Galley Common Infant School

Galley Common Infant School Inspection report

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125539 Unique Reference Number Warwickshire Local Authority 315256 Inspection number 29 °30 January 2008 Inspection dates Ken Buxton 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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Infant Type of school Community School category 4 °7 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 134 School The governing body Appropriate authority Norman Burnham Chair Deborah Brook Headteacher 3 April 2003 Date of previous school inspection Plough Hill Road School address Galley Common Nuneaton CV10 9NZ 02476 392219 Telephone number 02476 392219 Fax number

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4-7 Age group 29 °30 January 2008 Inspection dates 315256 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 of Her Majesty’s Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a smaller than average sized school, serving the local communities of Galley Common and Hartshill on the outskirts of Nuneaton. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is much lower than in most schools. Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds and all have English as their first language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average. The school has achieved the Activemark Award, Healthy Schools Status and the ECO Bronze Award.

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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: Galley Common Infant School, 29 °30 January 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with some exemplary features. It is held in high regard by parents and the local community. As one parent said, reflecting the views of many, 'Galley Common Infant School is known throughout the area as being an exceptionally good school.' Its good reputation can be attributed to the good leadership and management. The headteacher's strong leadership has empowered the staff and, together, they are committed to enabling pupils to achieve high standards. To do this, they have taken effective steps since the last inspection, including providing pupils with an excellent and stimulating curriculum. Children get off to a good start when they join the Reception Year because the provision is good. Parents are delighted with how well their children settle so quickly and begin to make good progress. By the time they reach the end of Year 2, pupils have made good progress and they attain standards above those expected nationally in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Grade: 2

The school has successfully maintained these high standards across the school over recent years and pupils' current work shows that this is likely to continue this year. As a result, pupils are prepared well for the next stage in their education. Teaching and learning are consistently good. Teachers' expectations are high and all staff have excellent relationships with the pupils. However, the practical layout of the school and the restricted space in some classrooms impacts on the quality of teaching by limiting the flexibility needed for working with young pupils. Despite these limitations, the pupils clearly enjoy coming to school to learn and, as a result of the school's efforts, their attendance is very good. Their personal development is excellent. Behaviour is good and pupils are very alert to the need to stay fit and healthy by eating sensibly and being active. Pupils feel very safe at school because

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Grade: 2

of the excellent supervision levels throughout the school. They participate actively in the local community and benefit from excellent opportunities to raise funds for charities and the school. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent, being underpinned by the close links with the local church and regular visits to other faiths' centres of worship. Outstanding care, guidance and support ensure that pupils develop the knowledge and ability to stay safe. Their academic progress is monitored and tracked very carefully which ensures that pupils know how to improve their work. The headteacher, staff and governors work together well as a team. They have a good capacity to bring about further improvements because they have rigorous systems for checking on how well the school is doing; these have resulted in correctly identified areas for improvement as shown in the annual improvement plan. Although

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Grade: 2

the plan is detailed, it relates only to the current year and the targets used to monitor progress do not focus sufficiently on improving pupils' attainment.

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Grade: 2

The school works closely with its feeder nurseries and has established good induction procedures which ensure that the children settle quickly and happily into the school's routines. The classrooms, and particularly the role-play areas, provide children with a vibrant and stimulating learning environment, although the physical layout of the rooms is not ideal for children of this age and access to the outdoor learning environment is limited. The team works together very well; they plan with good attention to detail to ensure that the needs of the children are fully met. They use the children's interests as their starting point and focus on what children 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Galley Common Infant School, 29 °30 January 2008 already know and what they need to learn next. As a result, children thrive and make good progress. Their progress and attainment are monitored carefully and the teachers are becoming

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Grade: 2

increasingly skilled at recognising when individuals require additional support. They make exceptionally good use of the teaching assistants and adult helpers to ensure that all children receive good quality support at the appropriate time. This ensures that there is a good balance of adult-led and child-inspired activities.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Work with the local authority to increase the amount of available teaching space so that the quality of provision can be improved. ■ Extend the period covered by the school's integrated development plan and identify measurable targets that focus on raising pupils' attainment and can be used to evaluate progress.

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Grade: 2

Children in Reception start school with widely differing levels of skills and learning but they are broadly average overall. They make good progress in the Foundation Stage so that by the time they start Year 1, most have met or exceeded the goals expected for this age group. This good progress continues through Key Stage 1 so that by the end of Year 2, pupils are consistently achieving standards above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. The reasons for the pupils' high level of attainment are that the staff set a high level of challenge for pupils and because they are very vigilant in identifying where change is needed and bringing about improvement. More able pupils achieve well because teachers plan carefully to ensure that they are challenged and enabled to work at their own pace. The good support provided for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities ensures that they also make good progress

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Grade: 2

and achieve standards above those of similar pupils nationally.

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Grade: 1

Pupils enjoy coming to school and, as a result, attendance has improved and is now very good. Pupils' personal development is excellent. Pupils have a very clear view of right and wrong. This was illustrated very clearly when they listened attentively to a safety talk about the dangers associated with building sites and asked very sensible questions. Pupils' awareness of different cultures is very good. The visits to different places of worship and the school's multicultural days are very popular with pupils and help them to appreciate the diversity that exists within Britain today. Pupils are very conscious of the need to keep fit and healthy through regular exercise and sensible eating. Participation levels in lunchtime exercise activities are high, as was pupils' involvement with the healthy lunchbox competition. Pupils' behaviour is good. They follow school rules well and display excellent manners. The school is managing the inappropriate

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Grade: 1

behaviour of a very small minority of pupils with great care and sensitivity, which is greatly appreciated by their parents. The school council provides a useful forum for pupils to contribute to the school's development. Pupils make an active contribution to the local community through their work with local residents and the church. They are very well prepared for the next stage of their education, both academically and through learning about the value of money. For example, the school book club encourages them to save regularly and the publication and sale of the Year 2 pupils' Christmas magazine raised funds for the school. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Galley Common Infant School, 29 °30 January 2008

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Grade: 2

The good quality of teaching across the school enables pupils to make good progress. This is because teachers are skilled at planning lessons that build on pupils' previous learning and focuses on their interests. As a result, pupils are excited by school and motivated to learn. The most successful lessons develop at a good pace and make good use of questions to draw out and extend pupils' knowledge and understanding. Relationships within the classes are very positive and pupils have very good attitudes to work. A strong rapport exists between teachers and pupils, which allows pupils to try out their ideas confidently and to learn from their mistakes. Teachers are supported well by skilled teaching assistants who make a significant contribution to lessons by helping and guiding pupils of all abilities. The school is currently working to support some members of staff to make greater use of information and communication

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Grade: 2

technology in their lessons and, in particular, to become more skilled at using the interactive whiteboards. Marking is generally thorough and pupils are becoming increasingly skilled at assessing the quality of their own and others' work so that they understand how to make improvements.

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Grade: 1

Since the previous inspection, the staff have developed an excellent curriculum that they have based on a series of topics that have the pupils' interests at their heart. This approach has helped to ensure a smooth transition from the Reception Year into the start of Key Stage 1. Its particular strengths are, however, that it not only meets the needs of all the pupils very well but it also links the learning in different subjects very successfully which helps to make lessons more relevant and coherent. The school also makes good use of its grounds to provide practical learning opportunities for the pupils. For example, the development of the 'sensory garden', where pupils are able to use their senses to explore plants, creatures and materials, has provided a great stimulus for learning. The curriculum is enriched and enhanced further by an extensive range of activities that extend pupils' learning experiences very well. These include a wide

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Grade: 1

variety of well-attended clubs that are offered to the pupils throughout the year and visits that provide opportunities for pupils to experience awe and wonder. For example, each December the Reception children, having learned about the Christmas story in school, visit Polesworth Abbey, where they experience first-hand, the story being re-enacted.

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Grade: 1

The members of staff know the pupils very well and take great care to ensure that they feel safe and secure. This is because there is a consistent approach and a close attention to detail from all the staff. As a result, pupils are made to feel special and valued; this ensures that if they have any concerns, they know they can talk with complete confidence to any adult. Very good attention is given to carrying out risk assessments and to ensuring that all security and child protection procedures have been carried out with due care and diligence. Arrangements for first aid are excellent, with three trained first aiders, including one who is also an emergency medical technician, on the staff. The school works very closely with the different support agencies to ensure that pupils' individual needs are met successfully. Parents are very 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Galley Common Infant School, 29 °30 January 2008

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Grade: 1

appreciative of the amount of care and time staff provide for their children. One parent summed it up neatly by saying, 'The handling of my child's special needs has been exemplary.' The school sets pupils suitably challenging targets to achieve and monitors their progress carefully.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher's strong leadership and clear vision for the school's development has inspired confidence among all members of the school community. As a result, she is held in high regard by the staff and governors, who support her well. She has been successful in devolving leadership responsibilities to curriculum leaders and the key stage coordinators, enabling them to contribute well to the school's improvement. Together, they have ensured that all the issues raised in the previous inspection report have been tackled successfully. The school's self-evaluation is based on careful and regular monitoring of the school's work. Overall, it provides an accurate picture of the school's performance. The leaders are committed to continuous improvement; working together, they have set out appropriate priorities in the school's development plan. They recognise, however, that they have not undertaken longer-term planning, with measurable

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Grade: 2

targets that can be used as success criteria to evaluate the progress being achieved. Governors contribute well to the school's work and play an active monitoring role. They are currently putting in place appropriate plans to ensure they have built up the expertise and knowledge needed to replace their very experienced chair of governors who retires at the end of the school year. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Galley Common Infant School, 29 °30 January 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: Galley Common Infant School, 29 °30 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? 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? 1 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?

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 1 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?

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: Galley Common Infant School, 29 °30 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 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: Galley Common Infant School, 29 °30 January 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

31 January 2008 Dear Children Inspection of Galley Common Infant School, Nuneaton, CV10 9NZ Thank you very much for making me so welcome and helping me to find out about life at Galley Common Infant School. Many of you told me how good you think your school is, and I agree. Your school provides you with an excellent curriculum so that, by the time you leave, you are prepared very well for the junior school. The reason that you do so well is that the teaching is good, helping you to make good progress and attain high standards in all your work. You find lessons exciting and fun because the topics have been planned very carefully with your interests in mind. I was particularly impressed to hear you talking so proudly about all the after- school clubs and trips out of school that you enjoy. Your attendance is very good and I was pleased to see you have such good manners and behave well. The staff look after you very well and take great care to keep you safe and to help you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

develop. As a result, you have an excellent knowledge of how to stay safe, keep fit and eat healthily. The headteacher, staff and governors work very hard to make sure they provide the very best education for you. I know how much their efforts are appreciated by you and your families. To help the school become even better, I have asked the school leaders to look at ways to make the classrooms even better by providing more space for you to learn. I have also asked them to think further ahead when planning school improvements and make sure that their plans include clear targets for the school to achieve. Thank you once again, and don't forget to do your best at all times. Yours sincerely Ken Buxton Her Majesty's Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Galley Common Infant School, 29 °30 January 2008

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Annex B

Inspection of The Summerhill School, Dudley DY6 9XE

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Annex B

Thank you for your warm welcome when we visited your school. We enjoyed meeting you and hearing your views of Summerhill. Many of you spoke with pride about your school and we were impressed with your enthusiasm for many of the school’s activities.

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Annex B

We found that Summerhill is providing you with a good quality education and, as you rightly identified, there are many features to be proud of. You achieve high standards in tests at the end of Year 9 and, although results at GCSE in 2007 were not as high as the school expected, things are now back on track, as we saw in lessons. The teaching you receive is generally good, and occasionally outstanding. You enjoy warm and supportive relationships with your teachers and you told us that you feel well cared for in school. Most of you behave in an exemplary manner and display mature, responsible attitudes, both in your lessons and around the site. You contribute very strongly to your school’s success. This is very impressive, and it results in very positive attitudes to your learning. We noted that you respect and look after your surroundings very well; it helps that they are so bright and attractive! Your

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Annex B

school is well led and managed by your headteacher and his team.

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Annex B

A particularly good feature of your school is that it constantly looks for ways to improve. All your teachers want Summerhill School to be outstanding in every respect. We have asked your staff to think about just two things. Firstly, to make sure that the outstanding teaching is shared widely across the whole staff team. Secondly, to make sure that when senior staff and subject leaders observe lessons, they are very clear about the best practice they are looking for. We agree with your teachers that teaching and learning in Summerhill has the potential to become outstanding and we wish you every success in the future.

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Annex B

We look forward to hearing of your progress.

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