Trafalgar Community Infant School

Trafalgar Community Infant School Inspection report

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125835 Unique Reference Number West Sussex Local Authority 315321 Inspection number 5 June 2008 Inspection date Eira Gill 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 247 School The governing body Appropriate authority Margaret Morris Chair Lynne Wise Headteacher 17 January 2005 Date of previous school inspection Victory Road School address Horsham RH12 2JF 01403 254925 Telephone number 01403 242354 Fax number

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4-7 Age group 5 June 2008 Inspection date 315321 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 who evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: • provision and achievement in the Foundation Stage including independent learning • standards and achievement of boys in writing skills • provision for information and communication technology (ICT) • breadth of curriculum and its impact on the pupils’ personal development and well-being. Evidence was gathered from observations, school assembly and by watching pupils at play. It was also gathered from teachers’ assessments, pupils’ work and discussions with pupils, staff, governors and parents. Other aspects of the school 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

Children's attainment on entry is above that found nationally. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties is lower than that found nationally. Very few pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds and a small minority has English as an additional language. The school holds the following quality marks: Investors in Health, Active Mark and Travel Mark.

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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: Trafalgar Community Infant School, 5 June 2008

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Grade: 2

Trafalgar Community Infants is a good school. It also has several outstanding features, and they are pupils' personal development and well-being, the curriculum as well as the care, guidance and support of the pupils. The school is improving well and links with parents are strong. Parents are supportive of the school and a typical comment is, 'There is a fantastic community spirit with teachers, assistants and parents working together.' Personal development and well-being are outstanding and pupils receive exemplary care, guidance and support in a purposeful environment for learning. Children's progress in the Reception classes is good in all areas of learning. Good progress and achievement continue throughout Years 1 and 2 for all groups of pupils. In reading, standards are very high and progress is excellent. In writing and mathematics, standards are well above average and progress is good. Standards are high in reading because good teaching and well

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Grade: 2

established management routines ensure that a team of parents and governors is available at 10.30 a.m. each day to help pupils move forward in their reading skills. A walk around the school showed small groups guided by a teacher or adult animatedly reading and sharing books in every classroom. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers have high expectations of pupils and, as a result, their behaviour and attitudes to learning are excellent. The school's success in promoting pupils' personal qualities very effectively is evident in the calm atmosphere and excellent reward system. Pupils explained the 'peg' system of rewards and how their personal peg is moved up a ladder of rewards for good behaviour. It clearly works very well! Pupils enjoy their lessons, they concentrate well, and work productively with others. Very occasionally, teachers overestimate pupils' previous knowledge in mathematics and, as a result, a few pupils

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Grade: 2

do not make sufficient progress in lessons. Teaching assistants give valuable help leading small groups of pupils who find learning difficult. Several parents made appreciative comments about the quality of teaching. One wrote, 'All staff are caring and very dedicated to achieving the high standards expected.' The school provides an excellent and enriched curriculum for pupils. After school activities include games and Spanish lessons. As well as the successful focus on developing pupils' literacy, numeracy and ICT skills, the school is keen to ensure all pupils develop their artistic and musical skills. The excellent provision for art and music promotes pupils' spiritual and cultural awareness well. Pupils' artwork is vibrant and colourful. A walk in the playground showed pupils painting with great enjoyment in the style of Jackson Pollock, creating their own works of art with energy. Although pupils have good ICT skills, the school is aware that pupils need to be more

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Grade: 2

independent in their use of ICT particularly in the creative area of the curriculum. Many parents wrote expressing their total confidence in the school's care of their children. One wrote, 'I get regular feedback which conveys a great sense of professionalism and genuine care.' Parents are particularly pleased with the home/school books that are described by one parent as 'excellent communication tools'. Pupils reach challenging targets. They know their short term targets and teachers refer to them. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties or those who have other problems is excellent and is supported by strong links with outside agencies. Health and safety are promoted exceptionally well. Opportunities are timetabled for pupils to work outside in the playground in several subjects and not just for sporting activities. Pupils' progress is monitored carefully and any individuals who are not making the progress

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Grade: 2

4 of 9 Inspection Report: Trafalgar Community Infant School, 5 June 2008 expected are quickly identified and given appropriate intervention support led effectively by the special needs co-ordinator. Pupils' personal development and well-being are of the highest quality. Pupils' attendance is good and reflects how much pupils enjoy school. Pupils' contribution to school is excellent. Members of the school council described their responsibilities. One said, 'It's fun having meetings because you get to know what your friends think of the school and how you can help improve different areas.' Councillors have persuaded the school to increase and improve the resources to play with at breaktimes and have organised raffles to raise money. On a walkabout in the playground, pupils explained how the 'friendship stop' works, 'If children are feeling a little lonely, the playground pals make sure they have someone

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Grade: 2

to play with.' Pupils take a huge enjoyment from their exciting and safe playground with features such as the quiet zones, the trim trail and the log trail, plus dressing up clothes and sports equipment. One said, 'I love the playground.' Lunchtime supervisors do a good job playing with pupils and ensuring they are all happy and safe. By the time they leave the school, pupils are developing a mature, considerate nature for their age and recognise the importance of working as a member of a community. They are very well prepared for the future. The quality of leadership and management is good. The headteacher's leadership of the pupils' personal development is excellent. There is a strong team ethic and all teachers carry out their management responsibilities efficiently. Improvement has been good since the last inspection particularly in pupils' reading standards, and targets were exceeded in the unconfirmed results

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Grade: 2

of recent national tests. The school improvement plan identifies appropriate priorities and sets high expectations. The school is well placed to continue to improve. The headteacher receives good support from her newly appointed deputy headteacher, and all other staff. Good procedures are in place to monitor and evaluate the school's performance and target setting is used effectively. The headteacher and other senior staff carry out formal lesson monitoring on a regular basis. Governors give good support to the school but are aware that they need to focus more on planning for the future in order to improve the effectiveness of the committees.

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Grade: 2

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good. The care given to the children is outstanding and children are very happy. Several parents wrote praising the school saying for example, 'My son cannot wait each morning to go to school,' and, 'My child has built up an excellent relationship with her teacher and always talks about the exciting activities she has been doing.' The majority of all children meet or exceed the early learning goals in all areas of learning, although a minority are still catching up in their writing and calculating skills. Overall, standards are above average and the children make good progress. The quality of teaching is good. There is an appropriate balance of adult led and child initiated learning with a wide range of stimulating activities. Occasionally, appropriate opportunities for the children to be independent and imaginative in their role play activities are not followed up. However, in the

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Grade: 2

outdoor learning environment, children are given freedom to explore and they delight in riding wheeled vehicles as well as enjoying quieter activities. Their language and personal skills develop well within very safe boundaries.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that pupils learn to be more independent in their use of ICT through selecting appropriate programs or other devices, particularly in the creative area of the curriculum. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Trafalgar Community Infant School, 5 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: Trafalgar Community Infant School, 5 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?

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. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: Trafalgar Community Infant School, 5 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: Trafalgar Community Infant School, 5 June 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

12 June 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Trafalgar Community Infant School, Horsham, RH12 2JF This letter is to tell you what I found out during the recent inspection. I really enjoyed coming to the school to meet you. I would especially like to thank those of you who took time to speak to me and to show me the playground and your classrooms. I was very interested to hear about your school. I found your school to be good with some aspects quite outstanding and could tell that you and your parents quite rightly feel the same. Here are the things I found best about your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are all making excellent progress in reading and good progress in writing and mathematics.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are all being taught well by your teachers.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your headteacher, teachers, governors and all other adults take great care of you and provide you with an excellent range of activities. ■ You enjoy school very much and attend regularly.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your outstanding relationships reflect the excellent care provided by all the adults.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You enjoy a very wide range of learning activities that help you to become very clear about how to live healthily and safely and how to be a very caring member of a community. Here is what I have asked the school to do better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ I have asked the headteacher and governors to make sure you become more independent in the way you use ICT, by choosing programs and other devices for yourselves. Thank you once again, and best wishes for the future. Eira Gill ? Lead Inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Trafalgar Community Infant School, 5 June 2008

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Annex B

Inspection of Trafalgar Community Infant School, Horsham, RH12 2JF

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Annex B

This letter is to tell you what I found out during the recent inspection. I really enjoyed coming to the school to meet you. I would especially like to thank those of you who took time to speak to me and to show me the playground and your classrooms. I was very interested to hear about your school. I found your school to be good with some aspects quite outstanding and could tell that you and your parents quite rightly feel the same.

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Annex B

Here are the things I found best about your school.

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Annex B

• You are all making excellent progress in reading and good progress in writing and mathematics. • You are all being taught well by your teachers. • Your headteacher, teachers, governors and all other adults take great care of you and provide you with an excellent range of activities. • You enjoy school very much and attend regularly. • Your outstanding relationships reflect the excellent care provided by all the adults. • You enjoy a very wide range of learning activities that help you to become very clear about how to live healthily and safely and how to be a very caring member of a community.

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Annex B

Here is what I have asked the school to do better.

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Annex B

• I have asked the headteacher and governors to make sure you become more independent in the way you use ICT, by choosing programs and other devices for yourselves.

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Annex B

Thank you once again, and best wishes for the future.

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