Heatherside Infant School

Heatherside Infant School Inspection report

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116002 Unique Reference Number Hampshire Local Authority 290391 Inspection number 22 March 2007 Inspection date Bernice Magson 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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Infant Type of school Community School category 4 °7 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 291 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr R Shrubsall Chair Mrs S Findley Headteacher 22 October 2001 Date of previous school inspection Reading Road South School address Fleet GU52 7TH

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01252 617101 Telephone number 01252 810065 Fax number

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4 °7 Age group 22 March 2007 Inspection date 290391 Inspection number .

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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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This large infant school is situated close to the centre of the town of Fleet. There are significant differences in the number of boys and girls in some year groups. The movement of pupils in and out of school is above average. Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds. A very few pupils speak English as an additional language. A Junior School is situated on the same campus.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Heatherside Infant School, 22 March 2007

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Grade: 1

Heatherside Infant School is an outstanding school that provides pupils with an excellent quality of education. 'Every child feels special and their academic progress is brilliant,' commented one parent and many others agree. Because of the excellent leadership of the headteacher, senior managers and governors, pupils achieve exceptionally well. By the age of seven, they attain very high standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils enjoy all the school has to offer and their personal development is excellent. Proudly they explain how they are influencing the life of the school, such as in choosing a pirate ship to be built in the playground. The school council is effective in expressing the views of others. The quality of teaching is good overall and with some outstanding features. Relationships are outstanding and, as a result, pupils are very eager to learn. The behaviour of most pupils is

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Grade: 1

excellent because their individual needs are very well addressed. Lessons excite pupils. Year 2 pupils, for example, were amazed when Anthony the Alien responded to their written instructions about how to make an electric circuit. In Years 1 and 2, problem-solving activities are frequently introduced so that pupils consolidate their knowledge and skills in practical experiences. Recently, Year 1 pupils held a Jumble Sale to raise funds for the children's ward at a local hospital. This activity improved their numeracy skills and contributed very effectively to the development of their economic well-being. In the Reception classes, adult-led activities are excellent and with a very good range of resources. All teachers monitor pupils' progress effectively and set precise targets in writing and mathematics to help them improve. Teachers' marking also sets out for the pupils what they need to learn next.

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Grade: 1

Across the school, there are very good opportunities for pupils to develop their personal and social skills and also their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. A good curriculum is enriched through a wide range of extra activities. In a recent Fitness Challenge, pupils were encouraged to recognise the importance of exercise in order to achieve a healthy lifestyle. In the Foundation Stage, there are too few opportunities to learn outdoors. Leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher has provided the school with a very clear sense of direction and leads by example. The leadership team embraces change and works hard to strengthen educational provision. Well-established systems of analysis and review enable the school to evaluate its performance. For example, recent changes in assessment procedures are helping to raise standards in mathematics because teachers have more precise

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Grade: 1

information about pupils' progress. The school has an excellent capacity to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage, especially in the outdoors.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' achievement is excellent. From above average starting points, pupils make rapid progress and achieve exceptionally well in reading, writing and mathematics by the age of seven. Very high standards have been maintained consistently since the last inspection. In 2006, more than a third of all pupils attained the higher level in national tests in reading. There was a slight dip in the number of more able pupils in mathematics but recent strategies to raise performance have proved effective. The current Year 2 are achieving very well. In the Reception classes, 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Heatherside Infant School, 22 March 2007 children make very good progress in all adult-led activities but their rates of progress are more limited in independent play. This is because they are not always challenged sufficiently. Nevertheless, most reach beyond expected goals by the end of the Reception year.

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Grade: 1

Pupils enjoy school very much and their attendance is above average. They show extremely good attitudes to learning and join in all activities enthusiastically. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Pupils work together effectively and share resources amicably. They behave very well and bullying is rare. Pupils have a very strong moral code and are eager to take care of their school. The school council is keen to ensure that their playground is risk free and that everyone is helped to have playground friends. Council members are making signs for classrooms and corridors to remind pupils about school rules. Pupils feel safe and secure because staff know them extremely well and take very good care of them. They have a very good understanding of healthy lifestyles and eat fruit regularly. Pupils contribute well to charities and respect and value all members of a multi-cultural society. They have shown a keen

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Grade: 1

interest in Sri Lanka following the visit of charity workers.

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Grade: 1

Teaching and learning are outstanding. An excellent ethos for learning has been created and most pupils learn rapidly because activities are challenging and purposeful. Teachers have an excellent understanding of pupils' achievements and know how to improve learning further. In Years 1 and 2, they share development targets very effectively with pupils. Excellent links are made between subjects so that pupils consolidate their knowledge and skills very well. For example, in a history lesson in Year 1, pupils practised their sequencing skills to retell a story about Mary Seacole. High numbers of support staff and volunteers are available to help pupils and, often, there are extensive discussions, which improve pupils' thinking skills. Classroom assistants give very good support to pupils with learning and behavioural difficulties. In the Foundation Stage, adults extend children's knowledge and skills very effectively in very

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Grade: 1

well-planned and focused adult-led activities. All teachers have high expectations about the presentation of pupils' work.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and enhances pupils' personal, social and cultural understanding very effectively. The curriculum has a strong focus on art, music and drama. Beautiful woven wall-hangings made by pupils enhance the entrance hall. In Years 1 and 2, a two-year cycle of topics ensures that there is a varied range of learning experiences. Visits and visitors are an essential part of the curriculum. There are many opportunities for pupils to use information and communication technology in lessons. For example, digital cameras are used frequently to record practical tasks. Very good links are made between subjects to develop pupils' basic skills in literacy and numeracy. Charity work undertaken in India by the deputy headteacher has been used very effectively to increase pupils' knowledge of the Indian sub-continent. A good programme of activities is provided for personal and health education, including after-school

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Grade: 2

5 of 10 Inspection Report: Heatherside Infant School, 22 March 2007 sports activities. In the Foundation Stage, a suitable balance is achieved between independent learning and teacher-directed tasks. However, there are too few curriculum experiences planned for the outdoors.

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Grade: 1

Care, guidance and support are outstanding. The school works very hard to ensure that the needs of every child are taken into account. Risk assessments, health and safety, first aid and child protection procedures are all securely in place. Adults take effective actions to encourage attendance with almost all pupils arriving at school regularly and punctually. Pupils are cared for very well and benefit from high levels of supervision. There are suitable policies to deal with any inappropriate behaviour or bullying. As a result, pupils are happily settled in school and know that staff will deal with any concerns. Good links are made with the several pre-school providers and with the local Junior school, so that transition to the next stage of education occurs smoothly. Academic guidance is excellent. Pupils' progress is tracked very well and very good support is given, including in teachers' marking. The provision for pupils with learning difficulties and

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Grade: 1

disabilities and the gifted and talented is very good and their individual needs are met extremely well. Specialist help is sought, when necessary. The very few pupils speaking English as an additional language achieve as well as their peers because of the good provision, which fully meets their needs.

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher has developed a very effective and committed team of staff and governors who value her expertise and support her aims. The leadership team works hard to sustain its very high academic and pastoral standards over time. Leaders and managers have very good expertise. To identify areas requiring improvement, they use the very comprehensive systems of monitoring which they have developed and thoroughly evaluate the information they collect. Very good attention is given to linking the professional development needs of staff to priorities for improvement. The views of pupils, parents, staff and governors are sought regularly and particularly when changes are being considered. For example, changes to the timing of parents' meetings followed a survey of parental views. The budget is managed very efficiently so that monies are targeted to perceived needs.

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Grade: 1

6 of 10 Inspection Report: Heatherside Infant School, 22 March 2007 .

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Grade: 1

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Heatherside Infant School, 22 March 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? 2 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? 1 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?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 2 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 1 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Heatherside Infant School, 22 March 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Heatherside Infant School, 22 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making me so welcome when I visited your school recently. I enjoyed my visit and finding out about all the interesting things you do each day. I think that your huge pirate ship is wonderful and I am sure that you enjoy playing on it. I think that you go to an excellent school. These are the things I liked most: • you are friendly and very welcoming • you enjoy school very much and work hard in all activities • you achieve very high standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the age of seven • through the school council, you are making a good contribution to the development of your school • your parents and carers support your learning very well. To make your school even better I have asked your headteacher, staff and governors to make sure that, in the Reception classes, the play activities are more interesting, especially when children play outdoors. I hope that you continue to enjoy your time at Heatherside Infant School.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Yours truly, Bernice Magson Lead Inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Heatherside Infant School, 22 March 2007

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