Padnell Infant School

115965 Unique Reference Number Hampshire Local Authority 326299 Inspection number 9–10 July 2009 Inspection dates Janet Sinclair 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 198 School (total) 0 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 Mr Richard Teal Chair Mrs Michelle Petzer Headteacher 15 May 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Padnell Avenue School address Cowplain Waterlooville PO8 8DS 02392 263784 Telephone number 02392 241613 Fax number

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4–7 Age group 9–10 July 2009 Inspection dates 326299 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. 2 of 11 Inspection Report: Padnell Infant School, 9–10 July 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school's Early Years Foundation Stage comprises two Reception classes and a mixed-age Reception/Year 1 class. The proportion of pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities is broadly average. These pupils' needs are varied and include behavioural difficulties, moderate learning difficulties and visual impairment. Mobility is low. A few pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds and a small number are at an early stage of learning English. There have been many recent staff changes including the appointment of a new headteacher in February 2008 and a deputy headteacher in April 2009. The school has Healthy School Status and the ICT Mark.

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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: Padnell Infant School, 9–10 July 2009

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Grade: 2

This is a good school and its dynamic headteacher provides very clear direction for its work. She has created a whole-school shared vision and has enabled good improvements in standards despite a period of staff turbulence. Pupils' achievement and personal development are good. Parents are very supportive of the school and fully appreciate what the headteacher and all staff do. This comment sums up the views of most parents, 'I feel my child has progressed well and enjoyed the extensive use of the outside area, especially and;quot;Joey's Fieldand;quot;. Our children are valued as individuals and encouraged to express themselves with the full support of teachers'. The friendly, caring atmosphere and good induction procedures help children in Reception to settle well into school life. Overall, they make satisfactory progress so that most are working at the expected levels on entry to Year 1. By the end of Year 2, standards are above the national

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Grade: 2

average in reading and mathematics and average in writing. Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds achieve well in reading and mathematics. They only achieve satisfactorily in writing, mainly because of insufficient opportunities to write at length and weaknesses in assessment. Pupils' rates of progress are improving. This is due to very careful tracking and effective interventions to support those not making enough progress, along with good teaching and an effective curriculum that fully engages pupils in their learning. Teachers plan and organise lessons well and make very good use of the school's extensive grounds so pupils enjoy their learning. Marking, although improving, is not consistently used across the school to show pupils what they need to do to improve. This, linked with a lack of clear individual targets, hampers pupils' ability to evaluate their own work or be involved in making it better. Attendance is

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Grade: 2

average, although the school works hard to promote good attendance, including the award of certificates. The school's curriculum, which has recently been improved to make it more relevant to pupils, is enriched well by a good range of visits, visitors and special events such as 'Healthy Week' and the 'Trailblazers' outdoor learning week. These make a positive contribution to pupils' personal development. Pupils make a good contribution to the community through, for example, the school council. Their impact can be clearly seen in the revised playground rules and the gardening club. Pupils know that their contribution to the school is valued and they thrive within its caring, supportive ethos. The school now tracks pupils' progress systematically and makes sure that they get additional support if needed. This is accelerating pupils' rates of progress across the school, although there are still weaknesses in identifying clearly the next

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Grade: 2

steps in pupils' learning in writing. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher has a very clear understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses and has taken decisive action to bring about improvements, particularly the effective support for more able mathematicians, which has enabled them to make better progress. Subject leaders are very much involved in improving their subjects and are all committed to the drive to raise standards further within an exciting learning environment. The school has experienced significant staff turbulence since the last inspection, including at senior management level, which has hampered developments. However, good progress has been made recently, ensuring that the school has a renewed drive and energy. With the strong leadership of the headteacher, and the willingness of all staff, there is a good capacity to improve further. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Padnell Infant School, 9–10 July 2009

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Grade: 3

Children start in Reception with a range of skills and abilities that are broadly as expected, except in writing, where standards are below expectations. Children make satisfactory and sometimes good progress across the areas of learning so that they mainly meet expectations on entry to Year 1. They make good progress in their writing due to the many opportunities provided for them to write in all the learning areas. Teachers organise a range of play and direct teaching activities that engage children in their learning. They particularly enjoy 'Discovery Time' where they engage in a wide range of activities. This, coupled with the good use of the school grounds, helps many of them to make good progress in their knowledge and understanding of the world. However, teachers do not plan systematically or carefully enough to ensure children are fully challenged in their learning. Consequently, children do not always

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Grade: 3

make the progress of which they are capable. Children's welfare is promoted well in a safe and secure learning environment. Regular and helpful observations take place, but limited use is made of these to plan work that is clearly matched to children's needs and this hampers progress. Although leadership is satisfactory overall, the recently appointed manager has clearly identified where improvements are needed and has action plans in place to improve the provision.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve writing by providing more opportunities for extended writing, which is carefully assessed, in order to give teachers and pupils' clear direction on the next steps in pupils' learning. ■ Ensure that planning in the Foundation Stage is more thorough and gives much greater attention to the needs of different groups so that all children are fully challenged in their learning. ■ Improve pupils' involvement in their own learning through more consistent use of targets and feedback from teachers.

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Grade: 2

Standards are above average overall and pupils' progress and achievement are good. Standards have been slightly above average in mathematics and reading and broadly average in writing over time, with reading improving to above average in 2008. The good improvement in reading has been maintained this year. A corresponding improvement in mathematics is due to a strong focus on providing greater challenge for the more able mathematicians, through small group work aimed at their specific needs. Work has begun on raising attainment in writing, with several initiatives such as the writing challenge and termly writing assessments. However, there is still not enough emphasis on extended writing activities or on clearly identifying the next steps in pupils' learning. Pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities are well supported and make good progress. They benefit from effective individual support from teaching assistants,

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Grade: 2

as do pupils who speak English as an additional language.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils are involved in formulating school rules and know the importance of good behaviour and kindness to each other. They feel 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Padnell Infant School, 9–10 July 2009 safe and happy in school because they know they will be listened to and respected. Through their cultural development, pupils are gaining an increasing understanding of groups different from themselves. The school has created links with a village in Africa, allowing pupils to compare and contrast their own environment and situation with that of others. Pupils thoroughly enjoy their education and behaviour is good. However, in spite of this, their attendance is only satisfactory. Pupils excel in their understanding of safety and healthy lifestyles and happily quote the knowledge gained from the recent 'Healthy Week'. Pupils' good contribution to the

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Grade: 2

school and wider community is clearly evident in the work of the school council. For example, they were involved in the interviews for the new deputy headteacher and the creation of the vegetable garden where they grow and then sell their plants.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good at Key Stage 1 because lessons are well planned and organised, relationships are good and teachers provide interesting activities that engage pupils in their learning. An excellent example of this was seen in an outstanding Year 1/2 science lesson, where the teacher made extensive use of the school grounds for practical work. This extended pupils' ideas through stimulating discussion and fully engaged them in their learning. Teachers manage pupils well so that they enjoy their learning and have confidence in their abilities. Pupils say that, 'Teachers are friendly and caring'. Teaching assistants make a good contribution to pupils' learning through the effective way they support small groups and individuals in lessons. Occasionally, the pace of lessons is too slow, or questioning is ineffective, so pupils' progress is hindered. Teaching in Reception has some similar strengths to that in Key Stage 1, but work is not always

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Grade: 2

matched closely enough to children's needs.

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Grade: 2

The school has a broad and balanced curriculum, which is supplemented by a wide range of external visits and visitors to the school. Excellent use of the outdoor areas around the school provides outstanding opportunities for teaching. It is well planned and monitored at all levels and for all age groups. However, some planning is more focused on the activities rather than the skills and knowledge pupils need to acquire. Information and communication technology (ICT) is used well to enhance and extend pupils' learning and this is evident from the award of the ICT Mark. Pupils gain useful insights into life skills through participation in activities such as designing new areas around the school. Personal, social and health education is good and this is reflected in the school gaining the Healthy School Award. The school utilises a number of sports coaches and specialists for after school clubs. Pupils talk of them enthusiastically,

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Grade: 2

particularly the karate, football and gardening clubs.

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Grade: 2

There is a high standard of care and support to ensure pupils' well-being. Pupils say that, 'Teachers make us feel warm inside'. Safeguarding and child protection procedures meet current government requirements. Attendance is monitored well, including that of the few pupils whose attendance is not high enough. A wide range of external agencies and specialists support the 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Padnell Infant School, 9–10 July 2009 pupils' needs. The school has a strong commitment to inclusion, which is evident in the good provision for pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. This is especially so for pupils who have behavioural difficulties, with whom the school works very hard. Support for these pupils, both in lessons and through individual and small group work, is managed very well. The school carefully monitors the progress of individuals and different groups, enabling speedy intervention where needed. Most pupils can talk about their targets but, as with marking,

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Grade: 2

the quality of these is inconsistent and, as a result, not all pupils benefit.

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Grade: 2

Effective self-evaluation has enabled the headteacher in particular to have a very clear view of the school. She has communicated this overview effectively to subject leaders, who are developing their roles well. Good professional development encourages and develops the skills of teaching and non-teaching staff and, as a result, staff have become increasingly reflective of their practice. The school is aware that not enough work has been done in the Early Years Foundation Stage to bring it up to the standard of the rest of the school. The new leader already has action plans in place. Rigorous monitoring of lessons by the headteacher has ensured good teaching in Key Stage 1. Assessment, monitoring and tracking systems are effective and leading to improved rates of progress across the school. The school improvement plan has been used well to implement improvements in reading and mathematics. However, success criteria are

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Grade: 2

sometimes too general to enable an accurate assessment of the success of initiatives and this limits the school's ability to analyse its full impact. The school makes a good contribution to community cohesion. It has a clear understanding of its own community and works well within it. Children from different backgrounds relate well to each other and this is promoted effectively through assemblies and the general ethos of the school. Governors work well together, fulfill their statutory responsibilities and give good support and challenge to the school. The school works well with parents to ensure the best possible education for the pupils. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Padnell Infant School, 9–10 July 2009 .

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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: Padnell Infant School, 9–10 July 2009

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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? 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

3 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 3 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 3 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Padnell Infant School, 9–10 July 2009

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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 The extent to which 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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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 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Padnell Infant School, 9–10 July 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

21 July 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Padnell Infant School,Waterlooville,PO8 8DS Thank you for being so friendly and helping us with the inspection. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to your school, especially the opportunities to talk to you. We were very pleased to learn how much you enjoy school, especially the use of the outdoor area and hope you achieved your trailblazers award. Your school is providing you with a good education. Here are some things we liked particularly.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You make good progress in reading and mathematics in Key Stage 1 because your teachers make lessons interesting and senior leaders keep a close check on how well you are doing. ■ You have a very good headteacher who, with the support of all staff, is working hard to ensure that you all achieve well. ■ You enjoy school, behave well and are keen to learn.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your school takes good care of you so that you feel safe and secure.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Every school has something it could do better, so this is what we have asked your school to do to help you learn even more.

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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 opportunities to write interesting stories and then checking how well you have done so that you can improve more quickly. ■ Improve planning in the Reception classes so that work is more challenging and better matched to children's needs. ■ Involve you more in making your work even better, including setting individual targets for your learning. With very best wishes. Yours faithfully Janet Sinclair Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Padnell Infant School, 9–10 July 2009

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