Carrington Infant School

Inspection Report Carrington Infant School

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110283 Unique Reference Number Buckinghamshire Local Authority 288620 Inspection number 10 °11 January 2007 Inspection dates Mary Sinclair 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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2 Chapel Road School address Infant Type of school Flackwell Heath Community School category High Wycombe HP10 9AA 4 °7 Age range of pupils 01628 523356 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01628 532466 Fax number 176 Number on roll (school) Mrs Davina Dalton Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Lynn McMeekin Headteacher 10 March 2003 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 288620 10 °11 January 2007 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

Carrington Infant School is smaller than average. Pupils come from a range of backgrounds. A very small minority is entitled to free school meals. Most pupils have White British heritage. The school has an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) department for 6 pupils. This leads to the number of pupils with statements of special educational need being above average. Both the headteacher and deputy have been appointed within the last two years.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Carrington Infant School, 10 °11 January 2007

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory education. Pupils enter and leave the school with standards that are broadly average, and this represents satisfactory progress. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher Level 3 is low in reading and writing. More able pupils, particularly the boys, do not make sufficient progress in reading and writing. This is because teachers' expectations for them are not high enough and the tasks set are not sufficiently challenging or engaging. Standards in mathematics are improving, and a greater proportion of pupils achieve the higher levels in this subject. This follows a recent initiative to help teachers to re-think the way they teach mathematics, incorporating more opportunities for problem solving. The curriculum is satisfactory and has innovative elements. However, the predominant learning styles offer limited scope for pupils to take the initiative and engage in decision making. The

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Grade: 3

quality of provision in the ASD department is satisfactory and is improving as better use is made of assessment data. Provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory, but with insufficient use of high quality resources to stimulate learning. Leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. The headteacher has a clear aim to improve standards. Through her self-assessment of the school she has gained a good understanding of its strengths and weaknesses and of what it needs to do to improve. However, the monitoring of teaching is not sufficiently focused to identify precisely where weaknesses in teaching lie so that practice can be improved. The monitoring role of subject leaders is underdeveloped. Ably supported by her deputy, the headteacher has played a key role in recent initiatives to improve teaching, standards and the learning environment. These are beginning to have an impact and show that

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Grade: 3

the school has satisfactory capacity for further improvement. The good care, guidance and support provided by the school promote good personal development and ensure that pupils enjoy school and feel safe. Pupils with social and communication difficulties are well integrated into the school. Teaching and support staff model good relationships. This helps pupils to respect each other and to behave well and parents to feel that they are 'within the school, part of it'. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise and to participate in activities in the wider community.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve standards in literacy, especially for the more able. • Improve expectations, challenge and pace in teaching. • Ensure subject leaders have clearly defined roles to help them to improve standards.

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Grade: 3

Achievement and standards are satisfactory. Children enter the Foundation Stage with broadly average skills. Overall, pupils make satisfactory progress throughout the school and standards are average at the end of Key Stage 1. The school identified that 2 Inspection Report: Carrington Infant School, 10 °11 January 2007 summer-born pupils did not progress well because they spent less time at school and changed classes within the Foundation Stage. The school's assessment data indicates that recent alterations to admission times and class arrangements are leading to higher standards and improved progress for these pupils. The school has begun to track and analyse pupils' achievement more thoroughly and has identified where standards could be raised. This led to changes in teaching in mathematics, which was the weakest subject. Provisional data for 2006 show improved standards, particularly at the higher

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Grade: 3

Level 3. Reading and writing are current priorities because the proportion of pupils reaching Level 3 is below average. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, including those in the ASD department, make satisfactory progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' behaviour is generally good and they have positive and caring attitudes towards others. They take turns to work together on the school council and make decisions about improving the school environment. Pupils have a clear understanding of how to promote healthy living and they know how to keep themselves safe. Attendance has improved and is now average. Pupils say they enjoy school and most pay good attention and respond well in lessons. They are active participants in the life of the school. Year 2 pupils act as play leaders and as monitors performing daily tasks about the school. Pupils support national charities and the choir sings to senior citizens. Pupils' skills in numeracy are developing appropriately to support their future economic independence. These skills are better developed than their literacy skills. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.

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Grade: 3

Teaching is satisfactory. Pupils make most progress in Year 2, where some outstanding practice was observed. All teachers have good relationships with their pupils, manage behaviour effectively and explain new ideas carefully, but their expectations of pupils are not always high enough. Although teachers assess pupils, this information is not always well used to identify when to move pupils on in their learning. Pupils, particularly the more able boys, do not make sufficient progress in literacy when the tasks set are too prescriptive and lack challenge. Following recent staff development, increased emphasis upon problem solving, more challenging questioning and the use of interactive whiteboards to develop mathematical concepts is helping to raise standards in mathematics. Teachers set high expectations for the presentation of work. Marking is constructive and helps pupils to know how well they are doing. Teaching assistants

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Grade: 3

provide good support for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities. 3 Inspection Report: Carrington Infant School, 10 °11 January 2007

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is broad, balanced and relevant. The school has adopted an innovative approach, providing effective slots of time to aid the pupils' learning in science, history and geography. However, the curriculum is not always sufficiently matched to the needs of all pupils for them to make good progress. The Foundation Stage curriculum is satisfactory with appropriate outdoor activities planned as part of the provision. Some classroom areas are not resourced or presented in a way that engages and inspires young children. There is good enrichment of the curriculum with a variety of extra-curricular activities for the pupils to enjoy. Pupils say they like to attend the school clubs, including golf, dancing, basketball and gardening. Links with the local community are good, especially to promote sport and exercise. Pupils have opportunities to play football with a local club. Personal and social skills are well integrated into the

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Grade: 3

curriculum, especially in the Foundation Stage. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted through a good range of activities.

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Grade: 2

The school is a caring community that effectively promotes pupils' personal development. Parents generally speak positively about the care and attention their children receive in school. Procedures for assessing pupils' progress are good, although some pupils do not have a secure understanding of their personal targets. Gains in learning are monitored carefully and action taken when pupils do not make the progress expected. Safety and security within the school are given high priority. Regular health and safety checks are comprehensive. Incidents of unacceptable behaviour are relatively rare and are dealt with effectively. Pupils know they can ask for help from an adult within school if they have worries or concerns. Teachers and support staff in the ASD department are vigilant in developing pupils' personal and social skills. Outside agencies are used effectively to support pupils, including those with learning difficulties and

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Grade: 2

disabilities. The school promotes healthy eating. Exercise routines such as 'huff and puff' help pupils to develop active lifestyles.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher has analysed the school's data thoroughly and has a clear understanding of the priorities for improvement. Well supported by her deputy, she has launched a range of initiatives to raise standards and improve provision. A system for tracking pupils' progress has been developed and this is helping to identify any underachievement. It informs the setting of challenging targets for pupils and for staff through performance management. A sequence of building programmes, including a covered outdoor area for Foundation Stage pupils, has improved the school's learning environment. In her role as lead practitioner, the deputy head has promoted the use 4 Inspection Report: Carrington Infant School, 10 °11 January 2007 of problem solving in mathematics which is improving teaching and learning in the subject. These initiatives confirm the school's satisfactory capacity for improvement. Although the school judged leadership and management to be good, inspectors judged

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Grade: 3

it to be satisfactory. This is because the role of subject co-ordinators is not sufficiently developed to enable them to contribute towards school improvement, and the monitoring of teaching is not closely linked to the improvement priorities for the school. The school has tackled issues from the previous inspection satisfactorily. Governors carry out their roles conscientiously and provide satisfactory challenge and support. 5 Inspection Report: Carrington Infant School, 10 °11 January 2007 .

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Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Carrington Infant School, 10 °11 January 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? 3 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 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

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 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 3 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: Carrington Infant School, 10 °11 January 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? 8 Inspection Report: Carrington Infant School, 10 °11 January 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for welcoming us and being so helpful when we came to visit your school. I am writing to tell you what we think about how well you are getting on and how well your school is helping you to learn. Here are some of the things we liked about your school: • you enjoy school and get on well with your teachers • you are kind to each other and behave well • you are getting better at mathematics. Mrs. McMeekin and all of the other people who help to run your school want it to get even better, so this is what we have suggested: • we would like your teachers to give you harder work in literacy lessons • we would like your teachers to help you to learn faster • we would like the teachers who look after different subjects to find ways to help you to learn more. We enjoyed being at your school. We hope it will carry on getting better so that you all do as well as you possibly can. Yours sincerely Mary SinclairLead inspector

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

9 Inspection Report: Carrington Infant School, 10 °11 January 2007

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