Manor Farm Community Infant School

Manor Farm Community Infant School Inspection report

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110297 Unique Reference Number Buckinghamshire Local Authority 310251 Inspection number 11 December 2007 Inspection date Jo Curd 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 205 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Stephen Pilgrim Chair Mr Tom Dunbar Headteacher 2 February 2004 Date of previous school inspection Rose Avenue School address Hazlemere High Wycombe HP15 7PH 01494 814281 Telephone number 01494 814281 Fax number

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4-7 Age group 11 December 2007 Inspection date 310251 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 an Additional Inspector. The inspector evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated issues relating to standards and achievement, links with some external projects and improvements since the last inspection. These were agreed with the school prior to the inspection. Evidence was gathered from school data, records and documents, discussion with pupils, staff and governors, observation of lessons and parents' questionnaires. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but the inspector found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given its self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

Pupils come to this average-sized infant school from a wide variety of backgrounds. The proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is below average, as are the percentages of pupils with English as an additional language, learning difficulties or disabilities or who come from minority ethnic backgrounds. The school offers extended day care for term time and holidays for its pupils and those from other nearby schools. Children can start at a nursery, which the school runs, in the Spring or Autumn term after they are four years old. They start in the reception class in the Autumn term before they are five. Reorganisation and refurbishment of the school building, notably to develop the Foundation Stage, are ongoing.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: Manor Farm Community Infant School, 11 December 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school where all pupils achieve well. Pupils are happy and enjoy school and learning very much. When asked if there was anything she did not like about school, one pupil replied, 'I don't like it when it is closed'. A parent said, 'My child is extremely happy to be a member of the school'. Leadership and management are good, helping to create the school's positive and caring atmosphere. Several parents commended the headteacher's relationships with pupils. One said that he is '...a shining example of what a teacher should be like' whilst another said 'I feel that Manor Farm offers children a happy, warm and encouraging environment in which they can develop and learn'. Staff work well together. They all want the best for all their pupils and readily implement new ideas to make learning more interesting, relevant and fun. Equality of opportunity is good. Staff and governors know the school well and keenly act to improve any

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Grade: 2

weaknesses. For example, lesson monitoring, which has improved well since the last inspection, showed that a few pupils were not completely engaged in lessons or learning. In response, the school initiated a project to support 'disengaged pupils' and started the '20-20 club' last summer. Leaders and managers do not always ensure that the school sustains and further develops initiatives. Despite its success the '20-20 club' has not yet been started again this year. Also, an initiative for creativity in the curriculum has lost some momentum. Monitoring and evaluation show that these initiatives have contributed to pupils' enjoyment, self-esteem and achievement, however, and have a beneficial, if sporadic, impact. Pupils make good progress as a result of good teaching, effective support and an interesting curriculum By the end of Year 2 standards are well above the national average. In 2007 standards

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Grade: 2

at the end of Year 2 were not quite as high as previous years because these pupils had lower starting points and several had additional needs including learning, emotional, social and behavioural difficulties. Assessments show that all pupils are currently achieving well. Lessons are well planned and well organised. Staff give good support to pupils with additional needs in class and in small groups, which occur frequently around the school. Some pupils successfully develop their learning, confidence and self-esteem through sensitive support and interesting practical activities in the 'Rainbow Road' group. Pupils who learn more quickly or easily make good progress through challenging, interesting activities and the high expectations of staff. Pupils find targets highlighting their next steps for writing very helpful. Specific targets for future learning are less well developed in other subjects. Pupils find verbal feedback from

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Grade: 2

staff helpful and informative. Marking is positive and up to date but does not always indicate how pupils can improve their work further. Pupils enjoy school greatly and are keen to learn. Attendance is above the national average. Pupils find the curriculum interesting and engaging. Several speak very positively about 'philosophy for children' which provides very good opportunities for discussing, asking and exploring some deeper questions in life such as, 'Why are animals kept in cages and we're not?' Pupils are well behaved, polite and considerate. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils are developing good attitudes to health through eating sensibly and vigorous active play. They feel safe because they know staff are there to look after them and that pupils all help to look after each other. Systems to ensure pupils' health and safety are secure. Pupils contribute well to their school and community through discussion, donating toys for 'children

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Grade: 2

in need' and raising money for charity. Because of the well above average standards reached 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Manor Farm Community Infant School, 11 December 2007 in learning, good behaviour, high levels of motivation and the ability to work well with others, pupils are well prepared for later life and learning. There has been good progress since the last inspection. The effective way in which all staff, including leaders and managers, act on recommendations and observations indicate that capacity for further improvement is good.

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Grade: 2

Provision in the Foundation Stage has improved greatly since the last inspection. Staff have received additional training and now understand the needs of young children and the Foundation Stage curriculum well. Children start with a wide range of knowledge, skills and understanding. Overall these are broadly in line with those expected for this age. Due to good teaching and an interesting, practical, engaging curriculum all the children make good progress. By the time children leave their Reception class standards are just above those expected and children are well prepared for Year 1. During the inspection children enjoyed role play in a shop and Father Christmas's workshop, busily made cards for family and friends, used sequencing patterns to build towers and make paper chains and searched for 'signs of winter' outside. Teaching and learning are good, although some opportunities to extend learning are missed, for example,

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Grade: 2

how to use money mathematically in role-play or how to use 'name cards' to develop writing skills. All four classes of the Foundation Stage are now sited together enabling effective staff deployment and a much richer curriculum. Although staff and children use outdoor accommodation well, plans indicate that provision will be even better and easier to use when developments are complete.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve provision by sustaining and developing effective initiatives.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve learning by making sure that marking and activities clearly show pupils how they can extend their learning further. ■ Complete developments to improve the Foundation Stage, especially its outdoor provision. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Manor Farm Community Infant School, 11 December 2007 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: Manor Farm Community Infant School, 11 December 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? 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? 2 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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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 extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 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. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: Manor Farm Community Infant School, 11 December 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 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? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: Manor Farm Community Infant School, 11 December 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

19 December 2007 Dear Children Inspection of Manor Farm Community Infant School,High Wycombe,HP15 7PH Thank you for being so friendly and welcoming when I visited your school recently. I enjoyed being outside with you, eating lunch with some of you and seeing some of your lessons. I agree with you that you have a good school and can see why most of you are so very happy to be there. You all make good progress in your learning because teaching is good, lessons are well organised and activities are interesting. Your personal development, that is, the way you think, behave and relate to others, is also good. Most of you behave very well and are confident, friendly and polite. Your teachers and teaching assistants all work well together. They are kind and care for you all well. They have very good ideas about how to make the school better. I have asked staff to do three things to make your school even better. These are to:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ ensure that helpful projects and schemes, such as the '20-20 club' and creativity targets, are continued and developed ■ ensure that activities and marking clearly show how you can improve your learning further

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ finish developing the Foundation Stage accommodation, especially the outdoor area.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Perhaps you could help by telling staff things that you particularly enjoy or things which really help you in your learning. With best wishes to you and your families, Jo Curd Lead Inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Manor Farm Community Infant School, 11 December 2007

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