Raglan Infant School
Wellington Road, EN1 2NS
Tel: 020 8360 5121
Fax: 020 8360 2813
Raglan Infant School
ofsted report
Introduction
The inspection was carried out by an Additional Inspector. The inspector evaluated the overall
effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: achievement and standards,
teaching and learning, leadership and management and care, guidance and support, gathering
evidence from lesson observations, scrutiny of pupils' work and documents.
Parents' questionnaires and discussions with pupils, a governor and staff, also contributed to the judgements. Other aspects of the school's work 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.
Description of the school
This large school has a Nursery and serves a suburban area of mainly privately owned housing.The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is broadly average. Well over half the pupils are from many different minority ethnic groups.
An increasing number of pupils speak English as an additional language, making up a quarter of the school population. The number of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is similar to that found in most schools.
The school has awards for its staff development, promoting healthy lifestyles and physical education. The school has links with Middlesex University, the University of Hertfordshire and the 2schools Consortium for initial teacher training.
Key for inspection grades
- Grade 1 Outstanding
- Grade 2 Good
- Grade 3 Satisfactory
- Grade 4 Inadequate
Overall effectiveness of the school - Grade: 2
This is a good school with many strengths. It is popular with parents, who particularly appreciate its friendly atmosphere. One commented, 'The staff in the school are welcoming and make each day an exciting new adventure.' Adults know the pupils exceptionally well as individuals and provide an outstanding level of care and guidance.
Pupils are extremely well supported, and the school meets the needs and abilities of all pupils well by its careful grouping arrangements. Excellent arrangements are in place to safeguard pupils and to provide for those who have learning difficulties. The increasing numbers of pupils who speak English as an additional language integrate quickly and receive highly effective support.
Pupils know what they have to do to improve their work and the school seeks their views about their learning. An ethos of respect runs through the entire work of the school, and its tone is set by the headteacher and a strong team of leaders. Children enter the Nursery with a very wide range of skills and abilities, although these are often below those expected in speech and communication and in social development. They make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes because of effective teaching and a rich curriculum that is tailored well to the needs of young children.
The majority of pupils are meeting the goals expected of them by the time they enter Year 1. Pupils continue to make good progress in Years 1 and 2 and reach standards that are above average in reading, writing and mathematics in national assessments. All pupils achieve well, but in writing many more girls reach the higher levels than boys. The school has identified this gap in attainment as an area to develop, and has already adapted the way writing is taught to involve boys more, for example by using video clips and including more drama.
A consequence of the cramped building is that there is very little space in classrooms for computers and pupils do not have enough access to them during the week to practise the skills they learn in the school's computer suite. As a result, standards in information and communication technology are broadly average, not as high as they are in the other core subjects, and achievement is only satisfactory. The school is investing in laptops to help remedy this.
Pupils have positive attitudes to learning because of consistently good teaching and the excellent relationships that exist in the school. Teachers make lessons interesting through using a variety of methods and adapting the curriculum to suit their particular pupils. In one class, for example, the teacher showed pupils how to set out a sentence using a football match as her theme. This appealed particularly to the boys and inspired them to write their own sentences.
There is a strong focus on teaching basic skills, and open-ended questions encourage pupils to talk about their learning. Teachers have high expectations of pupils' behaviour, although occasionally they do not make clear enough what they are looking for in pupils' work by the end of a lesson. Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to pupils' learning, and help to ensure that pupils with learning difficulties make the same progress as their classmates. A strong feature of the school is the way that pupils' many cultures and faiths are embraced and celebrated. Attractive displays highlight different customs and festivals and pupils are encouraged to share their experiences.
Pupils have a good sense of right and wrong and play and work harmoniously together. They know about living healthy lifestyles. One pupil said, 'Water is really important to keep you alive.' Pupils take plenty of exercise, not only through physical education lessons, but also through the many lively activities they enjoy at lunchtimes. Inspection Report: Raglan Infant School, 10 September 2007 4 of 9 They feel safe at school and say they know an adult to turn to if they have a worry. Attendance has improved and is now similar to that found in most schools.
The good curriculum makes a strong contribution to pupils' enjoyment of school and their good personal development and well-being. It is adapted well to suit pupils who speak English as an additional language, and all pupils are included, whatever their level of need. A good range of visitors including Indian dancers and theatre groups enrich the curriculum, and there are visits to places of interest such as Gunpowder Mills and Lea Valley Country Park. Staff from a local secondary school help with physical education, one example of the strong links the school enjoys with other schools and agencies.
Parents are also encouraged to share in the school community through coffee mornings, family learning and various workshops. The new school councillors are proud of their responsibilities and have already successfully canvassed the headteacher about improving the toilets. Their powers of persuasion were exhibited at an early stage in election manifestos, such as the one that ran, 'I'm begging you, please vote me, I will be so, so, so good!' Pupils help around the school and raise money for several charities. They leave the school with above average basic skills and are confident learners, ready for the move to the juniors. Leaders have a good understanding, by means of effective monitoring procedures, of the school's strengths, and how it needs to develop.
They collect a large amount of data, which they use to track pupils' progress from term to term. The school recognises the need to take a strategic view of progress over the longer term. Realistic and challenging targets are set and pupils generally meet them. Subject leaders are well informed about their areas of responsibility and work together as a committed team, drawing from one another's strengths. The headteacher leads her team well, and has done much to develop the role of middle managers so that there are a consistency of approach and shared values. This is reflected in the good teaching and the good progress pupils make. Governors make regular visits to monitor the work of the school and are increasingly sharing their expertise.
They ask searching questions and hold the school to account well. The school has maintained above average standards over several years in the face of a changing intake and is well placed to improve further.
Effectiveness of the Foundation Stage - Grade: 2
Good leadership and management enable teachers and support staff to work together very well to provide a caring and stimulating learning environment in which young children thrive.
Careful attention is given to preparing children for joining the Nursery and Reception classes and making their transition to Year 1 successful. Thorough assessments are made and the curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of all the children, with a good balance of adult-led and child-chosen activities.
Children achieve well because of the good teaching they receive. What the school should do to improve further:
- Provide more opportunities for more able boys to extend their writing so that they attain as well as the girls.
- Enable pupils to practise their skills in information and communication technology more frequently so that standards and achievement rise.
Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.