Southbourne Infant School

Southbourne Infant School Inspection report - amended

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125875 Unique Reference Number West Sussex Local Authority 315337 Inspection number 24 September 2008 Inspection date Kathryn Taylor Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Infant Type of school Community School category 4–7 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 146 School (total) 60 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Jackie Reeves Chair Rose Gaskin Headteacher 7 February 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection New Road School address Southbourne Emsworth PO10 8JX 01243 372727 Telephone number 01243 370571 Fax number

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4–7 Age group 24 September 2008 Inspection date 315337 Inspection number

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Amended Report Addendum

Report amended due to factual inaccuracy

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Amended Report Addendum

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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Amended Report Addendum

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. 2 of 9 Inspection Report: Southbourne Infant School, 24 September 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors who evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following: The progress made by different groups of pupils The extent to which teaching is helping to develop pupils' independent learning skills and their knowledge of how they might improve their work The school's evidence that pupils' personal development and well-being are outstanding The extent to which the school promotes community cohesion and the impact of governors' increased involvement in the school. Evidence was gathered from observing lessons, pupils' work, and a scrutiny of the school's documentation and progress data. Inspectors also analysed the parent questionnaires and met with senior leaders, groups of pupils, staff and governors. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but the inspectors found no evidence to suggest that the

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Introduction

school's own assessments of these areas, as given in its self-evaluation form, were not justified and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

The majority of pupils are White British.The proportion of pupils identified as having learning difficulties and/or disabilities is slightly above average. Their needs relate to learning, speech and language difficulties, autism and physical disabilities. The proportion eligible for free school meals is well below average. Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in Reception. Those who reach the age of five before the end of February attend full time and the remainder attend part time until the spring term. The school has gained a number of awards, including Dyslexia Friendly Schools Award, Healthy Schools Award and the Activemark.

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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: Southbourne Infant School, 24 September 2008

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Grade: 2

The school's overall effectiveness is good. Southbourne Infants provides a good standard of education throughout the EYFS, Years 1 and 2, enabling children to achieve well both academically and personally. The school works well with parents, carers, and external agencies to ensure that pupils are well supported. The majority of parents are very satisfied with the school. The following comments from parents are typical: 'Everyone is friendly and supportive' and 'I feel the school has excellent teaching staff and a headteacher who strives for the best education for my children'. Although there is a wide range of attainment on entry to school and some year-on-year variations, it is broadly average. Good EYFS provision ensures that children in Reception progress well, irrespective of their starting point. Pupils continue to make good progress in Years 1 and 2. Consequently, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are above average by the time

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Grade: 2

they leave. The support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is very good. This ensures that their learning and personal needs are met very well and pupils are fully included in activities. Pupils' behaviour, enjoyment of school, understanding of personal safety and healthy lifestyles are outstanding. Overall their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Therefore, the school is a very harmonious community in which pupils thrive and work well together. Pupils' views on a whole range of issues are routinely sought and acted upon. Therefore, they play a strong part in shaping improvements. The curriculum in Years 1 and 2 is broad and practically based. Subjects are linked together meaningfully and there are regular opportunities for pupil-initiated activities and outdoor learning. In these ways the curriculum builds well on good EYFS practice and enables a seamless

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Grade: 2

transition for children joining Year 1. A good number and wide range of intervention programmes also support pupils who need extra help. Key strengths of the good teaching and learning include the way staff support and encourage pupils' personal development and plan hands-on activities that engage and challenge them. Well-trained learning support assistants make a significant contribution to pupils' learning. The emphasis on extending pupils' skills in independent learning is proving successful. Consequently, they are able to plan and shape their learning and activities, select the appropriate resources, work independently to solve problems and know when to ask for help. Pupils are well looked after in school. Adults are very vigilant in ensuring their safety, listen to them and are quick to respond if they or their parents have any concerns. Staff also have a clear picture of pupils' academic needs and check their progress regularly. Pupils have some

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Grade: 2

opportunities to assess their own learning, for example as part of independent learning activities. The school has recently introduced individual learning targets for pupils that are being shared with parents, but as yet this practice is not embedded. Continued good leadership has enabled the school to maintain good standards and address the weaknesses identified in the last inspection report. The headteacher has provided a firm steer and involved staff, pupils and other stakeholders in making decisions and further improvements to provision, despite some financial constraints due to falling rolls. Governance has improved well in recent years and is now good. Governors are supportive, involved and well informed. They regularly monitor the school's work. The school works very well with parents, carers, other schools and members of the local community to ensure that pupils are well 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Southbourne Infant School, 24 September 2008

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Grade: 2

supported, thereby making an effective contribution to community cohesion. Links with schools and communities further afield are not as well developed. Members of the newly formed leadership team and subject leaders make a good contribution to supporting staff, developing work in their subjects and evaluating pupils' finished work. They are not, however, sufficiently involved in monitoring lessons to gain a complete overview of what might make provision and pupils' progress even better. As a result, planning for further improvement lacks precision. This is why the school's capacity to improve further is judged satisfactory rather than good.

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Grade: 2

Many parents responding to the questionnaires mentioned how well the contacts with children and families prior to children starting school had really helped them to settle in quickly. Inspection evidence confirms this. Although the inspection took place when children had been attending for a short time, most were clearly very comfortable to leave their parents. This is because of the staff's warm welcome and because children were eager to get involved in the wide range of indoor and outdoor learning opportunities on offer. The EYFS is well resourced and staffed. Equipment is easily accessible to children, encouraging them to develop independence from the start. Staff give very good attention to children's welfare and ensure they take exercise and eat and drink healthily. Teaching and learning are good. Staff plan varied and exciting activities that enable children to explore topics, make choices, succeed and grow in confidence. Staff strike a good balance of child-initiated and

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Grade: 2

adult-led activities throughout the day. The key skills, including phonics, are taught regularly through small group activities. Staff are particularly skilled in responding to children's interests and in providing the resources and gentle guidance that help to move their learning on. They interact well with children during independent activities, to develop their speaking and listening skills and encourage them to work together and make new friends. Children's progress is assessed regularly, but teachers' assessments are not yet sharp enough. Good leadership has ensured that EYFS provision has improved well in recent times.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Strengthen children's knowledge of how they might improve their learning further by embedding the use of individual learning targets. ■ Bring greater precision to school self-evaluation and planning for improvement by ensuring that subject leaders and senior leaders monitor and evaluate lessons more regularly. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Southbourne Infant School, 24 September 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: Southbourne Infant School, 24 September 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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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? 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 2 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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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/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 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: Southbourne Infant School, 24 September 2008

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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 The extent to which 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 3 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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: Southbourne Infant School, 24 September 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

25 September 2008 Dear Children Inspection of Southbourne Infant School, Emsworth, PO10 8JX Thank you very much for making us welcome when we visited your school. We agree with your parents and teachers that Southbourne Infants is a good school. It was good to see you enjoying your work, behaving really well and working and playing together happily. We really liked the way your teachers and parents have used your ideas to make your playground and outdoor spaces so exciting. We especially liked the gardening and seaside areas and the quiet places you can use to sit and chat with your friends. When we visited your classes, we noticed that you listen well, work hard and make good progress. The staff teach you well and find lots of really interesting things for you to do. We were pleased to see that children in Reception had settled into school quickly and were really enjoying their activities. The staff look after you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

well. They listen to your ideas and take notice of them. You know that staff will help you if you have any problems. We were very pleased to learn that you have a really good understanding of how to keep safe and healthy and to see you enjoying running around, playing games and eating lots of fruit. By the time you move to Year 2, you are very sensible and ready to help the staff to make sure the school runs smoothly. Your headteacher and the staff do a good job and are always thinking about how they can improve things for you. We have asked them to help you to get even better at checking your own learning and deciding what you need to learn next. We have also asked them to check your learning in lessons more regularly to see if they can help you to make even better progress. You can help by continuing to work hard and to take good care of each other, so that your school continues to be a very happy place.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

With very best wishes for the future Yours sincerely Kathryn Taylor Lead inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Southbourne Infant School, 24 September 2008

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