical early years' curriculum. This very good progress continues during their time in the Reception classes and children make particularly rapid gains in learning how to read, an attribute much appreciated

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Grade: 1

by parents. Provision for the outdoor learning environment in Reception is restricted by a lack of space and only a limited number of children can make use of it at a time. By the time children reach the end of Year 2 they are reaching high standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Children achieve so well because of a number of reasons including outstanding teaching. Teachers make learning fun and interesting so that children want to learn and to find out more. All staff have very high expectations of what children can achieve and children respond accordingly. Teaching and learning are very well supported by an outstanding curriculum. Recently introduced learning styles such as the introduction of the teaching of philosophy and making the school into a 'thinking school' are well received by the children. They are having a very positive impact on the standards which children achieve. The personal development and well-being of children, along with care, guidance and support

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Grade: 1

are outstanding. The children's excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural attributes pervade the school and create a positive, inclusive learning environment. Children's behaviour is very good and their attitudes to learning excellent. Skilful classroom management promotes a positive learning ethos. This gives children a strong foundation for the next stage of their education. The school caters for the needs of vulnerable pupils very well. Children feel safe and very well cared for. All these factors make a significant contribution to pupils' excellent achievement. The school has tackled the issues from the last inspection effectively. It gives excellent value for money and it has excellent capacity to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Review the outdoor provision for the Reception classes.

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Grade: 1

Achievement and standards are excellent. Standards reached by children by the time they leave school in Year 2 are high. The achievement of children is outstanding. Children start in Nursery with above expected skills in most areas of learning. They make very good progress to reach the early learning goals in most areas of learning and in many they exceed them at the end of 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Whiteheath Infant and Nursery School, 11 May 2007 Reception. They continue to build on this very good start during their time in Years 1 and 2 so that by the time they reach the end of Year 2 the majority of children are reaching above national averages in all subjects and more are reaching the higher levels than found nationally. This is also true for those children who are learning English as an additional language. This is due to an exciting, stimulating curriculum, a strong learning ethos outstanding leadership and

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Grade: 1

management and some outstanding teaching.

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Grade: 1

The personal development and well being of children are outstanding, as a result of the whole school ethos, of Every Child Matters. The recently introduced work on the study of philosophy is giving children confidence to express themselves verbally and to ask more profound questions such as 'why?' and 'how?' and to try to answer them. This is a very mature attitude for children of this age. A member of the school council encapsulated the caring ethos of the school when he said: 'People here are very kind to each other and very helpful; that's why it's a good school.' Children's excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very well supported by assemblies and special events, and a rich curriculum. When they join the school, children quickly gain in self-esteem and obviously enjoy their lessons. Children's behaviour is very good. Children have a very good awareness of how to keep healthy and know how to stay safe and have recently

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Grade: 1

achieved healthy school status. Attendance is broadly average mainly due to a small number of families taking extended holidays in school time. Children look after each other in the playground and play well together.

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Grade: 1

Teaching and learning are outstanding. This is because teachers plan sessions and activities very well and incorporate a variety of learning styles, such as the teaching of thinking skills and philosophy, encouraging children to make decisions for themselves. Teachers have a very good understanding of how children learn and they live up to the school motto by making learning a fun activity. Additional needs of children are identified at an early stage and excellent support provided, especially through the 'nurture programme' and the adaptation of sessions for the more able children. Parents are encouraged to be part of their children's learning and are encouraged to write their thoughts and philosophical questions when 'Philosophy bear' goes home. This results in children making very good progress in their learning.

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Grade: 1

The curriculum is excellent. Key issues from the last inspection have been successfully addressed. Curricular provision is outstanding and has a very positive impact on achievement. Children enjoy a well planned, broad and interesting range of activities that promote effective learning. Learning is enriched by a very good range of extra-curricular and other activities; these are greatly appreciated by the children. The learning ethos is strong. The school has rightly placed an emphasis in the curriculum on developing pupils' speaking, listening and thinking skills. This is helping pupils to understand what they are learning, to make outstanding progress and raise standards. Children say that they find the curriculum interesting because 'learning is fun'. The 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Whiteheath Infant and Nursery School, 11 May 2007 provision for the outdoor learning environment for the Reception classes can only be used by

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Grade: 1

a small number of children at a time due to a lack of space. Whilst this is not affecting children's achievement it does restrict children's ability to choose freely activities of their own choice.

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Grade: 1

The quality of these aspects is outstanding and the school is rightly proud of its caring ethos. Parents are particularly pleased with the care their children receive when they start school. As one parent said, 'We are very impressed by the level of care our daughter has received.' Children agree with this and say that they are very well cared for. High expectations of pupils and judicious use of praise and encouragement are helping to sustain very good levels of behaviour. Teachers and support staff are very sensitive to the needs of children. Children with learning difficulties and disabilities and those who are new to learning English receive very good support from teachers and teaching assistants to help them achieve as well as others. The procedures to deal with child protection issues, accidents and incidents are robust and staff receive regular training. The school works well with a wide range of outside agencies. The school has effective

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Grade: 1

systems for assessing and recording learners' attainment and progress. This assessment information along with high expectations from teachers of what children can achieve is used well to guide planning and is another reason why children make excellent progress.

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding. There is a real sense of teamwork and high expectations throughout the school. The headteacher, senior management team, and governors have a shared vision for the development of the school, putting the pupils as central to all the decisions that they make. These factors have brought about a review of the structure of the school and resulted in the school's outstanding overall effectiveness as it develops into a 'thinking school.' The school's evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses is accurate. The school development plan is closely linked to the schools own self evaluation and is forward thinking in the way it is developing the Every Child Matters agenda. The governors are very supportive and are knowledgeable in their understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They act as critical friends and are active in taking on responsibilities themselves

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Grade: 1

to help develop the school further. The school is in an excellent position to continue to improve. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Whiteheath Infant and Nursery School, 11 May 2007 .

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Grade: 1

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Whiteheath Infant and Nursery School, 11 May 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? 1 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 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

1 How well do learners achieve? 1 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 1 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 1 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?

1 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: Whiteheath Infant and Nursery School, 11 May 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: Whiteheath Infant and Nursery School, 11 May 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

23 May 2007 Dear Children Inspection of Whiteheath Infant and Nursery School,Ruislip,HA4 7RF It was lovely to meet you when I came to visit your school. I enjoyed trying out the maze and seeing the lovely garden which you have to play in. Whiteheath Nursery and Infant school is an excellent school. There are lots of things which you do very well. • You are very happy and learn and play together very well. • You reach very high standards in your work and achieve really well. • Some of you are able to express yourselves very articulately and obviously enjoy your philosophy and thinking lessons, (even though some of you said that they made you have to think and work hard.) • Your teachers are very good at helping you to learn new things and they make your learning interesting and exciting. • You are very good at making your own choices and your teachers help you to do this very well. • You are looked after very well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

In order to make your school even better, I have asked your headteacher and the teachers to look at the space outside Reception classes as it is not big enough for all the children. Best wishes Sue Vale Lead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Whiteheath Infant and Nursery School, 11 May 2007

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