Honeywell Infant School

Inspection Report Honeywell Infant School

p.1

101012 Unique Reference Number Wandsworth Local Authority 298241 Inspection number 10 °11 January 2007 Inspection dates Gill Close HMI Reporting inspector

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Honeywell Road School address Infant Type of school Battersea Foundation School category London SW11 6EF 3 °7 Age range of pupils 020 7228 6811 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 020 7738 9101 Fax number 334 Number on roll (school) Mr Terry Dignam Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Ms Jane Neal Headteacher 7 February 2000 Date of previous school inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 298241 10 °11 January 2007 3°7 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and two Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

This is a large infant school with full-day and half-day nursery provision. It shares a large Victorian building with the junior school that most children move on to. Two thirds of children are of White British heritage, and almost one fifth of White European origin, with the rest coming from a wide range of other ethnic backgrounds. While one fifth of the children speak a first language other than English, only a few are at an early stage of learning English. The percentage of children from high social class backgrounds is well above average, with a low percentage eligible for free school meals. The proportions of children with learning difficulties and disabilities, and with statements of special educational need, are broadly average. Children's attainment on entry when they join the school in the Nursery or Reception varies but is above average overall.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Honeywell Infant School, 10 °11 January 2007

p.3

Grade: 2

The school provides a good standard of education with outstanding features. It is a happy school where the head's clear vision for improvement is shared by the staff who work together well. Children make good progress and reach exceptionally high standards. The excellent care enables children's personal development and well-being to be outstanding. The curriculum in the Nursery is excellent; there is an outstanding range of activities both indoors and out that excite and stimulate children's learning. One parent wrote, 'the variety of activities on offer to children and the imaginative ideas the teachers are constantly coming up with are amazing'. The activities and teaching in the Nursery and Reception help children reach high standards in personal, social and emotional development, the use of language for communication and thinking, and creative development. These strong areas are built on well throughout the school, for example through philosophy lessons and

p.4

Grade: 2

cross-curricular work, so that children maintain high standards in them. They also reach high standards overall, which are strongest in reading and mathematics and prepare them well for the future. The school's astute analysis of performance in 2006 identified some relative weaknesses in linking sounds and letters, and boys' writing. The changes it set up, including enhanced teaching of phonics, have already yielded improvements. All groups of children make at least good progress; achievement and standards are good. Children really enjoy coming to school, where the atmosphere is very warm and welcoming. They all get on well together and feel very safe. The strong mutual respect between staff and children and the well-tailored care help all children to do well. The strong support for children with learning difficulties and disabilities who are most needy enables them to do very well. Academic guidance is supported by a recently

p.4

Grade: 2

introduced assessment system which has improved consistency in judging attainment. The school has recognised the need to continue to increase consistency so that the progress of all individuals and groups may be tracked more accurately. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers and assistants work well together. Work is planned carefully following assessment of children's progress. However, sometimes children listen for long periods and do not spend enough time on active learning or on work that challenges them. The curriculum is good. It is broad with many strengths that could be extended through greater access to outdoor activities in Reception and more time overall for physical education. Leadership and management are good. Honest and accurate self-evaluation has identified appropriate areas for development that have contributed to many improvements. Nevertheless, plans could benefit from a more consistent evaluation

p.4

Grade: 2

of teaching quality across subjects and identifying priorities. The good quality of evaluation, improvements in standards and progress in all areas raised in the last inspection show a good capacity for continued improvement. 2 Inspection Report: Honeywell Infant School, 10 °11 January 2007

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

• use lesson time more effectively to challenge all children • enhance the accuracy of assessment and tracking to raise progress • use monitoring and evaluation more effectively to increase consistency in provision and identify priorities.

p.5

Grade: 2

Achievement and standards are good. Children join the school with above average attainment. They make good progress and attain exceptionally high standards by the end of Year 2. These are higher for girls than boys, particularly in writing. Standards have continued to improve and meet targets. Children get off to a particularly good start in the Nursery and, by the end of Reception their standards are above average overall, and particularly high in personal, social and emotional development, the use of language for communication and thinking, and creative development. These strengths are built on throughout the school, so that standards in them remain high throughout Key Stage 1. The school's astute analysis of the 2006 results identified some relative weaknesses in linking sounds and letters. It immediately enhanced phonics teaching in Reception and Year 1, which has already yielded improvements in writing.

p.5

Grade: 2

All groups of children make at least good progress. The school has rightly identified some disparity in attainment. It is slightly lower amongst children eligible for free school meals or from non-White minority ethnic groups. Children of White European heritage who were at early stages of learning English when they joined the school do particularly well. Children with learning difficulties and disabilities make good progress and those who are the most needy receive additional help which enables them to make very good progress.

p.5

Grade: 1

Children's personal development is outstanding, and this helps them to achieve well. Their spiritual and social development is outstanding. The newly introduced philosophy sessions, for example, offer children excellent opportunities to think about life's bigger issues, and children respond very positively to this. 'I like questions with no right or wrong answers', said one. By the end of Reception they reach extremely high standards in personal, social and emotional development. Children enjoy coming to school very much and their attendance is above national levels. They get on very well together and with staff and are generally sensitive to others' feelings. The majority of children behave very well although a few have some difficulties in maintaining good behaviour. 3 Inspection Report: Honeywell Infant School, 10 °11 January 2007 Children agree strongly that they feel very secure at school and know what to do if

p.5

Grade: 1

they have any problems. Racial harmony is good. Children have an outstanding understanding of how to eat healthily, and almost all make very healthy choices in their food. Parents work very closely with the school on this, sending in nutritious and well-balanced packed lunches. Although children have an excellent capacity for taking on responsibility and making decisions, the lack of a school council at present means they have no formal channel through which to make their voice heard and influence the work of the school. The school is in the process of setting this up. Children's excellent social skills and their high standards in the basic skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) will be of great value to them in their future lives.

p.6

Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Some outstanding teaching was seen in the Nursery. Teachers and assistants know children well and assess their work accurately each lesson. This information is used effectively to plan work that matches children's needs. Nevertheless, there is room for even greater consistency in building well on previous learning and ensuring that the more able children are always given challenging work. Teachers explain the purpose of lessons well and this helps children to know what they are learning. Teachers extend children's thinking and explanation skills through effective questioning. They use the visual impact of interactive whiteboards successfully to engage children in their learning. The school's monitoring of teaching identified that children sometimes listened on the carpet for long periods and did not spend enough time actively engaged in learning. This has improved to some extent, but is

p.6

Grade: 2

still a useful focus for development. Children work hard and are keen to learn. In the context of the strong mutual respect between staff and children which so successfully underpins all of the school's work, children's contributions are valued and praised. Teachers work well with support staff, who provide good support in and out of the classroom for children with learning difficulties and disabilities, and in particular those with statements of special educational need. Parents are well involved in their children's learning, for example through communicating with teachers about their progress in reading.

p.6

Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. It is outstanding in the Nursery where a very wide range of well-planned activities is provided using constructively all available space. They comprise a very good balance of adult led and children's chosen activities. In Reception classes, where children have restricted access to the outdoor area, the curriculum is good. The school's recently introduced transition project of integrated activities in Year 1 builds 4 Inspection Report: Honeywell Infant School, 10 °11 January 2007 a good bridge from Reception to Year 2. Children who are at an early stage of learning English are given work which is well matched to their needs and they benefit from good support. Provision in ICT and science has improved, and an increased emphasis on healthy eating is successfully encouraging children to develop healthy lifestyles. Nonetheless, children are not currently receiving two hours of physical education each week. Cross

p.6

Grade: 2

curricular links are well established in many subjects such as through drama activities related to the geography topic of deserts. The school has expanded its use of drama and other strategies to further improve children's phonic and handwriting skills, and boy's writing; they have already led to improvements in writing this year. The philosophy lessons are helping to raise children's comprehension, thinking and questioning skills. Children participate in and enjoy a good range of enrichment activities. These include many visits and visitors, and weeks devoted to themes such as books or the environment. The school offers a sound range of after school clubs which are run by outside specialists. The take up of these activities is satisfactory and the school is rightly broadening the range this term with girls' sports activities.

p.7

Grade: 1

The quality of the school's care, guidance and support is outstanding, providing children with an environment in which they feel safe and well supported. Pastoral care is warm and welcoming and parents are very pleased with the provision for their children. 'It is a hugely happy, supportive and caring environment', said one. The school knows all its children very well and is successful in meeting their individual academic and personal needs. As a result most children meet or exceed challenging targets in their learning. Procedures for child protection, risk assessment and safeguarding children are thorough, well organised and well known to staff. The school works very closely with parents and with support services to help children and their families where needed. Academic guidance is good and helps children to understand how well they are doing and what they need to do next to improve. When children join the school, it identifies

p.7

Grade: 1

those who are at risk of underachievement and provides tailored support for them. The school has recently introduced an electronic system for recording attainment and tracking progress each term. This has improved consistency in judging attainment but there are still some inconsistencies. The school has rightly prioritised further improvement in consistency of assessment and the smarter tracking of progress of groups. The newly introduced targets for each attainment group in reading, writing, mathematics and personal development are helpful in focusing planning and assessment to support good progress. The school plans to develop these to help children use them more easily and ensure they are all challenging. 5 Inspection Report: Honeywell Infant School, 10 °11 January 2007

p.7

Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The head leads the school well. Her clear vision for high standards and inclusion is shared by staff, who work well together in a happy environment. Self-evaluation is collaborative and honest. It has led to a very accurate view of the school, including the recognition that the system would benefit from more structured involvement of children, parents and staff. Since the last inspection, monitoring has improved across all subjects. Subject leaders have concentrated on evaluating performance, planning and curriculum; there is room for a greater focus on using lesson observations to raise teaching quality. They have identified well some key areas for development in their action plans and the school's plan includes the important issues. It has underpinned good improvement, although it could benefit from identifying priorities and specifying more measurable success criteria.

p.8

Grade: 2

Governors know the strengths and areas for development in the school. They are closely involved in its work and have initiated improvements, such as in healthy eating. They monitor and challenge areas of the school's performance and are developing a more strategic role in identifying priorities. The race equality policy is in place and results are analysed by ethnic group and acted upon. However, there is not an action plan or published report on the policy's impact. The school's partnership with parents is good and leads to enhanced learning. Parents welcome the weekly curricular information in Reception and Year 1, which they would value extended across the school. They find the examples of work in the Foundation Stage reports informative, but the reports do not include sufficiently clear information on overall attainment. 6 Inspection Report: Honeywell Infant School, 10 °11 January 2007 .

p.8

Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 Inspection Report: Honeywell Infant School, 10 °11 January 2007

p.9

Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.10

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

p.10

Achievement and standards

2 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 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

p.10

learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 2 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

p.10

and interests of learners?

1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.10

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 Inspection Report: Honeywell Infant School, 10 °11 January 2007

p.10

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 Inspection Report: Honeywell Infant School, 10 °11 January 2007

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for you friendly welcome when we visited your school. We enjoyed talking to you and seeing you in lessons. You told us that your school is a good school and we agree. You make good progress and reach very high standards. This is because your teachers and helpers give you interesting lessons and you work hard. In some lessons, you spend a long time listening so you do not have enough time to do work that makes you think hard. We agree with your teachers' plans to improve this. In the Nursery you do very exciting activities. The adults in the school look after you extremely well and you all get on very well together. You told us that you feel very safe and really enjoy coming to school. It is a very happy place. You know a lot about being healthy and make very healthy choices for lunch. You think well about important issues, for example in philosophy lessons. Your teachers check how you are

p.12

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

getting on so they can help you do better. They are planning ways to make this even more helpful and we agree that it is important. The headteacher and staff know how well the school is doing and are good at making improvements. You can help them to make the school even better by thinking as hard as you can when you are working. We hope you continue to have a very enjoyable and successful time at school. Best wishes Gill Close Her Majesty's Inspector 10 Inspection Report: Honeywell Infant School, 10 °11 January 2007

p.12