Tylers Green First School

Inspection Report Tylers Green First School

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110255 Unique Reference Number Buckinghamshire Local Authority 288613 Inspection number 9 °10 November 2006 Inspection dates Paula Protherough 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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School Road School address Infant Type of school Penn Community School category High Wycombe HP10 8EF 4 °7 Age range of pupils 01494 813201 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01494 818960 Fax number 180 Number on roll (school) Mr Alistair Lawton Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Angela Styles Headteacher 22 April 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 288613 9 °10 November 2006 4°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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Tylers Green is of average size, situated in a large village. The majority of pupils come from more advantaged homes. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs, learning difficulties and English as a second language is below the national average. The school is well established and has a very good reputation within the local and wider community.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Tylers Green First School, 9 °10 November 2006

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Grade: 2

The school provides a good education that enables pupils of all backgrounds and abilities to make good progress. By the time they leave the school standards are high and well above average in reading, writing and mathematics. The reason for this success lies in the good quality of teaching and learning. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are taught effectively and the teachers' high expectations of pupils to achieve well are being realised well. This is particularly evident in lessons where pupils say they learn best because they are given the opportunity to use their skills in investigations and personal projects. However, approaches to planning such activities are not consistent across the school. Provision in the Foundation Stage is good and ensures that pupils are well prepared for their work in Years 1 and 2. The overall curriculum provision for the Foundation Stage and pupils in Years 1 and 2 is good.

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Grade: 2

Teachers aim to make learning relevant and motivate pupils with interesting topics supported by visits and visitors. This supports the pupils' good spiritual, moral and social development well. However, pupils are not being adequately prepared for life in a culturally diverse society. The pupils' personal development and well being are good. Inspectors agree with the parent who said, 'The teachers know my daughter's personality and how to get the best from her.' Pupils are developing many of the necessary attributes to become successful citizens. For instance, the school councillors are proud of the opportunity to represent the views of their classmates and take their responsibilities seriously. Their ideas are acted upon, for example in the provision of additional equipment for outside play. Pupils behave well and show concern and care for each other. They feel safe because they are well looked after.

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Grade: 2

Strong links with the community and other services enhance the work of the school. Parental support for the school is outstanding because they have confidence in the staff and feel that their children achieve well. Parents give practical help in the classrooms, on visits, running the school shop and the library. They also make a significant contribution to the school's finances with many fundraising activities. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher's procedures for self evaluation accurately assess the school's performance. Governors and staff at all levels understand the strategies required to continue to move the school forward. For example the focus on assessment and target setting, has ensured that high standards continue to be sustained. The school has good capacity for improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure teachers' planning is consistent and provides pupils with more opportunities to become independent and creative learners • Improve provision for pupils' cultural development and their awareness of life in today's diverse society. 2 Inspection Report: Tylers Green First School, 9 °10 November 2006

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Grade: 2

Standards have consistently been significantly well above average for many years. Pupils are continuing to achieve well and high attaining pupils meet their challenging targets. Attainment on entry to the school is above average and the majority of pupils are well prepared by a variety of local pre-school settings. Children's experience in the Reception classes builds on this good start so that they are well on the way to achieving the goals expected of them by the time they enter the Year 1 classes. This good progress continues in Years 1 and 2 so that by the time boys and girls leave the school they are achieving well above national expectations in mathematics, reading and writing. They also achieve well in other subjects and their knowledge and use of information and communication technology (ICT) across the curriculum is good. Pupils with learning difficulties and statements of special educational need also make good

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Grade: 2

progress and achieve the targets set for them in their individual educational plans.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. They understand the importance of leading healthy lives through exercise and eating healthy food. Pupils feel safe and enjoy their school experiences. Their attendance is good and they behave well in class, on the playground and as they move around the school. Pupils look after each other at playtimes to make sure that others don't feel left out or unhappy. The school council are well prepared for their role in school and have a strong voice. Pupils welcome the opportunity to take responsibility in lessons and enjoy their involvement with the community in events like the church Christingle Service. Taken overall the pupils spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils' social and moral development is good as they learn how to manage their own behaviour and take a positive approach to a range of social situations. However, the school has identified

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Grade: 2

the need to develop further the pupils' understanding of other cultures in today's society. Pupils support charities well and participate in many local events. Their well developed skills in literacy and numeracy mean that they are well prepared for the next stage of their education and life beyond.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Teachers assess work thoroughly and use this data well to track the progress of their pupils, and to identify those who need additional support or challenge. There are warm relationships in the classrooms and teaching assistants make a significant contribution to lessons. Pupils of all abilities achieve well. This is especially true when they are engaged and motivated by enthusiastic teachers 3 Inspection Report: Tylers Green First School, 9 °10 November 2006 who challenge their thinking and encourage them to develop their ideas and skills of independent learning. On these occasions pupils learn to listen to each other and ask pertinent questions because they understand the purpose of learning. However, these types of lessons are not yet established consistently across the school because not all year groups are planning together to share their ideas and expertise.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a good curriculum that successfully covers all subjects and the areas of learning for pupils in the Foundation Stage. The use of ICT is effective and supports pupils' learning in English, mathematics and art. The curriculum is enriched by the good opportunities for pupils to go on visits to places such as the Natural History Museum. The follow up work helps to motivate pupils to write with enthusiasm because it is based firmly upon significant first hand experience. A wide range of after school activities including sports and drama also adds breadth to pupils' learning.

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Grade: 2

Care guidance and support are good. Links with external agencies provide effective specialist support for pupils with statements of special educational needs. Pupils are well cared for in lessons and on the playground. Teaching assistants and lunchtime supervisors are conscientious and well prepared and ensure that pupils are safe. Academic guidance is good because the assessment and tracking of pupils' progress is well established. The headteacher takes a strong lead in encouraging all staff to establish the link between accurate assessment and target setting to ensure that all pupils achieve their potential. Parents are overwhelmingly appreciative of the work of the staff and they are kept well informed of their child's academic and personal development. The school caters well for the needs of pupils with special educational needs and learning difficulties because they each have individually tailored work.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The senior leadership team has a clear view of the direction the school needs to take. Senior managers and governors have high aspirations to ensure that pupils achieve as well as they can. They target resources appropriately to ensure that all groups of pupils are successful. They understand their school very well with a clear focus on how to improve teaching and learning so that standards can continue to rise. All teachers are involved in curriculum groups which give them the opportunity to develop as leaders and managers. This is an effective arrangement to support the development of subjects and continuity of provision across the school. 4 Inspection Report: Tylers Green First School, 9 °10 November 2006 The governors are very committed to the school and offer support and challenge to the headteacher. They are proactive within their committees and visit the school

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Grade: 2

regularly although their monitoring is not systematically recorded. They communicate effectively with staff and parents. The opinions of parents and pupils are valued and frequently acted upon. The school has very good links with a range of other schools and organisations, to promote a high quality education. The school is well placed to continue its successes and has a good capacity to improve. 5 Inspection Report: Tylers Green First School, 9 °10 November 2006 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Tylers Green First School, 9 °10 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? 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? 1 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?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 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?

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. 7 Inspection Report: Tylers Green First School, 9 °10 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: Tylers Green First School, 9 °10 November 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for welcoming us to your school. We really enjoyed talking to you, looking at your work and watching you learn in your lessons. You are right to be proud of your school. It is good school because all of the grown ups do a good job and look after you very well. They care about you and your work and they help you to learn. You all work hard and by the time you leave the school your reading, writing and mathematics is very good. You behave well at playtimes and in lessons. You are kind to each other and work and play well together. The school council makes sensible suggestions about how to improve the school to your headteacher. Your teachers expect you to work hard and show you how to improve your work. However some of you told us that you wished that you could do more investigations and interesting activities in lessons and we agree with you. We watched you enjoying your 'Golden Time' activities and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

think that you might benefit from doing things like that more often. We also think you should have more opportunities to learn about the way of life of different people in Britain. We hope that you will continue to enjoy your school and continue to do well in the future. Yours sincerely Paula Protherough Lead Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Tylers Green First School, 9 °10 November 2006

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