Field End Infant School

Field End Infant School Inspection report

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102379 Unique Reference Number Hillingdon Local Authority 307986 Inspection number 22 °23 January 2008 Inspection dates Raminder Arora 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 3 °7 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 381 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Paul Loxton Chair Mrs Dorothy Chappell Headteacher 24 May 2004 Date of previous school inspection Field End Road School address Eastcote Ruislip HA4 9PQ 020 8866 6163 Telephone number 020 8426 2034 Fax number

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3-7 Age group 22 °23 January 2008 Inspection dates 307986 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a larger than average school serving a multicultural area of diverse social backgrounds in Ruislip. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is below average. A high proportion of pupils are from ethnic minorities and the number is rising each year. There are 21 different home languages, the main ones of which are Gujarati, Urdu, Tamil and Polish. A significant number of pupils are at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is about average. The attainment on entry is below average. The school has secured awards such as Healthy Schools Award, Basic Skills-Quality Mark, Active Mark and Investors in People.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Field End Infant School, 22 °23 January 2008

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school where pupils flourish and mature within a supportive and very caring learning environment. The school justifiably enjoys a high level of parental confidence. It is a welcoming and happy place; 'I could not imagine my children in any other school', commented one parent. Inclusion for all is implicit in all that the school does. The school is a thriving and vibrant community where a large proportion of pupils exceed nationally expected levels for their age in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2. In relation to their starting point of below average, pupils make excellent progress to reach above average standards when they leave school. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and those learning English as a new language, excel due to the excellent provision for them. Staff carefully assess and plan for them, and ensure their progress in line with others. The current test results for these pupils,

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Grade: 1

compare favourably as above average, due to the very effective support provided. The youngest children make an excellent start in the Nursery and from a below average start, make exceptionally good progress through the Foundation Stage. The stimulating environment and well-planned activities build firm foundations for children's future learning and personal development. Pupils' personal development is outstanding. They thoroughly enjoy their time in school, and this is reflected in their very positive attitudes to work, and their enthusiasm for learning. One parent wrote, 'My daughter is always excited to attend the school, I am very happy at how well she is doing'. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. They are polite, sociable and very helpful. Pupils are keen to take responsibility for their own learning and know how well they are doing. Pupils feel safe in school because they are extremely well cared for. They understand the need for

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Grade: 1

healthy diets and exercise, and actively participate in the good range of sporting activities on offer. Teaching and learning are outstanding. Teachers go to a great deal of trouble to make learning exciting for the pupils, who agree that 'learning is fun'. The exceptional progress noted in pupils' work confirms this. The curriculum is rich and varied, and pupils are fully absorbed in their learning. Academic assessment is very thorough and used skilfully to identify support and set challenging targets. Pupils respond well to challenge in lessons, and have a good understanding of how well they learn and what more they need to do to improve their work further. The headteacher provides excellent leadership for the school. She has an unfailing ability to spot, nurture and promote the talents of individual staff so that they thrive and fulfil their potential. As a result, senior managers set very high standard in terms of their own classroom

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Grade: 1

practice. They take an active lead in driving standards forward and their role in regularly tracking the progress of pupils enables them to highlight accurately areas of whole school development. For example their ongoing focus on strengthening pupils' speaking and listening skills, and more recently their focus on teaching to improve boys' writing as indicated by the school's recent results. Governors are regular visitors to the school, and know it well. They carry out their strategic role effectively and ask challenging questions. The school has moved forward well since its last inspection and has outstanding capacity for further and continued improvement. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Field End Infant School, 22 °23 January 2008

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Grade: 1

The Foundation Stage gets children off to an excellent start in their education. Children feel safe and happy, because the staff are extremely caring and provide a warm and friendly environment. The many and varied planned activities ensure that children make the best possible progress in all areas of learning. Children enter the Nursery with skills, knowledge and understanding below what is usually found. A very effective use is made of a programme that relates sounds to letter shapes, thereby producing strong learning in reading and writing. Teachers and teaching assistants provide an effective blend of direct teaching and opportunities for children to explore, work independently, and be creative. As a result children make rapid progress and attain broadly average standards by the end of Reception. They enjoy enormously the varied opportunities to extend their learning through the excellent facilities both indoors

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Grade: 1

and outdoors. Children behave extremely well as was evident when they attended the school assembly.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Continue to improve teaching of writing, especially for boys.

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Grade: 1

Pupils meet challenging targets set by the school and show excellent progress in their work. Standards are broadly average on entry to Year 1. By the time pupils leave school at the age of seven, standards in reading and writing are well above the national average and above in mathematics. A slight drop in last year's test results was mainly due to a high number of pupils with learning difficulties. In science, pupils make good progress, reflecting their very positive response to the practical way in which the subject is taught. Pupils of all abilities do well in these subjects. Currently however, a small number of boys show less than expected progress, particularly in writing. The school is aware of this and taking appropriate action to address it. The excellent provision for pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities, and those learning English as a new language, enables them to exceed the expected progress. All staff are well

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Grade: 1

trained to support these groups through clearly planned activities to match their needs.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is outstanding. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary and this supports the calm and purposeful atmosphere in school. Attendance is good. Pupils enjoy school and look forward to each day, as one girl said, 'I like school because teachers always teach us about interesting things'. Pupils show a clear understanding of the need to lead a healthy life-style, particularly relating to exercise and food. They feel safe in school and know who to go to if worried. 'We can use the school's worry box', commented one. Pupils develop a keen sense of responsibility for others through roles undertaken in school, such as playground buddies or corridor monitors. They also have significant influence on school improvement through the school council. One child said, 'We raise money and make the school better'. They also contribute to the wider community by

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Grade: 1

supporting a wide range of charities, for example, Guide Dogs for the Blind. The good acquisition 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Field End Infant School, 22 °23 January 2008 of basic skills and the high levels of co-operative relationship, are laying the ground well for pupils' future economic well-being.

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Grade: 1

Teaching and learning are exceptionally strong because teachers identify the attainment of pupils accurately and plan lessons carefully to meet their needs. Teaching in the lessons seen was consistently good and sometimes outstanding. Pupils' work shows that most are making exceptional progress because of the high quality of teaching. Teachers question skilfully to draw out ideas from pupils, and to involve them in their learning. This generates a secure environment where pupils can investigate and try out new ideas with confidence. By adopting a wide range of methods and using whiteboards very effectively, teachers enable pupils to develop their different styles of learning. Teachers have high expectations of pupils' behaviour and achievement and provide challenges, which are readily accepted by the pupils. The most able and the gifted and talented pupils thrive on the well-planned opportunities to excel. In

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Grade: 1

an outstanding information and communication technology (ICT) lesson, pupils were excited about learning and achieved well due to the' hands on' opportunity, teacher's challenging questioning, and the brisk pace in the lesson. Support staff play a significant role in helping and guiding the learning of pupils of all abilities.

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Grade: 1

The school provides pupils with a broad, balanced and stimulating curriculum, which is carefully designed to respond to their needs, interests and abilities. The planning is comprehensive and makes best use of all resources. Teachers make the best use of pupils' learning time through for example, an afternoon of physical education linked to gymnastics and music which pupils really enjoy. The curriculum is enriched with theme weeks, such as World Week and the Health Week, when pupils can concentrate more intently on one subject enhanced by a variety of activities linking with other subjects. Extra-curricular activities are many and varied and provision is also enriched through the contribution from outside specialists such as dance and drama groups. Popular clubs include singing, drama and French. The school links well with other schools to review and modify programmes, for example, involvement in the National Physical

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Grade: 1

Education for 'Healthy Schools' status and Active Mark. Provision for ICT is good. Pupils are taught a wide range of skills, which they are able to apply well in other subjects.

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Grade: 1

'My child is growing into an articulate and confident boy', wrote a parent. This reflects the quality of care, guidance and support provided by the school. By creating a safe and stimulating learning environment teachers are promoting pupils' health, safety and enjoyable learning. The arrangements for the safeguarding of pupils are rigorous and careful attention is given to the emotional needs of young people. For example, in addition to the nurture group that supports vulnerable youngsters, there is also a and;quot;Seasons for Growthand;quot; group, which supports those who have experienced the loss of someone close to them. Pupils' academic progress is very carefully monitored to ensure that each child, including those with learning 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Field End Infant School, 22 °23 January 2008 difficulties, make the best possible progress. Pupils have individual targets and they are aware

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Grade: 1

of how well they are doing because teachers' marking is constructive and shows them how well they have done and what they need to learn next. The school works in close co-operation with parents and outside agencies so that additional support can be provided where and when it is needed.

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Grade: 1

Leaders and managers at all levels share and promote an ethos in which the success of every child is at the heart of the work of the school. The headteacher provides excellent leadership and has created an innovative leadership team, which effectively monitors the work of the school and establishes clear priorities for development. Leaders have created a common sense of purpose amongst all staff and this is reflected in the consistency of their approach in implementing the school's policies. Senior managers set a good example for other staff through their own high standards of classroom practice. Procedures for self-evaluation include all staff and governors and as a result there is an excellent understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses and the priorities for development. All members of the school community have opportunities to express their views and these are carefully analysed and taken into account

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Grade: 1

when finalising the school improvement plan. The school is highly committed to extending the skills and knowledge of all staff through a comprehensive programme of training. Excellent links have been established with many educational organisations to support the work of the school. Governors are fully committed to their role. They are forward thinking and play a key part in developing the school's strategic direction. A good example is their well-informed decision to spend on a brand new ICT suite to further pupils' learning. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Field End Infant School, 22 °23 January 2008 .

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Grade: 1

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Field End Infant School, 22 °23 January 2008

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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? Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 1 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

1 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 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 extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 The behaviour of learners 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Field End Infant School, 22 °23 January 2008

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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 1 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Field End Infant School, 22 °23 January 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

01 February 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Field End Infant School,Ruislip,HA4 9PQ On behalf of the inspectors I would like to thank you very much for welcoming us to your school and telling us about all the good things you enjoy about your school, especially 'learning to read and the climbing frame'. We really enjoyed meeting you, talking to you and looking at all your work. We think your school is excellent. This is what we like about your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your school is welcoming and friendly.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You enjoy going to school immensely and eagerly participate in all activities.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Children in the Nursery and Reception classes get off to a great start.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Teachers make your learning fun, which is why you are all making such good, progress.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We were very impressed by how well you all behave and how much you enjoy being at Field End School. ■ You show an excellent understanding of how to be fit and healthy.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your school is very well run by the headteacher and other senior staff.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ All staff know you very well and take extremely good care of you.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Everyone at school looks after you well, so that you are safe and happy.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We think that everyone in the school works well together as a team, and your parents are very pleased. ■ Mrs Chappell, all the staff and the governors, know what they want the school to be like and work hard together to make it a happy place for you to learn and play. Here is one thing that we think would make your school even better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your teachers are very pleased with your progress, but they would like some boys to reach higher levels in their writing. I hope that you go on enjoying all the things that you do at your school. With best wishes, Raminder Arora Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Field End Infant School, 22 °23 January 2008

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