Heanor Langley Infant School & NurseryOfsted inspection, 22 Feb 2007

Inspection Report Heanor Langley Infant School

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112557 Unique Reference Number DERBYSHIRE Local Authority 289327 Inspection number 22 February 2007 Inspection date John Foster 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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Laceyfields Road School address Infant Type of school Langley, Heanor Community School category Derbyshire DE75 7HJ 3 °7 Age range of pupils 01773 712823 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01773 712823 Fax number 166 Number on roll (school) Mr Brett Hart Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Miss Julie Kirk Headteacher 16 September 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 289327 22 February 2007 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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

The school is smaller than average. Almost all pupils are of White British heritage and all have English as their first language. When they start school, their attainment is slightly below that expected for their age. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is also below average and a very small percentage has a statement of special educational need. The headteacher has been seconded to the local authority for the past two years and the deputy headteacher has been acting headteacher during this time. The school has gained many awards including 'School Achievement Awards', the 'Basic Skills Quality Mark' and the 'Investors in People Award'.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Heanor Langley Infant School, 22 February 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with numerous strengths, giving good value for money. This judgement closely matches the school's view of its provision. Well supported by the staff and the governing body the acting headteacher has, despite the temporary nature of this role, been outstanding in ensuring that high standards have been maintained. There have also been significant changes in teaching personnel and she has managed these changes well, ensuring that all staff work together as an effective team. The governors, under the strong leadership of the chair, are committed to the school. They monitor the school's performance effectively, through analysis of financial information and regular school visits. During these visits they undertake lesson observations for subjects for which they have responsibility and discuss the quality of provision in these subjects with the relevant co-ordinator. This has led to a greater understanding of the

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Grade: 2

strengths and points for development. The school is in a good position to improve further. The school provides a good curriculum, including activities beyond the normal school day. It is well planned and regular reviews are made to ensure that the pupils receive their full entitlement, leading to effective planning by teachers. This planning includes specific tasks for the more able and for those pupils who find learning difficult, enabling them to make similarly good progress to other groups of pupils. The quality of teaching and learning is good. In the Foundation Stage provision is outstanding. The nursery teacher, an advanced skills teacher, gives the children an excellent start to school. The many and varied planned activities, ensure that children make the best possible progress in all areas of learning in the Foundation Stage. The children enjoy enormously the frequent opportunities to extend their learning through the excellent facilities provided

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Grade: 2

for outdoor education. Throughout the rest of the school teachers plan effectively to develop pupils' learning. The good teaching enables pupils, including those who find learning difficult, to achieve well and make good progress. By the time they leave at the end of Year 2, most pupils attain the expected levels and a significant number exceed these standards from relatively low starting points. In the 2006 national tests, for example, the pupils' overall scores were significantly better than those nationally. In these tests they attained particularly well in mathematics. Whilst the school sets challenging targets in English and most pupils achieve these, targets are not yet set in mathematics. Pupils' personal development and well-being are good overall. The school plans well for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and there are many occasions when this is evident in the school's work. The lighting of a candle during assembly,

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Grade: 2

for example, gives a spiritual dimension and offers pupils opportunity for thoughtful reflection. Pupils' behaviour is excellent and they show kindness to each other in all aspects of school life because expectations of their behaviour and attitudes to other pupils are so high. The school actively encourages healthy living through a good range of physical activities and by encouraging the pupils to eat healthy foods. Though remaining above average, attendance levels have fallen recently. The school is monitoring the reasons for this and the effects it has on pupils. Through the good 2 Inspection Report: Heanor Langley Infant School, 22 February 2007 progress pupils make in mathematics and English, they are well prepared for life beyond the infant school. In one class, for example, pupils were working with real money in calculating how different coins are added together to make particular sums. The school places great emphasis on the care it gives its pupils. As a parent wrote on

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Grade: 2

the questionnaire, 'This is an excellent school where children's needs are paramount.' Procedures for child protection and establishing safeguards for pupils are fully in place and operate excellently. Outstanding links are made with external agencies to support pupils. Pupils say that they feel safe and confident in the ways that the staff look after them. The academic guidance for pupils, however, does not match other aspects. The assessment of pupils' work is inconsistent between classes and does not always give the children enough help in showing them how they can improve their work.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Develop consistency in assessment procedures, and particularly in the marking of pupils' work, to show them how they can best improve the quality of their work. • Extend the setting of pupils' targets to include mathematics as well as in English. • Maintain effective monitoring of attendance and lateness in order to reverse the falling trend in attendance levels.

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Grade: 2

When they enter school, the Foundation Stage, children gain wide experience in all areas of learning because they are taught exceptionally. Their progress is particularly good in the area of communication, language and literacy, identified by the school as being particularly weak for many children when they start school. Throughout the school they are taught well, achieve well and make good progress. As a result, by the time they reach the end of Year 2, most attain at least average levels in the national tests and a significant number attain better than this. The pupils who have learning difficulties and disabilities and the more able make good progress because they are taught well and the teachers plan specific work to help them to achieve well. In English, pupils are set clear targets and work hard to meet them. Whilst no specific targets are set in mathematics, in spite of this, pupils make good progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are good. Many opportunities are provided to develop pupils' spirituality and their moral development and the result is that these aspects are outstanding. Pupils recognise the need to be kind to each other and they play and work well together, enjoying their time in school. Their behaviour is exemplary. They appreciate the need for healthy living and this is reinforced by the school through the provision of fruit at breaktimes. The school council, known as 'The Signposters', are 3 Inspection Report: Heanor Langley Infant School, 22 February 2007 elected by fellow pupils and take an active part in developing the school community. The good progress in English and mathematics helps to develop pupils' skills for the future. Attendance levels, though remaining above average, are falling, and there has

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Grade: 2

been an increase in the number of pupils arriving late at school. The school is monitoring this trend but the measures to counter it have not yet had an impact.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning, though varying between satisfactory and outstanding, is good overall. In the Foundation Stage, and particularly in the nursery, the children are taught exceptionally well and this gives them an excellent start to their schooling. At its best, teachers plan meticulously for all activities and, as a result, all adults in these classes are engaged in productive teaching. The teaching assistants contribute fully in lessons giving high quality support to the pupils. Teachers' marking is variable across the school and is satisfactory overall. Whilst termly assessments are good and help teachers to plan well for future work, the day-to-day assessments do not give pupils enough guidance on how they can best improve their work.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a good curriculum for its pupils. The teaching of numeracy and literacy are based on the national strategies and enables pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities and the more able, to make good progress in these areas. Information and communication technology (ICT) is used well to enhance learning. Throughout the year activity weeks are organised based on specific identified needs. In order to make pupils aware of different cultures, for example, an African week was held, where visitors to the school showed the children music and dance from that continent. The school provides many opportunities for developing pupils' personal, social, health and citizenship skills. The range of activities beyond the school day is good, though currently there are no musical activities included. There are plans for these to be introduced in the near future.

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Grade: 2

The care, guidance and support for pupils are good overall. The school has excellent procedures for ensuring that pupils are safe and secure in school and the pupils' comments reflect this. The arrangements for child protection are excellent and all staff know the procedures to follow if they have concerns over any pupil's welfare. Pupils say that they are confident of talking to any of their teachers if they have a problem, that they be listened to and action will be taken. Relationships are excellent. Pupils care for each other well, such as when the 'playground buddies' ensure that no-one 4 Inspection Report: Heanor Langley Infant School, 22 February 2007 is left on their own. Whilst pupils are set targets in English they are not, as yet, set for mathematics. They are aware of their literacy targets and talk about how they are to reach them.

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Grade: 2

The quality of leadership and management is good overall. The acting headteacher has maintained high quality leadership, though she has not been able to develop the school as much as she would like because of the constraints of her position. However, she has provided an excellent steer for the school during her time as head. The subject co-ordinators fulfil their role effectively in monitoring their subjects. They undertake lesson observations and analyse their colleagues' planning. Governance is good. The chair and vice-chair are experienced governors and lead the governing body well. Whilst the established governors are fully involved in monitoring the school's performance, newly appointed governors need time to establish themselves as effective members of the body. The issues raised at the previous inspection have been fully addressed. 5 Inspection Report: Heanor Langley Infant School, 22 February 2007

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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: Heanor Langley Infant School, 22 February 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 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?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 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: Heanor Langley Infant School, 22 February 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: Heanor Langley Infant School, 22 February 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

23 February 2007 Dear Children Heanor Langley Infant School, Laceyfields road, Langley, Heanor, Derbyshire As you know, I came to visit you on Thursday to see how well you do at school. This letter is to thank you for the welcome you gave me, for helping me with my work and to tell you what I found out about your school. You are fortunate to go to a good school where all the adults care for you greatly. You told me that you feel safe in school and that if you have a problem you would always go to one of the adults for help. You get an excellent start in nursery and reception classes. Throughout the school you are taught well and this helps you to make good progress with your work. The school gives you many opportunities for learning about many things, both in school time and at your after school clubs. You told me that you enjoy coming to school, though some of you are missing too many days or come to school late.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

In order to make the school even better, I have asked Miss Kirk, the staff and governors to: • make sure that when they mark your work they show you more clearly how you can improve • set you targets for mathematics as well as for English • keep a close check on your attendance so that they can make sure that you all attend school regularly and on time. With all good wishes for the future. Yours sincerely, John Foster Lead Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Heanor Langley Infant School, 22 February 2007

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