St Clement's and St John's Church of England Infant School

St Clement's and St John's Church of England Infant School Inspection report

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113839 Unique Reference Number Bournemouth Local Authority 311397 Inspection number 21 °22 April 2008 Inspection dates Peter Sudworth 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 Voluntary aided School category 4 °7 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 205 School The governing body Appropriate authority Elizabeth Spreadbury Chair Stephen Orman Headteacher 24 May 2004 Date of previous school inspection St Clement's Road School address Boscombe Bournemouth BH1 4DZ 01202 393570 Telephone number 01202 309287 Fax number

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4-7 Age group 21 °22 April 2008 Inspection dates 311397 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school is linked to a neighbouring junior school in a federation under the leadership of one headteacher. It has three Reception classes and five other classes of mixed age. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals is higher than the national average. Just over one third of the pupils are from minority ethnic groups and just over one quarter of these speak a language other than English as their first language. One half of these pupils are at an early stage of learning English. The school has gained several awards, including Healthy Schools and Basic Skills awards.

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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: St Clement's and St John's Church of England Infant School, 21 °22 April 2008

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Grade: 2

St Clement's and St John's CE Infant School is a good school. It provides a welcoming, attractive and friendly environment where every child receives good attention. The positive learning environment, combined with good teaching and well- planned activities, facilitates the good progress that most pupils make in reaching broadly average standards. However, pupils do not always know how they can improve their work and what the next steps are for them in different aspects of learning. The children get off to a good start in the Foundation Stage, make good progress and build up their confidence and self-esteem well. They quickly learn to be considerate to other children. Staff are very caring. Excellent links are maintained with other professionals, and the provision for pupils' well-being is outstanding. Consequently, pupils have much confidence in the staff and they feel very secure in school. Pupils make very good friendships

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Grade: 2

with other children and enjoy school. The school works particularly well with parents in seeking their cooperation in the joint partnership in their children's education, although some parents do not readily respond. Parents praise the time that the staff give to their children and to their families. The school has adapted well to meet the diverse needs of pupils as a result of the population changes in the local community. Nevertheless, staff acknowledge that they still require further skills in teaching pupils who are very new to learning the English language. As one parent comments, 'Staff are having to deal with an increasing percentage of children whose primary language is not English, but they still achieve. Whenever we visit the school 'at work', children are focused, disciplined and actively encouraged to participate.' Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and as a result, they engage

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Grade: 2

well in lessons, lunchtimes and in after-school activities. They work and play cooperatively and have a good understanding of living safely and healthily. Pupils acquire a satisfactory range of skills for the next stage of their education. They develop a good appreciation of the needs of others and have a good understanding about their local community through visiting the elderly and making visits to local businesses. Leadership and management are good. The governing body provides good support as they know the school well. The headteacher and senior staff set a very pleasant atmosphere where pupils know that their contributions are valued. The Christian principles on which the school is founded are very apparent, for example in the sincerity and good quality of assemblies and in the encouragement of good relationships among all who work in the school. The school is adapting well to changing circumstances in the area and has made good progress since the last

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Grade: 2

inspection. The good quality of teaching and the commitment of the staff demonstrate a good capacity to improve further.

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Grade: 2

Children make good progress in the Foundation Stage from their well below expected attainment on entry, although most do not quite reach average levels by the end of the Reception. They quickly adjust to routines and develop good levels of independence. The programme of work imaginatively appeals to the children's interests and fulfils requirements. Staff work together very well as a team under the good direction of the Foundation Stage leader. However, whilst there is a good balance of child-initiated activities and those directed by the adults, the staff 4 of 11 Inspection Report: St Clement's and St John's Church of England Infant School, 21 °22 April 2008 do not always plan the use of the external environment well enough as an extension to the classroom. Assessments of the children's progress are regular, which helps staff to plan the children's future work. Staff build up a careful evidence base of children's progress which assists

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Grade: 2

their assessments. Teachers place a good emphasis on the teaching of reading and early writing and mathematical skills, which supports the children's good progress.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Assist the staff to develop better skills in teaching pupils who have very little English so these pupils grasp English more confidently. ■ Make better use of the outside area as a teaching resource in the Foundation Stage.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Enable pupils to know better how they can improve their work and understand the next steps in their learning so they reach higher standards in their work.

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Grade: 2

Pupils achieve well. Children's attainment on entry is well below that typically found, particularly in their social development, communication and language skills and in mathematical understanding. Several have recently arrived from abroad with little or no English. The pupils make good progress, in the main. In 2007, one third of the Year 2 group of pupils had difficulties in reading and writing, but despite this, the pupils reached broadly average standards in national assessments. Current Year 2 pupils are making good progress overall. The school's checks on pupils' progress suggest that results will improve on those of 2007. Pupils who have difficulties in their learning make good progress because of the attention provided for their individual needs. Bilingual pupils make rates of progress similar to those of other pupils. Those who are learning to speak English make only satisfactory progress because the provision for these pupils

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Grade: 2

Pupils show good attitudes to their work and most behave well. They are keen to please. They enjoy school and take part enthusiastically in the extra-curricular activities. They particularly enjoy sport and the choir, which sings to elderly people in the community. The school council's suggestions have helped to improve playground arrangements and some pupils have recently been trained to resolve minor disputes at playtimes. Pupils eat healthily, for example by eating fruit and vegetables, and understand about personal safety, such as not talking to strangers. They take part reverently in acts of worship and clearly know what is right and wrong. They show a healthy respect for one another's cultures and beliefs and get along well together. Attendance is slightly below average, despite the school's best efforts. Pupils have a good understanding of the needs of others and raise money to sponsor children's education in poor

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Grade: 2

countries abroad. Learners develop satisfactory skills for their future economic well-being.

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Grade: 2

Teachers value pupils' work by displaying it attractively. They have pleasant relationships with pupils and manage them well. They maintain a good working environment so that pupils use 5 of 11 Inspection Report: St Clement's and St John's Church of England Infant School, 21 °22 April 2008 their time profitably. The staff have worked hard and increasingly successfully to organise learning for the mixed-age classes. Good planning ensures that activities are matched carefully to pupils' different needs. Teaching assistants are used effectively so that pupils are helped to focus on and understand their tasks. Marking is up to date, but it is not always used well enough to help pupils to improve their work; pupils do not benefit enough from their mistakes. The teaching of music is a particular strength and pupils thoroughly enjoy singing. Staff make good use of modern technology to share the aims of lessons with the pupils and to prepare examples

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Grade: 2

for the class activities. This good preparation speeds up the flow of lessons. Staff are still learning how best to teach pupils who are at an early stage of learning English.

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Grade: 2

Statutory requirements are met. The school adds a good range of extra activities to those provided in lessons, such as music and sport, which assist pupils' good all-round development. The provision for pupils who find reading and writing difficult is good and meets these pupils' specific needs well. The arrangements for pupils whose first language is other than English is satisfactory and developing. The school has done much to review its English curriculum. New schemes to help pupils learn their letter sounds and to improve their reading are showing positive results but in some lessons, worksheets restrict pupils' own efforts to develop their writing. Visits to local businesses, such as the supermarket, the church and other local places of interest, add new experiences for many pupils. The personal, social and health education curriculum is very good and responsive to the pupils' emotional and social needs.

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Grade: 2

Pastoral arrangements are outstanding. All staff work together as a team to ensure the best care provision for the pupils and undertake regular training on child protection matters. The provision for safeguarding pupils is very thorough. Staff quickly identify any learners at risk. Arrangements to ensure there are good links with families and their children help to ensure their well-being. The school works extremely effectively with other professions in support of the children and their families. Health and safety matters are implemented thoroughly and, as a result, the school provides a safe and supportive environment which supports pupils' good achievement. The school considers the needs of looked after children particularly well. A nurture group for vulnerable pupils operates very successfully. Attendance is monitored thoroughly. Certificates for regular attendance have helped to boost attendance for some, but have not

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Grade: 2

yet ensured that all pupils attend regularly. Pupils know their learning targets, but these are not always clear enough in helping them to move on in their learning. Tracking systems to check on progress are newly designed and so it is still too early to judge their impact.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher and senior staff set a very harmonious atmosphere and staff are prepared to 'go the extra mile' for the pupils' benefit. Subject leaders monitor teaching and learning regularly. Staff feel supported through this process. There is a whole school effort to do the best for each 6 of 11 Inspection Report: St Clement's and St John's Church of England Infant School, 21 °22 April 2008 pupil. As a result, the staff work well together and are keenly motivated. Good systems enable the school to evaluate its performance accurately, to build on its strengths further and to work to remedy its weaknesses. For example, following careful analysis, changes to the provision in English have resulted in more systematic teaching of letter sounds and reading, which are resulting in greater success in these aspects. The school recognises that staff's expertise needs to be developed further to cope more effectively with pupils who have very little English.

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Grade: 2

The governing body is good. It supports the school well and provides a good level of challenge to those in leadership positions, for example questioning subject leaders about particular aspects of work. The school is operating a deficit budget because of difficulties with a shifting population but, in conjunction with the local authority, it has planned a three-year programme to stabilise its finances. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: St Clement's and St John's Church of England Infant School, 21 °22 April 2008 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: St Clement's and St John's Church of England Infant School, 21 °22 April 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? 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? 3 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 2 How well learners enjoy their education 3 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: St Clement's and St John's Church of England Infant School, 21 °22 April 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 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: St Clement's and St John's Church of England Infant School, 21 °22 April 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

23 April 2008 Dear Children Inspection of St Clement's and St John's CE Infant School, Bournemouth BH1 4DZ Thank you for talking to us about your work and your school when we visited. We enjoyed meeting you. You are polite, behave well and enjoy school. You make lots of friends in school and like your teachers. The staff look after you extremely well and have excellent links with others outside school who can provide special help when needed. Many of your parents think that your school is a good one and we agree with them. Most of you make good progress in your work and reach a level about that expected for your age. The teachers need help in teaching the children who do not speak English very well to help them learn and speak English because the number of these pupils in the school is growing. The teachers work hard getting your lessons ready and make the activities that you do very interesting for you. They plan extra activities for you at lunchtime and after school, which you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

really enjoy. We think that the Reception children would enjoy more opportunities to work outside the classrooms. We have asked the staff to make plans for this. The teachers mark your work regularly but we think that you need more help in knowing how you can improve it and to understand the next steps you take in your learning. Your headteacher and the senior staff lead the school well and ensure that everyone works well together as a team. The teachers make your classrooms interesting and colourful and attractive places in which to learn. Thank you once again for helping us to know more about your school when we visited. We hope that you will carry on working hard and doing your best. Yours sincerely Peter Sudworth Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: St Clement's and St John's Church of England Infant School, 21 °22 April 2008

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Annex B

Inspection of St Clement’s and St John’s CE Infant School, Bournemouth BH1 4DZ

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Annex B

Thank you for talking to us about your work and your school when we visited. We enjoyed meeting you. You are polite, behave well and enjoy school. You make lots of friends in school and like your teachers. The staff look after you extremely well and have excellent links with others outside school who can provide special help when needed.

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Annex B

Many of your parents think that your school is a good one and we agree with them. Most of you make good progress in your work and reach a level about that expected for your age. The teachers need help in teaching the children who do not speak English very well to help them learn and speak English because the number of these pupils in the school is growing.

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Annex B

The teachers work hard getting your lessons ready and make the activities that you do very interesting for you. They plan extra activities for you at lunchtime and after school, which you really enjoy. We think that the Reception children would enjoy more opportunities to work outside the classrooms. We have asked the staff to make plans for this. The teachers mark your work regularly but we think that you need more help in knowing how you can improve it and to understand the next steps you take in your learning.

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Annex B

Your headteacher and the senior staff lead the school well and ensure that everyone works well together as a team. The teachers make your classrooms interesting and colourful and attractive places in which to learn.

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Annex B

Thank you once again for helping us to know more about your school when we visited. We hope that you will carry on working hard and doing your best.

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