Winterbourne Nursery and Infants' School

Inspection Report Winterbourne Nursery and Infants' School

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101746 Unique Reference Number Croydon Local Authority 299909 Inspection number 18 °19 October 2006 Inspection dates Stephen Long HMI 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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Winterbourne Road School address Infant Type of school Thornton Heath Community School category CR7 7QT 3 °7 Age range of pupils 020 8689 7684 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 020 8689 7684 Fax number 450 Number on roll (school) Ms Mary Takeda Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Tony Ahmet Headteacher 5 July 2004 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 299909 18 °19 October 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

When the school was inspected in July 2004 it was judged to require special measures because it was failing to provide a satisfactory standard of education for its pupils. Her Majesty's Inspectors subsequently visited the school on five occasions. This inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

The school is larger than average. It serves an ethnically diverse area and many of its pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportions of pupils eligible for free school meals and who join or leave during the school year are above average. The proportion with learning difficulties and disabilities is average although fewer than average have a statement of special educational need. The school houses a local authority child development unit (CDU) for up to eight nursery age children with learning difficulties and disabilities. The last two years have seen significant changes in staffing at all levels. The headteacher at the time of the last inspection, left in July 2005, an interim headteacher was appointed in the middle of September until February 2006 and the substantive headteacher was appointed in February 2006 but took up the full time post at the beginning of the summer term 2006. High turnover of other teaching staff was also

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Description of the school

evident in the year after the school was placed in special measures; however staffing is now stable.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Winterbourne Nursery and Infants' School, 18 °19 October 2006

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Grade: 3

In accordance with section 13(4) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures. The school now provides a satisfactory standard of education and has satisfactory capacity to go further. The headteacher has established himself rapidly and, together with the deputy headteacher, has fostered an atmosphere where teamwork is valued and the pace of change has hastened. The majority of parents are pleased with the changes made. There is more focused leadership and management, higher standards and better teaching in Years 1 and 2 and improved provision in the Reception class. Monitoring and evaluation give the school a satisfactory overall picture of strengths and areas for development, nevertheless measurable goals are not always used when setting targets in development plans and evaluating the impact of the school's provision. Standards and achievement are now satisfactory. Pupils join the school with below

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Grade: 3

average attainment and achieve national expectations overall by the time they leave. However their progress is inconsistent; it is satisfactory in the Foundation Stage and good in Years 1 and 2. Boys underachieve in all subjects and year groups. Provision is satisfactory in the Foundation Stage but progress is slower because the children are not given consistently clear objectives for learning or guidance as to how they can improve. In Years 1 and 2 teaching is good and meets the majority of pupils' needs well. The pupils now reach the expected levels in reading and mathematics. Standards in writing are average overall but more able pupils do not always reach the levels they are capable of. Pupils with additional learning needs make satisfactory progress and good provision in the CDU ensures that these pupils make good progress. The school offers a satisfactory curriculum which emphasises raising standards in

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Grade: 3

English and mathematics. Provision for other subjects is satisfactory. The school is starting to link areas of the curriculum so that pupils can apply and strengthen their learning in different contexts, in particular to make it more stimulating for the boys. The pupils' personal development and well-being are satisfactory. The school fosters an atmosphere where all pupils are included and they are learning to understand and respect the cultures of others and to lead healthy and safe lives. They are well cared for, including those who are vulnerable or at risk. Pupils' behaviour and attitudes are satisfactory but some, especially the boys, have difficulty with their behaviour during lessons. On the whole, pupils enjoy school and their attendance has improved and is now broadly average.

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What the school should do to improve further

* Improve achievement in the Foundation Stage through giving children better support and guidance in their learning.* Ensure more able pupils achieve as much as they can in their writing.* Enhance monitoring and evaluation at all levels by making more consistent reference to the measurable impact made on pupils when gauging the success of initiatives and when setting targets for school development. 2 Inspection Report: Winterbourne Nursery and Infants' School, 18 °19 October 2006

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Grade: 3

Children enter the Nursery with below average attainment, especially in their personal and social development and communication, language and literacy. They make steady progress across the Foundation Stage. By the time they leave Reception, attainment is still below that expected nationally. Children's communication and literacy skills remain weak, alongside their emotional development. Achievement in the Nursery is better because teachers organise activities more effectively for the children. Pupils make good overall progress during Years 1 and 2 due to better teaching. Standards have risen. The most recent national assessments and work seen during lessons shows marked improvements in the level of reading and mathematics; these are now in line with national averages. There has been some improvement in the quality of pupils' writing; this is now broadly average overall. However, more able pupils are

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Grade: 3

not always sufficiently challenged and stretched by the work set so do not achieve the higher levels they are capable of.

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Grade: 3

Pupils' spiritual and cultural development are good by the end of Year 2 and they respond positively to opportunities for reflection in assembly. Their moral and social development are satisfactory. Pupils are generally well behaved and do as they are asked. However some, especially boys, find difficulty managing their behaviour which slows their learning in lessons. Children in the Reception classes do not look after resources carefully. Most of the pupils enjoy school as shown through their better attendance, although unauthorised absence is still too high. Pupils feel safe because they know that 'teachers are there to look after us'. Their understanding about healthy lifestyles through 'eating all our vegetables and fruit' and 'having exercise' is satisfactory. Pupils make a satisfactory contribution to their school and community for example through serving on the school council, raising money for charity and

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Grade: 3

sometimes visiting sheltered housing for the elderly. Satisfactory progress in learning and a growing understanding of each other's beliefs and cultures contributes soundly to pupils' preparation for later life and work.

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Grade: 3

In Years 1 and 2 the teachers use assessment information well to plan lessons which meet most pupils' needs; although developing more able pupils' writing is not always considered enough. Objectives for lessons are effectively shared through more interesting strategies, for example where pupils taste bread before writing about it. While some lessons offer a range of ways to learn, including opportunities to develop 3 Inspection Report: Winterbourne Nursery and Infants' School, 18 °19 October 2006 speaking and listening, pupils sometimes spend too long listening to introductions. Most teachers use effective strategies to assess pupils' progress such as questioning, although these are not routinely focused enough to show what pupils really understand. In the Foundation Stage, teaching and learning are satisfactory. Children's needs are generally well met but teachers don't make full use of the information they have about

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Grade: 3

individual children to ensure that each is fully challenged. The teaching in focused activities is satisfactory but does not consistently provide a secure basis for the children's subsequent independent learning. Staff are not always deployed effectively to support both the learning and social needs of the pupils. A significant minority of parents feel they are not getting enough information about their children's learning in order to support them fully at home.

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Grade: 3

In Years 1 and 2 a well planned curriculum in English and mathematics, and satisfactory provision for all other areas, supports good overall achievement and progression. The links between different subject areas are underdeveloped and the school has recognised this. Connections between English and mathematics and other curriculum areas are developing but are not systematic enough to raise standards in key areas such as writing. The curriculum across the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Activities offered cover all the required areas of learning well but child initiated activities, and the resources available, are not always sufficiently focused for effective learning. The school has a satisfactory programme for personal, social, health and citizenship education which builds the pupils' understanding of how to stay safe, healthy and treat each other with respect. A reasonable range of sport-related clubs and activities

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory with some areas of strength. Systems to ensure pupils' safety are secure. All pupils, including those with learning difficulties and those from ethnic minority backgrounds, are cared for and embraced in the life of the school. The guidance given to pupils in order to improve their personal development and learning is satisfactory although variable. In Years 1 and 2, teachers' marking and feedback is good. Year 2 pupils spoke confidently about their targets for improvement in reading, writing and mathematics, reporting that they 'help us know what to do next' and 'show us how well we are doing'. They are beginning to review their own progress which helps them identify what they need to work on. In the Foundation Stage, children do not always receive sufficient guidance on how they can progress. 4 Inspection Report: Winterbourne Nursery and Infants' School, 18 °19 October 2006

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory with areas of strength. The headteacher provides clear direction and high expectations. He is well supported by the deputy headteacher and subject leaders for mathematics and English, and the leaders of Years 1 and 2. Monitoring and evaluation are satisfactory. They accurately identify the areas requiring improvement and inform whole school development planning. However, some planning is not clear enough about how progress will be measured. Some evaluation, for example in relation to pupils' personal development and well-being, is not based on a wide enough range of evidence. The coordination of the Nursery and Reception Years, and of the foundation subjects, is satisfactory although the monitoring of teaching and the pupils' progress is not always used well enough to decide how these areas should be further developed. The governors visit regularly and are supportive. They challenge

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Grade: 3

the school well over its performance in Years 1 and 2. Their capacity to monitor the Foundation Stage is satisfactory but less well developed. The school's accommodation has shortcomings. In particular, outside play space is limited, timetabling for lunches is hampered by the lack of a large enough hall and some classrooms are too cramped. Year 2 pupils have to go too far from their classrooms for breaks. 5 Inspection Report: Winterbourne Nursery and Infants' School, 18 °19 October 2006 .

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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: Winterbourne Nursery and Infants' School, 18 °19 October 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? 3 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?

3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 3 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 3 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: Winterbourne Nursery and Infants' School, 18 °19 October 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: Winterbourne Nursery and Infants' School, 18 °19 October 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Winterbourne Nursery and Infants' School, Winterbourne Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 7QT You may remember me and another inspector coming to the school recently. This letter is to explain what we found and to thank you for your help during our visit, when many of you talked to us about the school and showed us your work. The school was last inspected two years ago and was found not to be doing its best for you but I am happy to say this has now changed. * The teachers work well as a team and are thinking hard about what helps you learn best and are using these ideas to make the school better.* You now make the amount of progress in lessons which we would expect to see and older children do better than many children of the same age in other schools, particularly in reading and mathematics. The girls do better on the whole than the boys.* Your lessons are usually interesting and the teachers and other adults

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

help you in your learning. They are starting to ask you to think about how you can improve too.* Most of you behave well at school and want to come in as often as possible, but some of the boys find it difficult to keep behaving well for a whole lesson.* The school takes good care of you and makes sure you are safe. It also gives you the chance to get involved in helping and we liked the way some of you took the register or have joined the school council. There are also things the school can do better. They are: * for teachers to help the younger children to do better in their learning;* for the teachers and yourselves to work hard to make your writing as good as your reading and mathematics; * for the teachers to check how much difference is made by the new things they try by seeing if they improve your learning. Well done to you all and good luck in the future. Stephen LongHer Majesty's Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Winterbourne Nursery and Infants' School, 18 °19 October 2006

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