Reinwood Infant and Nursery School

Inspection Report Reinwood Infant and Nursery School

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107622 Unique Reference Number Kirklees Local Authority 287874 Inspection number 20 °21 November 2006 Inspection dates Roger Gill 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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Burfitts Road School address Primary Type of school Oakes, Huddersfield Community School category West Yorkshire HD3 4YL 3 °7 Age range of pupils 01484 222209 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01484 222178 Fax number 286 Number on roll (school) Mrs Kim Jowett Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Karen Butler Headteacher 19 March 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 287874 20 °21 November 2006 3°7 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Most children are from White British backgrounds, but an above average sized group is from minority ethnic heritages; many of these children are learning English as an additional language. The proportion of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average, but this can fluctuate widely from year to year. There has been a sizeable turnover in staff in the last two years. Among other changes, the school has a new headteacher and deputy headteacher. The school has been awarded Investors in People, Investors in Pupils, Active Mark Gold and is recognised as a Healthy School.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Reinwood Infant and Nursery School, 20 °21 November 2006

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Grade: 1

Reinwood is an outstanding school that lives up to its reputation, recognised by awards, of being a place in which everyone feels valued. Parents understandably say 'this school is excellent' others support this view by identifying: 'the open door policy, fantastic teaching and a very caring approach,' as the key ingredients for its success. An atmosphere of social harmony exists in which adults and children revel in each other's company. Improvements since the school was last inspected have been immense. The potential for further advances is excellent, but what has been achieved to date results in exceptionally good value for money. Children's achievement is outstanding. They make extremely rapid progress in the Foundation Stage and race ahead again in Years 1 and 2. Progress is especially fast in mathematics. Teaching is particularly effective in this subject and children mention it often as being their favourite. One child said, echoing the thoughts of many, 'I like

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Grade: 1

maths because my teacher calls me a genius.' Standards are above average by the end of Year 2. Results have been improving steadily over the last five years. This is partly due to the way in which the school has improved the provision for higher attainers so well since the last inspection. They now fulfil their potential admirably. The aim of providing an 'I can do' ethos is achieved very well. It is backed up by extremely detailed assessments that pinpoint precisely how children need to improve. Children, for example, from minority ethnic heritages, including those learning English as an additional language, benefit greatly, making first-rate progress, because their efforts are so closely scrutinised. Personal development, among children, is also outstanding. The oldest children are mature, capable and resourceful learners who take delight in helping out around school. Education for safety, health, participation and achieving well has very positive results.

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Grade: 1

This is why the school is so popular among the families it serves. Children believe, and inspectors agree, that everyone has their best interests at heart. A typical comment from a Year 2 child was, 'I think this is a brilliant school because there are lots of kind people who help me do my best work.' The excellent influence of leadership and management on the curriculum, teaching and learning makes the school what it is. Teaching is outstanding in the way that children are spell-bound at the beginning of lessons, very active in their problem solving and acutely thoughtful about how well they have done afterwards. Underpinning this success is the effect that making children central to the school's affairs has had on their self-esteem. For example, children are proud that their recommendations are placed prominently at the front of the school's improvement plan. Moreover, the school leads the field locally in making children aware about what they need to do

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Grade: 1

next to improve their learning. The school would be the first to say it was not perfect. It has ambitious plans for the future, founded on a thorough evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses. The relatively new leadership team, working very closely with very capable governors, has a superb understanding of how good the school is. This is because methods of 2 Inspection Report: Reinwood Infant and Nursery School, 20 °21 November 2006 self-review are so thorough. It knows, for example, that resources for information and communication technology (ICT) need to be improved to allow children greater chances to use computers for learning in all subjects.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the facilities for ICT so that children have opportunities to use computers to help them learn in all lessons.

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Grade: 1

Standards were above average by the end of Year 2 in 2005. Inspection evidence confirms that standards were above average again in 2006, even though the proportion of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities was higher than the national average. Children begin with weaker skills than those expected nationally for their age. The pattern is that children's progress is excellent from the time they start school despite their particular difficulties, for example, in the early stages of arithmetic. Consequently, children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve as well as others. The school's results have been on an upward trend for the last five years. Achievement is outstanding in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Children make strong progress in some other subjects, for example physical education and music owing to the wide variety of opportunities and specialist teaching they receive

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Grade: 1

to extend their learning. Achievement in ICT is good, but could be even better if children could use equipment more often across the curriculum.

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Grade: 1

Children enjoy school to the full, which results in their exemplary behaviour. They develop an exceptionally good understanding of the importance of a healthy diet, regular exercise and staying safe. Enthusiasm for the healthy choices at lunchtime abounds. Attendance was satisfactory in 2005/06, but the headteacher's ambition to make it well above average is already having the desired effect. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good with outstanding features, particularly displayed by children's self-esteem and pleasure in social activities. Their cultural horizons are broad, but lack the dimension that trips to art galleries, for example, would afford. Children take on eagerly a wide range of responsibilities such as being monitors and friendship pals for younger children. School council members are fully involved in decision making and enjoy helping to spend their own class budgets. Children's

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Grade: 1

extremely good grounding in personal and academic skills prepares them exceptionally well for the next stages of learning and beyond. 3 Inspection Report: Reinwood Infant and Nursery School, 20 °21 November 2006

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Grade: 1

Children say that learning is, 'exciting and fun'. This is because teaching invariably bubbles over with enthusiasm. Lessons are very well planned, with a good range of interesting activities, using a variety of methods which command children's interest very effectively. For example, initial ideas about the topics studied are often charted on a 'mind map' that is referred to over the weeks. Teachers build well on earlier learning and short bursts of activity ensure that progress is brisk. Teachers are skilled at reassuring children that they can succeed; the school's motto of 'I can' is frequently invoked to urge children to greater heights. In some mathematics lessons, for example, children are encouraged so well that they contribute ideas about numbers and shapes that astound the adults around. Assessment is excellent: its very well considered use contributes to the exceptionally good achievement.

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Grade: 1

The very engaging curriculum has a compelling influence on children's academic progress and a tremendous one on their personal development. There is something for everyone. Children love the chance to learn French, but also speak enthusiastically about clubs for football, aerobics and gardening. Provision for music is strong in lessons, but there are also extra-curricular activities for recorders, handbell ringing and choral singing. Those with particular gifts and talents, and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, are given very well designed tasks in lessons. The way in which children are encouraged to work so well together in groups, learn valuable lessons about health and safety and participate in running the school equips them wonderfully for their next school and life in general. The many visitors to school, such as Indian dancers, provide a valuable dimension, but trips out are not yet so plentiful.

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Grade: 1

Children are very well cared for. Child protection arrangements and health and safety procedures are in place and working. Extremely positive relationships ensure that children feel very safe and know who to turn to if in trouble. Children of all backgrounds and levels of attainment receive strong support from Nursery onwards. Those who join the school later than usual are welcomed and inducted splendidly. The classrooms abound in such helpful advice about learning that children absorb positive messages daily. The way that children are guided by targets that they have generated, and those provided by teachers, is marvellous. Not only do children know the purpose of a lesson, but in the best ones they can recall immediately how their success will be measured. Children are reminded of their academic targets in every lesson and are active participants in assessing how far they have gone in meeting them.

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Grade: 1

4 Inspection Report: Reinwood Infant and Nursery School, 20 °21 November 2006

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Grade: 1

A superbly involved governing body has ensured that longer-term developments have not been affected by changes in leadership. The new headteacher and the leadership team have continued and accelerated the school's progress in a seamless way. The school is now used within the local authority as an exemplar for the way that it makes learning enjoyable and relevant for children. It was the first infant school in the country to be awarded the Active Mark Gold standard, which signifies its dedication to providing a very well rounded and active curriculum. The partnership between parents, children, governors and staff is very strong, but there is more to do yet in creating effective links within the local community, for example with businesses and industry. Leaders at all levels are particularly good at monitoring and evaluating how well the school is doing. As a result, very insightful plans for development are drawn up.

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Grade: 1

5 Inspection Report: Reinwood Infant and Nursery School, 20 °21 November 2006 .

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Grade: 1

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Reinwood Infant and Nursery School, 20 °21 November 2006

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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? 2 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?

2 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 2 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. 7 Inspection Report: Reinwood Infant and Nursery School, 20 °21 November 2006

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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? 8 Inspection Report: Reinwood Infant and Nursery School, 20 °21 November 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for your help when we inspected your school. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit because everyone was so welcoming and friendly. Yours is a marvellous school and these are some of the things that we found to be terrific. • Your classrooms are fun places in which to learn. • We loved the way that new children are quickly made to feel welcome. • It was great to hear you talk so confidently about your work and targets. • You all help to think how to improve the school. • You are very keen on keeping fit and healthy. That is why one of you said that, 'dinners do you good and puddings are awesome.' We know everyone wants to do even better and we have suggested one thing that we think will help. • Your headteacher needs to make sure that you have even more computers to use, so that you can do even better in ICT. You can all help by trying hard to use computers, and other ICT equipment, in as many lessons

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

as possible. We know you can do it. 9 Inspection Report: Reinwood Infant and Nursery School, 20 °21 November 2006

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