Cavendish Close Infant School

Inspection Report Cavendish Close Infant School

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112749 Unique Reference Number City of Derby Local Authority 289394 Inspection number 26 °27 September 2006 Inspection dates Mrs. Gill Broadbent 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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Wood Road School address Infant Type of school Chaddesden, Chaddesden Community School category Derby, Derbyshire DE21 4LY 3 °7 Age range of pupils

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01332662239 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01332 544748 Fax number 247 Number on roll (school) Mr.David Kinsley Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs. E Darby Headteacher 12 October 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 289394 26 °27 September 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

This above average size school has nine classes for pupils aged 4 to 7 years and a Nursery where children aged 3 - 4 years attend on a part-time basis. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds. Average numbers of pupils have learning difficulties. Above average numbers of pupils are entitled to free school meals.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Cavendish Close Infant School, 26 °27 September 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school that successfully builds upon the excellent start it gives to children. Standards are above average and achievement is good by the time they leave the school aged 7 years. The school made impressive improvements following the last inspection so that the quality of the Nursery now matches the outstanding quality in the Reception classes. The leadership's constant drive to improve was fully focused on achieving their vision to give children a high quality start. Excellent use was made of the skills and support of staff as well as national initiatives such as the Education Action Zone and their Beacon Status to bring this about. As a result, the children have a rich range of imaginatively planned, exciting experiences to enjoy and they love coming to school to learn. They relish the freedom to explore safely the superb outdoor areas. They use their imagination, delighting in pretending to be explorers as they

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Grade: 2

clamber over tyres and through the camouflage to enter their 'dens'. Parents agree that there has been an outstanding transformation. Leadership and management are good because senior leaders have an accurate view of the school's strengths and areas to improve. Their planning is consistently thorough. They put changes in place which they know will be in the pupils' best interests. They check to make sure that these work well before tackling the next project, so that improvement is sustained. In Years 1 and 2 the school has successfully raised standards in reading, writing and mathematics through the consistently good quality of their work. Standards vary occasionally but they are usually above average, as in the 2005 national assessments. Teachers check pupils' progress each term to make sure that their achievement is good. Senior leaders analyse this information at the end of the year to assess how well different groups of

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Grade: 2

pupils achieve but hey do not often do this during the year. The school knows that this limits the effectiveness of current actions to improve achievement even more and their capacity to improve is, therefore, good rather than outstanding. Nevertheless, in relation to pupils' achievements and to the quality of education they receive, the school provides good value for money. The personal development of pupils is good because it is given a high priority throughout all the school's work. Pupils learn to be considerate to others and enjoy using the Friendship Stop, as they play with the plentiful equipment in the playground. They reflect the staff's good examples in how they speak politely to each other and to adults. They begin developing healthy eating habits in Nursery. This gives them a good start so by Year 2, they know what keeps them healthy and fit. Their spiritual, moral and social development is good because

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Grade: 2

there are lots of activities and opportunities to consider and empathise with the views of others and to know right from wrong. The pupils are prepared well for their future lives through achieving well in reading, writing and mathematics and through their social development. Pupils' cultural development is satisfactory but the school does not do enough to develop their understanding of the richness and diversity of cultures represented in modern-day society. 2 Inspection Report: Cavendish Close Infant School, 26 °27 September 2006

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What the school should do to improve further

- Check the progress of different groups of pupils more effectively throughout the year to make sure the school's actions to improve their achievement are highly effective. - Give pupils a better preparation for their future lives in multi-cultural Britain.

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Grade: 2

Children have an excellent start in the Nursery which is continued in the Reception classes where they achieve very well. Children enter the Nursery with skills that are less developed than most three-year-olds, especially in their personal and social development and language skills. They make excellent progress and by the time they enter Year 1 most meet the expected levels for their age and some exceed them. Pupils make consistently good progress in Years 1 and 2. The results of Year 2 tests in 2005 showed standards were above average in reading, writing and mathematics. Recent teacher assessments indicate standards were average in 2006, but pupils made good progress. Pupils who have learning difficulties also do well, given their starting points, and meet their individual targets. The standards seen during the inspection were above average and pupils continue to achieve well.

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Grade: 2

The personal development of the pupils is good, as is their spiritual, moral and social development. Cultural development is satisfactory because the school has emphasised links with the local community but too little is done to prepare pupils for life in multicultural Britain. Pupils learn to play well together at playtimes and how to work co-operatively in lessons. They listen carefully to each other's views and thoughtfully care for pupils who are new to the school. Pupils respond very well to the staff's consistent high expectations of them so that they develop outstanding behaviour and attitudes. They join in many of the activities provided for them. Despite the school's vigorous efforts to encourage good attendance this is below average. It has fallen since the last inspection because more parents take their children on holiday during term-time, which interrupts their learning in school.

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Grade: 2

The quality of the teaching and learning is good and is underpinned by the warmth of the relationships, both with the children and with their parents. Some lessons are outstanding because there are high expectations of each individual child and the pace is brisk. Consequently, the pupils respond well to their teachers. They find learning 3 Inspection Report: Cavendish Close Infant School, 26 °27 September 2006 fun because there is so much emphasis placed on learning through doing. This approach not only motivates the children but also strongly supports their language development. They behave well because they are keen to learn. Teachers and support staff work effectively together and very good use is made of new technology. The teachers provide the pupils with good feedback on their progress, through discussions about their work and the strong home-school links, which contribute strongly to children's

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. It is planned well with an appropriate focus on promoting the pupils' skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology. This focus enables the children to achieve well in the basic skills. Furthermore, because the school is very successful in developing the pupils' self-confidence and social skills, they benefit from the emphasis on learning through practical activities. They understand the relevance of gaining skills they will need when they are older and enjoy the hands-on approach that brings learning to life for them. In the Foundation Stage, children flourish because they are excited by the richness of experience that the outdoor learning areas bring to their physical, as well as their personal, social and emotional development.

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Grade: 2

The care, guidance and support provided for pupils is good. Governors fulfil their responsibilities and ensure that there are good systems for ensuring child protection which meet the latest guidelines. They take good care of pupils and have effective health and safety arrangements with all staff trained in first aid. Pupils feel safe, and well supported by their teachers. They say that they always feel well looked after, and that there is an adult to turn to for help and advice in any situation. Teachers check pupils' levels of work frequently and keep samples that show how well they are doing. They use this information to plan work and support at the right level for the next steps in learning for all pupils including those with learning difficulties. This ensures that all pupils achieve well.

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Grade: 2

Consistently strong leadership has communicated its vision clearly and effectively to staff and governors, so that there is a consistent approach to the work of the school. The school is not complacent and always strives to improve. The careful management of change that involves everyone has developed a strong team of teachers. The effective deployment of outstanding teachers throughout the school has led to improved and consistent good quality teaching and learning in all years. The school leaders check the work of the staff in variety of ways and set targets for improvement which are 4 Inspection Report: Cavendish Close Infant School, 26 °27 September 2006 supported by effective training. This has led to outstanding improvement in the Nursery and good improvement in Years 1 and 2. The school is well-placed to make on-going improvements, but its capacity to raise standards further is, to some extent, restricted

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Grade: 2

because the use of assessment information to improve pupils' progress is not as effective as it could be. 5 Inspection Report: Cavendish Close Infant School, 26 °27 September 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: Cavendish Close Infant School, 26 °27 September 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 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 3 The attendance of learners 1 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: Cavendish Close Infant School, 26 °27 September 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: Cavendish Close Infant School, 26 °27 September 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

27 September 2006 Dear Pupils Cavendish Close Infant School, Wood Road, Chaddesden, Derby, DE21 4LY Thank you very much for welcoming us to your school. We enjoyed talking to you and finding out about your school. You and your parents told us how much you love coming to school and how you enjoy learning. We can understand why you like it so much because it is a good school. The children in the Nursery and Reception classes have wonderful outdoor play areas and learn so much through their play. We noticed in Years 1 and 2 that your behaviour and attitudes to school were outstanding. You work hard, do your best and get on really well with each other and the staff. The staff look after you by encouraging you to eat healthily and keep fit. They check on your work and tell you how to improve so it's not surprising that you do well in school. The school leaders always try to make the school even better. They have

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

improved the Nursery and how well you do in reading, writing and mathematics. They check how well you are all doing at the end of the year but need to check on different groups more often during the year to make sure that you are all making the best possible progress. They do almost everything well but they need to do more to help you prepare for living in Britain where there are people from other cultures. Jill Broadbent (Lead inspector) 9 Inspection Report: Cavendish Close Infant School, 26 °27 September 2006

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