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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team agrees with the very positive views expressed by the parents. They are justifiably proud of the school. The inspection team agree with the concern that it is necessary for parents to have an early understanding and involvement in determining future provision for their children.

Very good teaching and extensive use of assessment and recording enable all pupils and children to make good, and often very good, progress and achieve well in all areas of their development.

1 - The quality of teaching is very good and never less than good. Teachers and support staff know the children and pupils very well and have a very good knowledge of the curriculum for under fives and Key Stage 1. They use this knowledge very effectively in planning lessons to ensure that pupils and children can build on their previous level of attainment. As a result they make very good progress and effective learning takes place.

2 - In the literacy hour, for example older pupils are very interested in the group reading from the Big Book. The teacher develops the pupils’ ability to sequence a story by skilled questioning about the animals in the story and who stole which fruit from a basket. Questions to different pupils are carefully re-phrased in relation to their special educational needs in order to enable all to take an active part in the lesson. In all lessons children and pupils’ responses are very carefully recorded, often by support staff. This information is then effectively used to plan future lessons and, in the longer term, to devise increasingly challenging targets in individual education plans.

3 - In other lessons teachers use their extensive knowledge of children’s special educational needs to enable them to make very good progress in relation to personal and social development. For example, children and pupils with features related to autism are progressively encouraged to work alongside, and later with, others when working on the computer. They develop their ability to tolerate each other and to take turns and share. This represents considerable achievement for many.

4 - The roles and responsibilities of all staff are very clear within lessons and all play a significant part in the learning of pupils and children. Support staff have very clear tasks. They work very productively with individuals as part of an effective key worker system, using the detailed assessment information to plan tasks which challenge and motivate children and pupils enabling very good learning to take place. For example, when a support assistant works very effectively with an individual on number work using the detailed information firstly to create an effective working relationship before challenging the child to identify missing numbers in a sequence. The adults knowledge of the child ensures that good methods are used to maintain interest when she becomes distracted.

5 - A great deal of time outside teaching is used to ensure that all resources are well prepared, readily available and appropriate for tasks. Teachers and support staff prepare resource boxes at the end and beginning of each day. Carefully considering the range of resources necessary to ensure that all children and pupils are thoroughly involved in all lessons. This enables lessons to move at a brisk pace with regular changes of activity in response to children’s and pupils’ needs. Good use is made of signing to support communication skills and singing also encourages involvement. Expectations are very high and the level of staffing and detailed assessment means that all pupils and children are fully involved in all lessons at a challenging level. This enables achievement and progress to be high in all areas.

6 - Overall teaching and assessment are very effective in promoting learning.

A broad, balanced and relevant curriculum which is particularly well matched to the needs of pupils and children is in place for both pre-school children and those in Key Stage 1.

7 - The school has a very thorough process of curriculum planning which has improved and extended since the last inspection. The curriculum is successfully taught through a mixture of topics covering a wide range of areas for under five and subjects in Key Stage 1 and separate subjects or areas for literacy, numeracy, gross motor skill development and personal and social development. This planning is closely related to the Desirable Learning Outcomes and more recently the Early Learning Goals for under fives and the National Curriculum for older pupils and ensures a broad and balanced experience. The very detailed assessment of children and pupils together with the adults’ knowledge of their special educational needs ensures that all have access to the curriculum at an appropriate but challenging level. As a result good or very good learning takes place, progress is made and achievement is high in relation to the special educational needs of the children and pupils. The curriculum is enhanced by the wide range of specialists adding to the multi-disciplinary approach, for example speech therapists, nursery nurses and support assistants.

8 - The retention of a small number of pupils into Key Stage 1 has meant that the school needed to develop the curriculum to meet the statutory requirements for Key Stage 1. It has succeeded in this without disruption because of the quality of the systems already in place and the commitment of all staff.

9 - The National Literacy Strategy has been effectively introduced since the last inspection and has had a positive impact on learning. Although less embedded the National Numeracy Strategy is also beginning to have a positive impact on pupils learning.

Excellent relationships have been established between all staff, staff and children and with parents. This has a positive effect on learning.

10 - Relationships throughout the school and with parents are excellent. All staff work co-operatively with a common sense of purpose and shared vision. They work tirelessly in support of each other in ensuring that planning reflects the needs of all children and pupils. They willingly share tasks, such as preparing materials, working with groups or individuals or recording and assessing the contributions made by pupils and children and their progress.

11 - All staff contribute equally to whole staff meeting or review meetings when discussing individuals in preparation for formal reviews of individual education plans with parents and other agencies. Because all staff work with all pupils or children some of the time everyone is involved in providing information about progress and what does or does not work with different children. This is a real strength and supports the concept of the key worker who takes a lead responsibility for individual children.

12 - Relationships with children are excellent and promote very positive attitudes to learning. These relationships are used very effectively to involve sometimes reluctant children to take an active part in lessons. For example, for carefully targeted support using the person with the closest relationship ensures that a girl joins in singing and partnership work to "… rows the boat ashore". The effective use of these relationships to promote involvement and learning was remarked upon very positively by a visiting Educational Psychologist and a support worker for a child with autistic characteristics. Both knew the respective children very well and were delighted by the progress made.

13 - Parents are very enthusiastic about the high quality of the school’s provision. They are fully involved in the education of their child and rightly feel that an effective partnership has been created which benefits all concerned. They receive good quality information which enables them to support the work of the school.

The head teacher, supported by governors, has created a very effective and purposeful learning environment where there is a strong sense of teamwork and commitment.

14 - The head teacher has established a very effective and purposeful learning environment in which pupils and children have positive attitudes, behave well and learn effectively. The school has had a clear sense of purpose over a number of years which is shared by all staff and governors. The temporary addition of a number of pupils remaining in school for an extra year has been very effectively managed and this has not affected the ethos of the school.

15 - All staff are fully involved in determining the priorities for the development of the school and a number of initiatives have been successfully introduced including those for literacy and numeracy. Priorities in the development plan are appropriate and cover a wide range of school activities. The role of the school in the wider community, through the work of the leadership and management, is also having a positive effect. The advent of the Family Centre and new Toy Library to support parents of children with special education needs has added to the learning environment provided by the school. 

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

16 - The governing body has only recently received full delegated powers and in consequence systematic procedures for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school are not yet established.

17 - The governing body is very supportive of the school and is involved in a variety of ways. They are closely involved in financial matters and in supporting the head in the recent development of children staying for an extra year. Until recently they had only limited delegated powers with the Local Authority retaining much control and responsibility. As the school has developed the governors have received full powers of delegation. They have not yet established clear systems for monitoring and evaluating the quality of the school’s procedures or provision although they do receive detailed reports from the head.

18 - In order to improve further the head, and governors should:

· Improve the overall leadership and management of the school by ensuring that the governing body develops clear systamatic procedures for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school in line with its full powers of delegation. (Paragraphs 16 and 17)

Number of lessons observed - 18

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils - 12