Pashley Down Infant School

Pashley Down Infant School Inspection report

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114461 Unique Reference Number East Sussex Local Authority 311612 Inspection number 17 June 2008 Inspection date Terry Elston 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 269 School The governing body Appropriate authority Colin Sargent Chair Jennifer Cruse Headteacher 4 May 2006 Date of previous school inspection Beechy Avenue School address Eastbourne BN20 8NX 01323 730719 Telephone number 01323 739016 Fax number

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4-7 Age group 17 June 2008 Inspection date 311612 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 one Additional Inspector. The inspector evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: • pupils’ progress and their standards in writing; • pupils’ enjoyment of school and their awareness of how to stay safe and live healthy lives; • how well the school uses assessment to help pupils improve. The inspector gathered evidence from observations of lessons, discussions with pupils, governors and staff, the tracking of pupils’ progress, analysis of attendance and gaining the views of parents. 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 in its self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

This is a relatively large infant school that admits children from a wide range of preschool settings. They come from mainly White British backgrounds. The proportion with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is broadly average with needs relating mainly to language and communication. Due to increasing numbers of families wanting to send their children here, there is to be a fourth Reception class in September 2008. There is a before- and after-school club managed by the school.

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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: Pashley Down Infant School, 17 June 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school at the very heart of the community. Parents think the world of the school, not just because of the way it enables their children to make rapid academic progress, but also for the 'exceptional care and nurture' provided that makes the children feel special. Overall, achievement is good. Children enter the school with average skills, make good progress in the Reception classes and Key Stage 1 and leave Year 2 with above average standards in reading, mathematics and science. In writing, while standards are above average, the school recognises that not all pupils attain the high levels of which they are capable because they sometimes struggle when asked to write stories. This is the school's main priority at present, and measures to improve pupils' writing are starting to bear fruit. The good teaching is recognised by the pupils who are quick to say that the best thing about school is their 'brilliant teachers, who make lessons fun'. This is why they enjoy school so much

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Grade: 2

and attend regularly. Typical lessons see teachers using resources such as interactive whiteboards to grab pupils' interest. They are very good at using praise to show pupils how well they are doing, and this encourages them to attempt difficult work without fear of failure. Teachers' expectations are high but realistic, and this helps pupils feel justifiably proud of their considerable achievements. Teachers generally use assessment well to set work at the right level for pupils' abilities, although this is better in some classes than others. Pupils are enthusiastic about the varied curriculum and the many opportunities to develop their artistic talents as well as their academic skills. The curriculum provides clear guidance on how to live healthy lives, and pupils have an impressive awareness of the most nutritious foods to eat. They think deeply about how their actions affect others and develop an exceptional sense

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Grade: 2

of right and wrong. As a result, they behave impeccably and make the most of their time in lessons. The many clubs at lunchtime and after school are very popular with pupils and do much to extend their learning. They relish the many opportunities to take responsibility for their community and they do this readily. For example, the school council takes its duties very seriously and has made important improvements to the playground facilities. Such opportunities, alongside pupils' well-developed literacy and numeracy skills, ensure they are well prepared for the future. Pupils feel very safe because bullying is rare and staff take excellent care of them. All arrangements for safeguarding children meet legal requirements and are monitored closely by the school. The school tracks pupils' progress carefully, sets challenging targets and provides the support to ensure they have every chance to meet them. The school makes effective

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Grade: 2

provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, with skilled teaching assistants working closely with teachers to give them every opportunity to learn. Leadership and management are good. An important reason for the school's success lies in the determined leadership and management of the headteacher. She has a sharp eye for what can be improved and involves all staff in deciding on the best way to raise standards. This helps create a good sense of teamwork among staff and a shared vision for the school. Other leaders provide good support to the headteacher and play an important part in evaluating the provision by careful analysis of pupils' progress. However, in order to raise standards further, the school rightly sees the need to develop the role of subject leaders further by giving them the opportunity to gain more first-hand evidence of the quality of teaching and teachers' use of

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Grade: 2

assessment. A knowledgeable team of governors supports the school well and is not afraid to 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Pashley Down Infant School, 17 June 2008 hold it to account. These many strengths explain why the school has made such good improvements since the last inspection and why it is well set to do even better.

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Grade: 2

The provision in the Reception classes is good. The good leadership and management ensure that the provision meets the needs of all groups of children and parents speak highly of the start it gives them. As one parent commented, 'The care and nurture given to the children is exceptional.' The comprehensive induction systems mean that children settle quickly and soon get into school routines. The detailed assessments provide accurate measures of children's strengths and weaknesses, but staff find them somewhat cumbersome and the school is rightly working at devising a more streamlined system. Teachers and teaching assistants do everything to make learning fun and children love coming to school. The curriculum is planned very carefully to ensure children have the right balance of academic work to improve their reading, writing and number skills and time to develop their independence, language and social skills through

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Grade: 2

play. As a result, children, including those with language and communication needs, make rapid progress and their attainments are above average in all areas by the end of the Reception Year.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Provide more opportunities for pupils to develop their creative writing skills and raise standards in writing. ■ Enable subject leaders to establish consistency in the way teachers use assessment by giving them more opportunities to evaluate the quality of teaching and learning first hand. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Pashley Down Infant School, 17 June 2008 .

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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: Pashley Down Infant School, 17 June 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? 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 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 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?

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. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: Pashley Down Infant School, 17 June 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? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: Pashley Down Infant School, 17 June 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

19 June 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Pashley Down Infant School, Eastbourne BN208NX. Thank you for making me so welcome when I visited your school. I really enjoyed seeing you work so hard in lessons, sing so beautifully in assembly and stack cups so speedily at lunchtime! Those of you who were kind enough to speak to me showed how proud you are of your school. You are right to be, because it is a good school. What I liked most about your school:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are very friendly and helpful to visitors and each other.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You work very hard and make good progress.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your behaviour is excellent, both in class and out in the playground.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You know a lot about how to stay safe and live healthy lives.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You do a lot to help people who are not so lucky as you.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The headteacher and other leaders know how to improve things.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You love the many clubs at lunchtime and after school that teach you important skills

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your teachers are doing a good job. They work very hard to plan interesting work and make your lessons fun. ■ All staff at the school take really good care of you and keep you safe.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

What we would like the school to do now:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Help you to improve your writing by giving you more practice at writing stories. You can help by making your stories as exciting as possible. ■ Give the teachers in charge of different subjects more chance to check on how well you are doing and make sure that the good practice in classes is shared with everyone Good luck for the future! Yours sincerely Terry Elston Lead Inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Pashley Down Infant School, 17 June 2008

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