Buntingsdale Primary School and Nursery

Inspection Report Buntingsdale Infant School

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123397 Unique Reference Number Shropshire Local Authority 292647 Inspection number 24 January 2007 Inspection date Alison Cartlidge 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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Buntingsdale Park School address Infant Type of school Tern Hill Community School category Market Drayton TF9 2HB 3 °7 Age range of pupils 01630 638370 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01630 638971 Fax number 54 Number on roll (school) Di Lea Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Hilary Alcock Headteacher 23 September 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 292647 24 January 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Most pupils come from the adjacent army base, with up to a quarter coming from homes in the surrounding area. The school has a high turnover of pupils because of frequent changes of families on the army base. As a result, many pupils join the school after the Nursery class or leave before the end of Year 2. The number of pupils taking free school meals is below average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is above average. Attainment on entry to the Nursery class is below average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Buntingsdale Infant School, 24 January 2007

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school with good provision for children in the Nursery and Reception Years. The headteacher manages the constant change of pupils smoothly so that parents and pupils feel welcome. Pupils' achievement is satisfactory because teaching and learning are satisfactory. Children are given a good start to their education in the Nursery and Reception classes and by the start of Year 1 most are working within the levels expected for their age. In these classes, good teaching and an exciting curriculum enable children to make rapid progress and to become inquisitive and independent. Standards by the end of Year 2 are below average in most years. This represents satisfactory progress in Years 1 and 2 because many pupils arrive after the Reception Year and their standards on joining the school are often below average. Satisfactory teaching and learning in these year groups make pupils' progress slower

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Grade: 3

than in the Nursery and Reception classes. More able pupils, in particular, are not always expected to complete hard enough work. When work is not challenging enough, pupils' attention can wander and their rate of progress slows. Pupils with learning difficulties are identified quickly and supported well by teaching assistants. A good curriculum for pupils of all ages provides a wide range of interesting topics. Safe and healthy living is emphasised especially well. As a result, pupils have a good understanding of the importance of these issues. Members of staff are friendly and approachable. Consequently, pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Most pupils behave well and work with each other sensibly, although a few older pupils do not behave as well as they should throughout lessons. Members of staff are good humoured and amusing comments are used well to maintain the pupils' interest. The

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Grade: 3

regular peals of laughter demonstrate the pupils' good enjoyment of school. Care, guidance and support are only satisfactory because in Years 1 and 2, information on how well pupils are doing is not collected often enough or used sufficiently well to ensure that pupils are always given work that builds on what they already know. The consequence of this is that the guidance to pupils to help them to improve their work is not always clear enough. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher and governors have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses, although the monitoring of pupils' progress is not rigorous enough to check that all pupils do equally well. Subject leaders are developing their roles well. They are aware of the need to become more involved in monitoring pupils' progress so that school development planning can be more closely focused on raising standards.

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Grade: 3

Parents are pleased that their children come to this school. One parent summed up the view of many others by saying, 'The school has made my child feel very welcome since he arrived and he loves to be at school'. 2 Inspection Report: Buntingsdale Infant School, 24 January 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the rate of progress of pupils in Years 1 and 2 by ensuring that teaching always challenges the more able pupils and consistently meets pupils' differing needs. • Increase the rigour in monitoring pupils' progress to check that all pupils are learning well enough, and use this information to ensure that school development planning has a clear focus on raising standards. • Ensure that all pupils are given clear guidance, based on assessment of their progress, to help them to improve their work.

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory, although overall standards are below average. Children make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes in all areas of learning. By the time they start in Year 1, standards are broadly in line with the levels expected for this age group. Children are especially good at taking the initiative in their learning and co-operating with each other because members of staff promote these skills exceptionally well. Standards by the end of Year 2 are below average in reading, writing, mathematics and science, although pupils make satisfactory progress from the time they join the school. In some lessons in Years 1 and 2, more-able pupils do not always make sufficient progress. This is because the work they are given does not consistently build on what they have already learnt. Pupils with learning difficulties make satisfactory progress towards their individual targets.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy school and develop good social skills. They are polite and friendly and talk happily to visitors. A particular strength is the way that children in the Nursery and Reception classes take responsibility for their own learning by choosing what they are going to do at the start of each day. This is highly effective and demonstrates the children's very good levels of independence. Throughout the school, pupils play together happily at playtimes and support each other well in lessons. Behaviour is satisfactory. In the Nursery and Reception classes, children consistently behave well and try hard in all their work. In Years 1 and 2, a few pupils do not always listen well enough and they sometimes call out answers, slowing the pace of learning. Although attendance is below average, this is due to parents taking term times holidays when they are on leave from the army. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils develop a good

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Grade: 2

understanding of right and wrong and learn to consider the needs of others by raising funds for charities. Throughout the school, pupils happily contribute to the community by being 'monitors' or being part of 'task groups' that make suggestions for improvements in the school. Pupils know how to stay safe and healthy. They enjoy 3 Inspection Report: Buntingsdale Infant School, 24 January 2007 eating fruit at playtime and explain how they need to be careful when crossing the main road. Pupils make satisfactory progress in developing the basic skills required for the next stage of their education.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are good in the Nursery and Reception classes. Activities are well planned and are carefully matched to children's needs, extending their understanding and skills effectively. Skilled adults provide calm and sensitive support to children. They successfully consolidate children's learning and promote new ideas. There are odd occasions when questioning is not used fully to ensure that all children are challenged. Children try hard, behave well and learn quickly because activities are fun. In Years 1 and 2, lessons are well resourced, with good use being made of information and communication technology to support learning. For example, a slide show in a geography lesson was used well to explain how bananas are transported. Teaching assistants give good support to groups of pupils, especially those with learning difficulties, enabling them to be fully involved in lessons. The school is developing the

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Grade: 3

few aspects of teaching in Years 1 and 2 that need further improvement. For example, it is aware that work does not always provide enough challenge, particularly for more-able pupils. It also recognises that there is an inconsistent approach to how pupils are asked to behave during whole-class discussions. When behaviour is not managed well enough, the pace of learning slows.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum supports learning well in the Nursery and Reception classes. Adults plan an imaginative and exciting range of activities that make good use of both the indoor and outdoor areas. There is a good balance between work chosen by the children and that led by the teacher. This good balance of activities helps to ensure that differing needs are met well. In Years 1 and 2, the curriculum helps pupils to build steadily on what they have already learnt, although work does not always take enough account of the needs of more-able pupils. The school has received an award from the local authority for promoting healthy living. This reflects the high priority given to teaching pupils about staying safe and healthy. There is a good range of visits and visitors to introduce new skills to pupils. Pupils particularly enjoy the weekly sports club which gives them good opportunities to try out new sports such as tag rugby, hockey and tennis.

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Grade: 2

4 Inspection Report: Buntingsdale Infant School, 24 January 2007

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Grade: 3

The school cares for pupils and supports their personal development well. This ensures that pupils feel happy and safe at school. There are good arrangements to help new pupils settle well into school when they arrive. As one pupil said, 'I quickly made new friends and was given lots of help by the grown-ups when I first got here'. There are good links with outside agencies such as the health visitor. These help to safeguard the well-being of pupils. Academic support is satisfactory. In the Nursery and Reception classes, children's learning is carefully assessed and this information is used to identify the next stage of learning for each child. In Years 1 and 2, pupils' learning is assessed but this is not always done frequently enough to ensure that work is pitched at just the right level for all pupils. Consequently, teachers do not always tell pupils clearly enough what they need to do next to improve their performance. Throughout the school, teachers

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Grade: 3

identify pupils with learning difficulties quickly and set clear targets for their improvement.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher has a good understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. Perceptive monitoring of teaching enables her to provide training for all members of staff relevant to their needs. For example, 'chatting chums' have recently been introduced as a way of supporting pupils in planning their writing. She manages the day-to-day running of the school well and parents especially appreciate her friendly welcome in the mornings and the way she is always available to listen to them. One parent spoke for many by saying that 'parents are made to feel very welcome, and I would be happy to approach any member of staff'. Self-evaluation is mostly accurate, although the school is less confident about assessing pupils' achievement and progress than other areas of its work. This is because, whilst members of staff know pupils' individual needs well, they do not have a clear enough picture of how well pupils do over time in each subject. New members of staff are

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Grade: 3

being supported and trained thoroughly and the school demonstrates a satisfactory capacity to improve. New subject leaders are keen to raise standards by becoming more involved in monitoring pupils' progress and teaching and learning. Members of staff prepare a detailed development plan each year but this is insufficiently focused on raising standards. Governance is satisfactory. Because of the unusual circumstances of the school's intake, there is a very high turnover of parent governors. New governors are supported well by the school's own training programme. More experienced governors are aware of the need to become more proactive in holding the school to account. 5 Inspection Report: Buntingsdale Infant School, 24 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: Buntingsdale Infant School, 24 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? 2 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 3 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?

3 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: Buntingsdale Infant School, 24 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: Buntingsdale Infant School, 24 January 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for welcoming us to your school and for showing us your work. We are pleased that you enjoy coming to this school, which provides you with a satisfactory education. This means that we found some good things in your school and also some things that need improving. • Here are some other things about you and your school: • You are taught well and learn quickly in the Nursery and Reception classes. We especially like the way that you plan what you are going to do when you get to school each morning. • Most of you behave well and you are good at helping others. • Teachers work hard to make lessons interesting. • You enjoy the additional activities such as visits and visitors. The sports club helps you to try out new things. • All adults in school are kind and caring and we are very pleased that they help you to settle so quickly when you are new. • Your headteacher and other teachers are working together well and know how to make

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

your school even better. • Your parents and carers are pleased that you come to this school. • What we have asked your school to do now: • Help teachers to give you work that is pitched at the right level for you so that you make faster progress in Years 1 and 2. • Be more thorough in checking how well you are doing so that improvements can be planned and made quickly. • Give you clear guidance to help you to take more responsibility for improving your work. • How you could help: • Make sure that you always listen to the teachers and put your hand up when asked a question. We thoroughly enjoyed talking with you about your work and watching you learn. We wish you all well for the future. We hope you continue to help your teachers by working hard and trying your best. 9 Inspection Report: Buntingsdale Infant School, 24 January 2007

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