Vigo Primary School

115970 Unique Reference Number Hampshire Local Authority 326300 Inspection number 1–2 July 2009 Inspection dates Brian Evans 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 174 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 Mrs Melissa James Chair Mrs Clare Hannah Headteacher 26 April 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection The Five Schools' Campus School address Vigo Road Andover SP10 1JZ 01264 365166 Telephone number 01264 354299 Fax number

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4–7 Age group 1–2 July 2009 Inspection dates 326300 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: Vigo Infant School, 1–2 July 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Vigo Infant School is smaller than most primary schools. Most of the pupils are of White British origin. When pupils join the school, their skills and knowledge are well below the levels expected for their age group. The proportion of the pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is well above average. The school has a language and communication unit which supports pupils with speech and language difficulties. The proportion entitled to a free school meal is slightly above average. The school has Healthy School Enhanced Status.

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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: Vigo Infant School, 1–2 July 2009

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Grade: 2

Vigo is a good infant school. Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with well below average skills and make good progress. By the time they leave the school, pupils' attainment is broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics. Up until recently, the school had been making satisfactory progress in raising achievement, following a low point in 2005. However, over the last 18 months, a strong, effective focus on improving pupils' literacy and numeracy has had a marked impact on raising their achievement. The 2009 Year 2 assessments show a dramatic improvement in mathematics, as well as continued improvements in reading and writing. Pupils' learning has been strengthened by the reorganisation of mixed Year 1 and Year 2 classes into year classes and by good, well-planned and effective teaching and learning. There are a variety of very successful strategies in speech and language teaching, including the use

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Grade: 2

of sign language. Well-trained support assistants effectively meet the specific learning needs of small withdrawal groups in literacy and numeracy. Information and communication technology (ICT) is used well to support good independent learning skills. The headteacher has a clear vision for raising achievement and, in a relatively short time, has raised the expectations of pupils, parents and staff. She provides the school with excellent leadership and has the full support of her staff and governors. A high proportion of parents returned questionnaires and their comments were overwhelmingly supportive. One parent wrote, 'We cannot fault this school. Both my children love going to school. Their progress has been excellent thanks to fantastic teaching.' For all the above reasons, the school has a good capacity to improve. Since the last inspection, assessment data have been used much more effectively to monitor

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Grade: 2

pupils' progress and to tackle underachievement. The curriculum is satisfactory overall and teachers are beginning to reinforce learning well through a range of topics and settings. For example, the transport topic 'All Aboard' integrates science, design and technology, and poetry very effectively. However, the school recognises the need to plan the curriculum more carefully across all year groups if it is to achieve its goal of ensuring that standards are securely within the national average. Good care, guidance and support have a positive impact on pupils' good personal development. This provides a very solid platform for further improvements in learning. Behaviour is exemplary throughout the school. Attendance is above average and there are no persistent absentees on roll. Pupils' awareness of and participation in a healthy lifestyle is good and they feel safe and enjoy school. Pupils of all ages are given a range of responsibilities which

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Grade: 2

they carry out conscientiously and well. A very well-implemented programme of personal, social and health education prepares pupils well for junior school. Community cohesion is satisfactory. The school is very involved in its local community but an awareness of national and international communities is at an early stage. Safeguarding requirements are met in full. Partnerships with external agencies and other institutions are good.

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Grade: 2

'I am really pleased with my daughter's schooling; she has really grown in confidence and is progressing well.' This comment from one of the parents sums up the good start the children receive both academically and in their personal and social skills. When they enter Reception classes from a number of different settings, their skills and knowledge are well below those expected of their age. Most children have lower-level communication and mathematical skills. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Vigo Infant School, 1–2 July 2009 From this low-level starting point, children make good progress in all areas of learning. The focused work on linking sounds and letters, and the systematic use of role play and storytelling to develop their communication skills, are having a positive impact on the progress they make in communication, language and literacy, especially in writing. The majority of children are working within the expectations of the early learning goals by the time they enter Year 1.

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Grade: 2

Children make very good progress in their personal development because of the very supportive and caring approach of staff, who give them opportunities to develop their independence and self-confidence. The children's welfare is given very high priority. Teachers and support staff are skilled in offering appropriate challenge and support when they work in small groups because they know how young children learn. Children take on these challenges confidently, whether it is talking about how to care for their pets or writing about where animals like to live and what they like to eat. Staff work well together as a team to provide a range of exciting things for children to do both indoors and outdoors, which engage their enthusiasm and interest. For example, while playing outside, painting the wall with water, one boy was excited to find how the wall changed colour and shouted, 'It is magic!' There are

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Grade: 2

fewer opportunities for children to evaluate how well they access the different activities on offer. The Early Years Foundation Stage is well led and managed. There has been significant improvement made to the outdoor provision.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Establish clearer progression routes through the school curriculum by improving the planning of the curriculum across all year groups. ■ Improve the school's contribution to community cohesion by developing national and international contacts.

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Grade: 2

Standards at the end of Year 2 are broadly average and pupils make good progress. Assessments at the end of Year 2 show a rising trend in reading and writing and, especially, in mathematics. A scrutiny of pupils' work indicates that higher attainers are now beginning to achieve their potential in writing. Pupils have a much clearer idea of what they need to do to improve their work. Tracking systems enable teachers to monitor progress in basic skills well, but pupils' progression within the wider school curriculum is currently under review and is, rightly, a priority for the future. Pupils greatly enjoy using ICT software and, overall, their ICT skills are in line with expectations. In every session the computers grouped around the school are used well by small groups of pupils to support independent learning in literacy and numeracy. Pupils with specific learning difficulties receive good support from teachers and support assistants. Parents

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Grade: 2

are especially pleased with the excellent progress made by pupils in the speech and language unit.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and includes excellent moral and social strengths. The school is beginning to address increasing pupils' understanding of different cultures through specific topics, for example on India. Pupils talk about learning as 'fun' and have a strong work ethic. Relationships are excellent and pupils have good self-esteem. Their behaviour in lessons and around the school is excellent. Pupils are clear about their rights 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Vigo Infant School, 1–2 July 2009 and responsibilities. They talk about how some pupils find it hard to behave appropriately and what they can do to help them. Through themes such as 'Food, Glorious Food' and through projects such as 'Cook and Eat' and 'Walk to School', pupils are developing a good understanding of how to keep healthy and this is reflected in the school's Enhanced Healthy School Status.

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Grade: 2

They know how to keep safe in the sun and use this knowledge effectively when playing outside. They know the importance of exercise and take part in the wide range of sports and clubs on offer. Pupils take on their responsibilities as playground buddies, litter monitors, book monitors and make a positive difference to their school environment, with confidence. The good gains they make in their basic skills, together with their good interpersonal skills, prepare them well for their future economic well-being.

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Grade: 2

There is a good consistency in the approach to classroom routines by all teachers. Work is marked regularly, with constructive comments that help each pupil to know what they have to do to improve their work. Pupils are regularly challenged to solve problems using 'thinking skills' to guide them towards a solution. They discuss their ideas animatedly and are able to explain their thinking. They have good spans of concentration and these support their learning. Teachers and support assistants guide groups at different levels of attainment well through the tasks set, so that they are able to arrive at their own solutions. On occasions, some pupils find the work either too easy or too hard. Teachers are confident when using 'talk partners', where pupils discuss their ideas with a friend before sharing them with the rest of the class. Where this happens, pupils are fully involved in their learning and participate in the lessons.

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Grade: 2

The purpose of each lesson is explained clearly. Teaching assistants provide good support for pupils who find learning difficult so that they can achieve well.

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Grade: 3

The school has made good progress in adapting the curriculum to make it possible for pupils to achieve more effective basic skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT. It recognises that it is now appropriate to devise a more challenging, relevant and more exciting curriculum, which will progressively encourage pupils to apply these skills in ever more challenging ways as they move through the school. Staff recognise that there is still much to do but initiatives so far are having an impact on learning. Pupils talk enthusiastically about a good range of extra-curricular activities and about the many sporting opportunities provided for all year groups. A number are also keen, for example, on the Friday gardening club, and cucumbers grown by them were on display around the school. In addition, a nest of blue tits on the school site, with a built-in camera, provided a strong focus of interest for all pupils. There is a good range of visits to the

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Grade: 3

local area and of visitors to the school, who make an appreciable contribution to pupils' enthusiasm for learning.

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Grade: 2

Pupils benefit from an excellent quality of pastoral care and guidance by all staff. Pupils are clear about who they can go to for support. The 'nurture group' is used very effectively to 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Vigo Infant School, 1–2 July 2009 support pupils who are vulnerable and who have specific behaviour, social and emotional needs. This is having a positive impact on the good progress that they make towards their targets. Parents are happy with the support they and their children receive. The provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is good. The individual education programmes are used well by staff to monitor progress. However, they could be written in a more child-friendly way so that pupils can take ownership of evaluating their progress. There are some excellent examples of pupils taking responsibility for their progress in the speech and language unit, as in their use of the rainbow chart and other visual aids. The procedures to protect and safeguard

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Grade: 2

pupils are robust and meet statutory requirements. The school works very closely with the parent support adviser and with parents of specific pupils to improve attendance. Academic guidance is good. The school has effective assessment systems in place to track pupils' progress and to identify areas for improvement.

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Grade: 2

The school's self-evaluation form and the development plan identify clear priorities for improvement. For example, staff are successfully working together to raise the quality of writing throughout the school. The headteacher has an excellent, very clear vision for driving forward achievement and communicates this well within the school community. Monitoring of teaching is systematic and is leading to improvements in learning over time. Many of the new initiatives are beginning to bear fruit and the schools' own and external performance data confirm this. A number of parents wrote about the impressive progress being made by the school in helping their children overcome learning difficulties and their lack of confidence. The amount of progress that pupils make each term is good and improving steadily. This is because teachers have higher expectations of what pupils can achieve and they are given challenging targets to aim for. The

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Grade: 2

provision for pupils with additional needs is well organised and led. Local community involvement is good but the school's approach to broaden elements of community cohesion to include the national and international communities are at an early stage. Governance is good. Governors are kept fully informed about the school's effectiveness. As well as having a clear understanding of the school's strengths and development points, governors also sensitively challenge and question to ensure that the school's provision and standards continue to advance. Administration is good and resources are used efficiently. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Vigo Infant School, 1–2 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: Vigo Infant School, 1–2 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?

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? 1 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? 3 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: Vigo Infant School, 1–2 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 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 2 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Vigo Infant School, 1–2 July 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

14 July 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Vigo Infant School,Andover,SP10 1JZ We really enjoyed visiting your school. Thank you for helping us to find out about it. We agree with your parents that Vigo Infant is a good school. We were very impressed with displays around the school. We also noted with pleasure the cucumbers that your gardening club grew. Here are some of the things we found out that were good.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You enjoy your time in the school very much and you make good progress from the time you enter the school to when you leave. ■ You have an excellent headteacher. Staff and governors help her to make sure you have the very best education possible. ■ Your behaviour is excellent and you all get on very well together.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We were very impressed with your skills on the computer and your work on the transport topic 'All Aboard'. ■ You take on a wide range of responsibilities in a mature way and your parents are very pleased that you are safe and well looked after. We have asked the headteacher and the staff, with your help, to reach even higher standards. We have asked them to:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ continue to give you all even more opportunities to enjoy your learning by improving the planning of the topics that you study in and out of the classroom ■ develop links with and tell you more about people and cultures beyond your local area.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Best wishes and thank you again for helping us. Yours faithfully Brian Evans Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Vigo Infant School, 1–2 July 2009

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