Orchard Lea Infant School

Orchard Lea Infant School Inspection report

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116224 Unique Reference Number Hampshire Local Authority 290460 Inspection number 9 °10 July 2007 Inspection dates Anthony Green 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 171 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr S Hawker Chair Mrs A M Pratt Headteacher 15 October 2001 Date of previous school inspection Kennedy Avenue School address Fareham PO15 6BJ

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01329 232563 Telephone number 01329 829237 Fax number

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4-7 Age group 9 °10 July 2007 Inspection dates 290460 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a smaller than average school. Pupils come from a diverse range of social backgrounds. Most pupils are from White British heritage, with few from minority ethnic backgrounds. A third of pupils come from outside the catchment area. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is above average. The proportion with a statement of special educational need is below that found nationally.

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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: Orchard Lea Infant School, 9 °10 July 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school, with many strengths. As one parent perceptively wrote, 'It is a very caring school and we feel that every child is treated as an individual and their needs addressed'. This is echoed by the overwhelming majority of parents and carers, who hold the school in high regard. The headteacher's good leadership gives a clear vision for the school that is shared by all staff. This has led to a consistent approach to teaching and learning in a caring environment. Determined action has been taken to improve the curriculum and the quality of teaching and learning. However, although there is regular monitoring of the quality of teaching it does not identify how teaching can be further improved. Children make a good start to their education in the Foundation Stage. Although attainment is broadly average overall, pupils enter school with skills below expectations for their age in language, literacy and communication. The well managed Foundation Stage curriculum caters

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Grade: 2

well for them and the good teaching ensures children make good progress. They do well in all areas of learning and by the end of the Reception Year, most children are working within or beyond the levels expected for their age. Pupils continue to make good progress and achieve well in Years 1 and 2 because teaching and learning are good. Teachers plan interesting lessons so that pupils are motivated to learn and enjoy taking part. Consequently, standards are above average by the end of Year 2, though the school recognises that more able boys are not achieving as well as they could in reading. Personal development and well-being of pupils are good. Pupils feel safe and secure. Their good behaviour and the friendly atmosphere are strong features of the school. Pupils explained how the 'friendship stop' in the playground is 'used to play with people we don't always play with and it stops us being lonely'. Pupils are considerate towards one another and are polite

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Grade: 2

and engaging when speaking to adults. Attitudes towards learning are good. Pupils have a good understanding of how to live healthily. A group of Year 2 pupils summed this up when enthusiastically singing their 'Healthy Schools Rap', which contains the verse 'sweets are bad for you, water is good, fruit is healthy, so eat it you should'. The school council makes a positive contribution to the running of the school. The curriculum is good. It is enriched in different ways which enhances pupils' enjoyment and creativity and contributes well to their personal development and academic progress, especially in writing, science and mathematics. However, the school recognises the need to plan more opportunities for problem-solving activities in mathematics. Care, guidance and support are good. Throughout the school, the family atmosphere supports pupils' pastoral needs well and helps them to become happy and confident individuals.

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Grade: 2

Relationships are warm, friendly and supportive. Assessment opportunities are used well to plan work for pupils with differing needs. As a result, all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities, make good progress. They are prepared well for the junior school and the world beyond. The school has addressed the issues of the previous inspection well. Leadership and management are good. The school knows its strengths and weaknesses well and has accurately identified the correct priorities for improvement. This is helping it meet its challenging targets. Consequently the capacity to improve is good. 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Orchard Lea Infant School, 9 °10 July 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Increase the opportunities for developing reading across the curriculum, especially for more able boys. ■ Increase the opportunities for problem-solving activities in mathematics.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that monitoring of lessons by senior managers include developmental points to improve the quality of teaching and learning.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' achievement is good. They make good progress throughout the school and achieve standards that are above average overall, particularly in writing, mathematics and science, but average in reading. Good tracking and well targeted support by teaching assistants results in pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities making equally good progress towards their individual targets. The school has rightly identified the teaching of reading for more able boys, and problem solving in mathematics, as areas for future development. There are no underachieving groups.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They develop a very good understanding of spirituality through assemblies and class discussion times. The high quality of the attractive displays also makes a significant contribution to the school's atmosphere and celebrates learning. Pupils are eager to learn and enjoy lessons. One pupil said, 'You get to do fun things that you've never done before, like science. I like everything.' Relationships throughout the school are positive because most pupils are well behaved, friendly, confident and polite. They feel safe because they know that staff are there to look after them and are ready to help if they encounter any difficulties. Pupils contribute well to the school and wider community by sharing opinions in class, helping with a range of tasks, and raising money for charity. They are developing a very good understanding and strong commitment to health

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Grade: 2

through eating sensibly and taking regular exercise. Pupils are eager to learn and enjoy lessons.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. The curriculum and resources have been adapted well to make teaching and learning relevant, enjoyable and engaging. Pupils in Year 1 enjoyed replying to a letter from 'Pirate Pete' and telling him about the fun they have playing on 'Orchard Lea beach' in their imaginative play areas. Pupils are well managed, quick to do as they are asked and eager to learn. They try their best even when some work is occasionally too difficult for some of them. Teachers and support staff make good use of well-focused questions to engage and assess pupils and to move them on to their next stage of learning. Books are well-marked but teachers' comments are not always easy for pupils to read. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make good progress because of the good support they receive from teachers and well-informed teaching assistants. However, teaching assistants are not always fully utilized

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Grade: 2

at the beginning and end of lessons. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Orchard Lea Infant School, 9 °10 July 2007

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and enriched well by visits and visitors. The good links between subjects increases pupils' motivation and enjoyment. This is having a positive impact on their progress and prepares them well for the future. Planned opportunities for literacy and numeracy are good. All classes benefit from interactive whiteboards, which add interest and impact to lessons, although some teachers are still developing confidence in their use. Information and communication technology is used well to support other subjects. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities and very good links with the local sports' college to support physical activities. The Reception curriculum offers a wide range of experiences to stimulate children. As a result of pupils' very good understanding of how to live healthily, the school has gained the enhanced 'Healthy Schools Award'.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. Procedures for ensuring pupils' health and safety are well established and secure. One parent wrote, 'It is a bright and happy environment. All children are consistently praised in educational areas and personal development'. Relationships throughout the school are good. Pupils settle into Reception well because of the very good induction procedures there. The school makes good use of outside agencies to deliver good care and support. Teachers make good use of data to assess and track pupils' progress. Pupils in Years 2 and most pupils in Year 1 know their targets for English and Mathematics and generally find them helpful. These are also shared with parents and carers. Support for individuals and small groups of pupils, in lessons and outside of the class, are very well organized and effective. Consequently all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities,

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Grade: 2

make good progress in their learning and personal development.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides good leadership and is ably supported by her deputy and senior managers. Team work is a strong feature of the school and is focused on raising standards. All teachers are regularly observed but are not always given clear guidance for improving the quality of their teaching. Subject managers have a good understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. Although they monitor teachers' planning and pupils' work, the monitoring of teaching and learning in lessons lacks rigour. The quality of leadership and management in the Foundation Stage is good. Governance is good. The well informed governing body is led by a knowledgeable and experienced chair of governors. The governors bring a good range of skills to the school. They have a good understanding of the strengths and priorities for development and provide good challenge to school leaders.

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Grade: 2

6 of 10 Inspection Report: Orchard Lea Infant School, 9 °10 July 2007 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Orchard Lea Infant School, 9 °10 July 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 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 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Orchard Lea Infant School, 9 °10 July 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: Orchard Lea Infant School, 9 °10 July 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

19 July 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Orchard Lea Infant School,Fareham,PO15 6BJ Thank you for your very friendly welcome when we inspected your school on 9 and 10 July. We enjoyed talking to so many of you and hearing about your work. You and your parents and carers told us that you go to a good school and we agree. What we especially liked was that:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ you work hard in lessons and are particularly successful in writing, mathematics and science

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ you are developing into friendly, polite and confident young people

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ your thoughts and ideas are valued by all staff and so you contribute well to the way the school is run; we enjoyed seeing so many of you receiving certificates in your 'Smile assembly' for helping around the school ■ teaching is good, which is why you do so well in your work

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ the work planned for you is interesting; it is made even better by the visits you go on and the visitors who come to talk to you ■ you are well cared for in school and you feel safe

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ the school is well led by your headteacher, senior staff and governors.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Even in a good school there are things that can be improved. We have asked your school to:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ help you improve in your reading, especially boys

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ help you all to develop your problem-solving skills in mathematics

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ identify how teachers can improve the quality of their teaching so that they can become even better teachers. I wish you every success in the future. Anthony Green Lead Inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Orchard Lea Infant School, 9 °10 July 2007

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