ISI Inspection Report

The Independent Schools Inspectorate conducted a full inspection report on Rosemead Preparatory School from October 5th to 6th, 2010, and from November 1st to 3rd, 2010. The entire report is reproduced below.

Full Name of the School Rosemead Preparatory School
DfES Number 208/6151
Address 70 Thurlow Park Road, London SE21 8HZ
Telephone Number 020 8670 5865
Fax Number 020 8671 9159
E-mail Address admin@rosemeadprepschool.org.uk
Name of Head Mrs Catherine Brown
Chairman of Governors Mr Karl Volz
Age Range 3 to 11
Number of Pupils 327
Gender Mixed (150 boys; 177 girls)
Number by Age 3-5 (EYFS): 81; and 5-11: 246
Number of Day Pupils 327
Head of EYFS Setting Mrs M E Everitt
EYFS Gender Mixed
Inspection Dates 05 Oct 2010 to 06 Oct 2010
01 Nov 2010 to 03 Nov 2010

Contents

Preface

This inspection report follows the STANDARD ISI schedule. The inspection consists of two parts: an INITIAL two-day inspection of regulatory requirements followed by a three-day FINAL (team) inspection of the school’s broader educational provision. The previous ISI inspection was in November 2004. The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) is the body approved by the Government for the purpose of inspecting schools belonging to the Independent Schools Council (ISC) Associations and reporting on compliance with the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010*. The range of these Regulations is as follows.

*These Standards Regulations replace those first introduced on 1 September 2003.

Legislation additional to Part 3, Welfare, health and safety of pupils, is as follows.

The inspection was also carried out under the arrangements of the ISC Associations for the maintenance and improvement of the quality of their membership.

ISI is also approved to inspect the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which was introduced in September 2008 and applies to all children in England from birth to 31st August following their fifth birthday. This report evaluates the extent to which the setting fulfils the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and follows the requirements of the Childcare Act 2006 as subsequently amended.

The inspection of the school is from an educational perspective and provides limited inspection of other aspects, though inspectors will comment on any significant hazards or problems they encounter which have an adverse impact on children. The inspection does not include:

The Characteristics of the School

1.1 Rosemead Preparatory School is an independent co-educational preparatory day school for pupils aged from 3 to 11 years. It is located on the London South Circular Road in Dulwich, although it first opened in Streatham in 1942. In 1974 a group of parents took over the running of the school. It became a limited company with an all-parent management team and is now a non-profit-making charitable trust. All parents are members of the Thurlow Educational Trust Limited and, as a result, may participate in its affairs. Since the last inspection the school has acquired an additional site. Consequently, the younger pupils (Nursery to Year 1) attend the Elmcourt Road site whilst the older ones (Years 2 to 6) are at the Thurlow Park Road location.

1.2 There are 327 pupils on roll. Twelve of these, of whom eight are boys, attend part-time. Another 69 children attend full-time in the Nursery and Reception classes, as part of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Seventy-six pupils are in the pre-preparatory department (33 girls and 43 boys aged 6 and 7 in Years 1 and 2) and 171 pupils are in the preparatory department (109 girls and 62 boys aged from 7 to 11 in Years 3 to 6).

1.3 The majority of pupils are from homes in the immediate locality, some of whom have above average socio-economic circumstances with parents working in professional or business occupations. The school population is predominantly white British; however, approximately ten per cent of pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds.

1.4 Eight pupils have English as an additional language (EAL). All have a ‘Record of Concern’ form and the younger children receive specific support for the acquisition of English through a tailored programme. A further eighteen pupils have learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LDD) and receive additional support. One pupil has a statement of special educational needs. The ability profile of the school is above the national average. At the age of 11, almost all pupils transfer to senior independent schools of their choice in the local area, with many gaining scholarships.

1.5 The school aims to create a secure and intellectually challenging environment which enables each pupil to be safe and to reach their full potential, participating in a wide range of extra-curricular activities in order to encourage their physical and personal development. It seeks to develop its pupils into being good citizens by fostering excellent standards of behaviour as well as responsible and considerate attitudes both in and out of school, providing a welcoming and caring community in which each pupil can thrive and be happy.

1.6 National Curriculum nomenclature is used throughout this report to refer to year groups in the school.

The Success of the School

2.(a) Main findings

2.1 The attainment of pupils at Rosemead School, including those with LDD or EAL, and those in the EYFS, is good, as is their progress in learning. This reflects the school’s success in its aim of helping pupils to achieve their full potential. Pupils’ achievements are largely the result of good quality teaching and the pupils’ own enthusiasm, excellent behaviour, high quality relationships and very positive attitudes. The main strengths of the teaching are lively and enthusiastic teaching, good teacher subject knowledge, good planning and effective teaching techniques that enable pupils to achieve well. However, on occasions such high standards in teaching are not reached, as the pace of the lesson is too slow and the pupils are given work that is not closely matched to their different ability levels.

2.2 Since the last inspection good progress has been made in addressing areas of concern identified, notably those related to staff appraisal, LDD support and one non-compliance issue. Throughout the school, the curriculum includes all the required educational experiences, although there are some imbalances in the time allocated to different subjects in different year groups. The curriculum is very well supported by the excellent quality of the extra-curricular activities.

2.3 From the EYFS onwards pupils’ personal development is excellent. Pupils respect each other, are confident and have extremely good attitudes to the school. Pupils’ personal qualities are exceptionally well supported by excellent levels of care and high quality safeguarding, welfare, health and safety procedures. Pupils work together very well, enjoying excellent relationships with staff and between themselves. They know the adults they can turn to for support should they need it.

2.4 Governance is good and governors take considerable interest in the work of the school and regularly oversee its work. Leadership and management are particularly good at senior level, where senior managers work most effectively as a team. However, as the school rightly recognises, the role and work of subject co-ordinators is under-developed and more work remains to be done in this area. School policies are of good quality, thorough and well carried out. The school improvement plan is good, although it lacks a longer-term vision for what the school hopes to achieve in the next three to four years.

2.5 Parents are exceptionally happy with their children’s education, and the pupils’ questionnaire and discussions with them showed that they are also most happy at school.

2.(b) Action points

(i) Compliance with regulatory requirements

(The range of the Independent School Standards Regulations is given in the Preface.)

2.6 At the time of the initial visit, the school met all the requirements of the Independent School Standards Regulations 2010.

(ii) Recommendations for further improvement

2.7 The school is advised to make the following improvements.

The Quality of Academic and Other Achievements

3.(a) The quality of the pupils’ achievements and their learning, attitudes and skills

3.1 The quality of pupils’ achievements is good, and in some areas, notably English and mathematics, particularly good. This matches the aim of the school to create an intellectually stimulating environment which enables each pupil to be safe and to reach their full potential.

3.2 Across a wide range of subjects and activities pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills are very well developed. Pupils express themselves with confidence and are articulate in conversation, even though there is a wide spread of ability across the school. They are most competent readers; they are imaginative in their writing and display a good deal of accuracy in their work. Pupils reason through arguments well, and when given the opportunity are well able to think for themselves and work out solutions with others. Good standards of creativity are evident both in pupils’ art work and in the quality of displays around the school. Pupils have exceptionally good numeracy skills, although their ICT skills are not so well developed. Examination results in music are good. Team and individual successes are also evident in sport, music and art competitions where achievements are particularly good. Such successes have a strong impact on pupils’ personal development.

3.3 The following analysis uses the national data for the years 2007 to 2009. These are the most recent three years for which comparative statistics are currently available. Results in national tests at the age of 11 have been good in relation to the national average for maintained primary schools. This level of attainment indicates that pupils make good progress in relation to their above average ability. This can be seen right across the school from the EYFS onwards. Their good progress is a result of effective teaching and the pupils’ own commitment and perseverance, as noted in lessons and interviews with them. Pupils give of their best and concentrate well. They are enthusiastic and work hard, being well motivated individuals. Their written work is extremely well presented and they enjoy the subjects they study and the activities in which they participate. In addition, they apply themselves very well either individually or when working with others. All are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

3.(b) The contribution of curricular and extra-curricular provision (including community links of benefit to pupils)

3.4 The school offers a good curriculum that is broad and generally well balanced. This is in accordance with its aim of providing an intellectually challenging environment which enables pupils to achieve their full potential. Emphasis is rightly placed on acquiring the skills of literacy and numeracy. The curriculum covers all National Curriculum subjects and is enhanced by the addition of French, personal, social and health education (PSHE) and religious education (RE). However, some imbalance exists in the teaching time allocated to some subjects, for example science, both within and across year groups. The school is aware of this and is taking appropriate action. The timetable is arranged so that older pupils’ classes can be split into a number of ability groups for English and mathematics. Pupils benefit from these smaller class sizes and from working at a level and pace that is more suited to them. The curriculum is augmented by whole-school events such as individual subject weeks. These experiences contribute effectively to the pupils’ academic performance and their personal development. Pupils of all abilities are provided with experiences in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical, aesthetic and creative education.

3.5 The curriculum is well planned and clearly identifies good progression in the acquisition of pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding across all subjects and years. Pupils with LDD receive very strong support that enables them to benefit from the curriculum. They are given individual plans which are well known to the staff, who include suitable provision for these pupils within their regular planning. Similar arrangements are made for gifted and talented pupils. This is a significant improvement on the last inspection, when provision for the more able pupils was a cause for concern.

3.6 The school provides an excellent range of extra-curricular activities, the range of clubs having been expanded since the last inspection in order to meet the school’s aim of encouraging all pupils to participate in a wide range of activities so furthering their physical and personal development. For example, participation in the ‘art through ICT’ club helps to develop pupils’ technical and creative skills. Mandarin, Spanish and Russian add to their linguistic ability. The ‘ECO club’, which has recently won the Eco-Schools bronze award, heightens the pupils’ environmental awareness.

3.7 Pupils’ learning is significantly enriched by additional activities such as visits to a variety of museums and places of interest, which are greatly enjoyed by pupils. Writing and ICT skills are stimulated and further developed through a visit to the offices of a national newspaper, where the pupils create their own newspaper front pages. Residential visits for Years 3, 5 and 6 particularly help pupils to gain confidence in outdoor activities. These make a significant contribution to pupils’ personal development through fostering leadership skills, team spirit and an awareness and respect for one another’s capabilities.

3.8 The school has strong links with the community. Pupils visit places of worship in the area, such as synagogues and temples. Parents who work in local services and businesses enhance pupils’ understanding of the world of work. The local police community support officer also visits the school to discuss community matters. The local area is used very well for art and geography. All such links help to support and enrich the taught curriculum offered to the pupils.

3.(c) The contribution of teaching

3.9 Good and, on occasions, excellent teaching enables most pupils to achieve well. Teaching is a major contributing factor which helps pupils to achieve their academic potential. This is well in line with the school’s aims for its pupils. Since the last inspection good progress has been made in developing the provision for pupils with LDD and its use by all staff. Significant steps have been made in improving assessment procedures and the use made of them, and in providing challenging work for the more able pupils.

3.10 Good opportunities are offered to pupils for them to discuss their work in subjects such as English and history. This has a considerable impact on improving the pupils’ oral communication and self-confidence. In English and mathematics in particular, basic skills are emphasised and this enables the pupils to attain the particularly good standards that they do by the time they leave the school. Good teaching also helps to promote pupils’ creative skills, notably in subjects such as art, music and English.

3.11 Teachers’ subject knowledge and lesson planning are generally strong, and they make good use of available resources to help pupils with their learning. In the best lessons, lively and enthusiastic teaching, which includes effective questioning techniques, enables pupils to achieve well. On most occasions the tasks set are varied and appropriately matched to pupils’ abilities. Praise and encouragement are well used. This adds significantly to pupils’ enjoyment of their lessons. On the occasions when teaching does not reach such high standards, there is a slower pace to the lesson and the teaching style is over-directed. In addition, work is not so precisely matched to pupils’ abilities. Consequently, pupils have limited opportunities to think for themselves and take some responsibility for their learning.

3.12 The very good provision and the programme of work for pupils with LDD enable teachers to plan individual help in their lessons for those pupils who need it. The few pupils with EAL are given good support to enable their learning to progress. Classrooms contain good quality resources, with some having interactive whiteboards. These along with other ICT resources help to produce many stimulating lessons, maintain the pupils’ interest and enthuse them. However, on occasions ICT is insufficiently well used to support pupils’ learning.

3.13 The marking of pupils’ work is of high quality. It contains encouraging words, practical suggestions for improvement and targets for pupils to work on. Pupils also say that on many occasions they are given verbal feedback, so that they know what they have to do to continue to improve. Assessment data are compiled effectively to check on pupils’ progress, and the system enables the school to use the analyses it makes to plan future work for the pupils to do, particularly in mathematics and English.

The Quality of the Pupils' Personal Development

4.(a) The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils

4.1 The quality of the pupils’ personal development is excellent, both in the EYFS and in the rest of the school. Pupils are most courteous, very polite and friendly. Their personal development is a major priority in the school. It is underpinned by the school ethos which, in turn, it strongly supports. Teachers actively seek to develop pupils’ confidence in their own abilities and beliefs. A good PSHE programme contributes effectively to the provision, thus meeting the school’s aims in this area.

4.2 Pupils’ spiritual awareness is excellent. They respond extremely well to the wide range of opportunities to develop their spiritual awareness which permeates school life. They have high levels of self-esteem and are sufficiently confident to allow others their say and to listen with interest to them. They fully appreciate the skills and abilities of their peers. For example, they admire the musical and artistic contributions that others make. Pupils reflect well on spiritual issues when prompted to do so during assemblies and some PSHE lessons. The importance placed on spiritual development is reinforced by many activities which support it.

4.3 The pupils’ moral awareness is excellent. The school has an effective code of conduct which is adapted appropriately for pupils of different ages. Golden time for younger pupils, along with the many rewards on offer for older pupils, reinforce the school’s priorities in this regard. The pupils are very much aware of the code of conduct and follow it closely. They are courteous and considerate and have a very good sense of right and wrong. In addition, they have a good understanding of human rights and responsibilities and have a strong sense of justice.

4.4 The pupils’ social awareness is excellent. Many roles and responsibilities are undertaken, particularly by the older pupils. These include being ‘buddies’ to younger pupils and being members of the school council. The community atmosphere of the school is reinforced by the close ties between pupils of different ages. For example, the pupils in Year 6 support younger pupils in Nursery, Reception and Year 1. Pupils show considerable initiative in their approach to fundraising and have a high level of awareness of the needs of others. Pupil-initiated fundraising events, often instigated by the school council, are numerous and include ‘leukaemia laps’ and the popular ‘tray sales’. Pupils have a wide knowledge of public institutions and services. They have a good understanding of parliament and social services, and strongly support recycling processes and conservation.

4.5 Pupils have a strong cultural awareness. They respond extremely well to being introduced to a variety of cultures through their RE, history and geography lessons. Music, dance, ballet and drama lessons also contribute. The school actively encourages an awareness and tolerance of differences as well as an understanding of differences in the school and local communities. Pupils know how to live and work with one another in considerable harmony. They appreciate the significance of major religions and cultural festivals, whilst also having a keen awareness of their own heritage through visits to museums and art galleries and through music history, poetry and traditional stories.

4.(b) The contribution of arrangements for welfare, health and safety

4.6 The school’s arrangements for the safeguarding, welfare, health and safety of the pupils, including those in the EYFS, are excellent. This is in line with the school’s aim of providing a safe and secure environment for the pupils. Throughout the school, class teachers are responsible for the welfare of the pupils in their classes. Particularly good academic and pastoral records are kept, so that teachers can have a good view of individual pupils’ overall progress and development. Registration and other opportunities are used well to address any welfare issues that might arise. The head teacher’s ‘open door’ policy ensures that parents and pupils can express any concerns or worries which they may have. Relationships between staff and pupils are excellent and, in discussion, pupils were most clear that there were adults to whom they could turn if they had a problem. Pupils relate extremely well to one another and show real care and concern for each other’s welfare and well-being.

4.7 The school’s anti-bullying policy is well constructed and compliant. Many successful strategies are in place to reward good work and helpful conduct. Sanctions rarely need to be used but when necessary are given according to clearly defined steps. In discussions, pupils also indicated quite clearly that they regard these as fair. No serious sanctions have had to be invoked recently.

4.8 The school’s child protection policy contains all the necessary elements and is well supported by the designated persons. Regular updated training in this area for all members of the school’s staff takes place. The policy is available to all parents and is properly publicised. Safer recruitment of staff is given high priority and the senior leadership team, along with a governor, are fully trained in this. Procedures for checking all concerned are robust and accurately recorded in the central appointments register.

4.9 Fire precautions receive appropriate attention and fire practices are held regularly. Health and safety matters are supervised effectively. The access plan for those with learning or physical problems is good. School food is healthy and varied at lunchtimes and is very popular with pupils, as one Year 2 pupil commented without hesitation when asked about what was the best thing about the school, ‘the best thing here is the food – it’s great!’ Opportunities for pupils to have physical exercise are excellent and healthy lifestyles are strongly encouraged. Medical facilities for pupils who become ill are good. The attendance and admission registers are well maintained and suitably stored for three-year periods.

The Effectiveness of Governance, Leadership and Management

5.(a) The quality of governance

5.1 Governance of the school is good; the board of governors has a strong commitment to its role. All governors visit the school regularly, helping to ensure that good relationships are forged with parents and staff and that the aims of the school are well met. The governors provide and maintain good accommodation, and ensure that human and educational resources are used to their best advantage.

5.2 Governors are carefully appointed to ensure there is a good range of experience represented in areas relevant to the successful running of the school. In addition to regular visits, the work of various committees covering areas such as finance, education, marketing, property, health and safety and personnel, keeps the governors well informed about the work and day-to-day running of the school. This supplements the considerable amount of information provided by the head teacher. Applications to the school are monitored and a keen interest is taken in the destinations of pupils when they leave.

5.3 The governing body is aware of its responsibilities for child protection and health and safety, and appropriate training has been undertaken to confirm their commitment to the safeguarding and welfare of pupils throughout the school. School policies are monitored and reviewed appropriately, and individual governors have careful oversight of the operation of child protection and health and safety in the school.

5.4 The governors take a close interest in school improvement planning and help to devise challenging targets for developments in premises and accommodation. They work closely with the school with regard to financial matters but are aware of the need for improvement planning to be more formalised in a longer-term plan. A programme of classroom observation has been introduced to allow governors to understand the requirements and needs of the curriculum.

5.5 Close contact with the parents, staff and pupils allows the governors to ascertain their views and thoughts and react appropriately to the need for change and improvement to all elements of school life.

5.(b) The quality of leadership and management

5.6 The school, including the EYFS, is very well led and managed, and those in senior positions are highly efficient and approachable. They are most effective in furthering the school’s aims of helping pupils of all abilities to achieve their full potential. Since the last inspection good progress has been made in developments regarding staff appraisal and curriculum monitoring, although the school is well aware that as yet management is not as effective as it could be at all levels, particularly at subject coordinator level.

5.7 The success of the leadership and management of the school is clearly apparent in the excellent levels of pupils’ personal development and in their good levels of achievement. School improvement planning is good with an appropriate number of objectives clearly identified. Appropriate consultation takes place in order to enable such a plan to evolve. However, the current plan lacks a longer-term vision and proposals for the development and review of the school over a three-or four-year period. Other practices for monitoring are in place and these involve senior managers’ monitoring and observing teaching and pupils’ performance. The school is well aware that some of this responsibility is insufficiently developed through subject co-ordinators in the fulfilment of their role.

5.8 The school takes particular care in the selection of high-quality staff. A good system of induction for all new staff is in place. It recognises that all new staff need to understand the running of the school and the role they play in it. Professional development is well organised both within the school and through the use of a sufficient budget to bring in external expertise should the need arise. Externally mounted training is used well and the staff are effectively trained in their roles in safeguarding, welfare, health and safety.

5.9 Good quality policies and procedures have been produced for all aspects of school life and these are implemented effectively by the staff. Teachers, classroom support staff and other non-teaching staff are deployed appropriately and contribute significantly to pupils’ learning and welfare, particularly those with LDD or EAL. Staffing levels are good, so that strong support is given to pupils. Links between the two school sites are strong.

5.10 All those working with pupils are suitably checked through recruitment procedures which are most closely followed. The central register of appointments is completed accurately and fully.

5.(c) The quality of links with parents, carers and guardians

5.11 The school has excellent relationships with parents which fulfils its aim of establishing a positive partnership. Parental questionnaires indicate that parents, including those of children in the EYFS, are pleased with almost all aspects of school life. A minority expressed concern about the quantity of homework. However, inspection findings show that the amount of homework is entirely appropriate for the age and ability of the pupils.

5.12 Parents receive excellent information and the complaints policy is readily available. Parents’ evenings are held twice a year and two written reports are issued in the autumn and the summer terms. These are of high quality and include detailed information about their child’s progress and useful targets for improvement. The website’s dedicated parent area has considerable information about events and routines as well as useful information for current and prospective parents. The school makes excellent use of regular newsletters, email and home/school contact books to ensure that all groups are kept well informed.

5.13 The school answers parents’ queries quickly and efficiently. Informal means of communication, such as email, homework diaries, planners and notice boards are used extremely well. When concerns are identified about a pupil the school deals with them appropriately and sensitively. Since the last inspection the school has responded to parental concerns about insufficient provision beyond that for music and sport-related extra-curricular activities by widely extending the options available.

5.14 The active Parents Association is strongly supported by parents and staff, organising social events and working energetically to raise funds to provide valuable contributions to the life of the school, such as purchasing interactive whiteboards, sponsoring the chess tour each year and helping to re-equip the library. Parents also take an active role in school life through helping with trips, talking to children about their own professions and organising charitable fund-raising events. The views and ideas of parents and children are regularly sought through questionnaires and forums with the outcomes being acted upon by the school’s leadership team.

5.15 Social events enable parents to meet their children’s teachers in an informal setting, whilst meetings are used to put new parents in touch with current parents who can help them to settle in. This is particularly helpful for parents for whom English is not their first language, who are paired whenever possible with those who also speak their particular language.

5.16 The excellent links with parents ensure that the pupils’ experience is a positive and happy one and that all parties work extremely well together. What the school should do to improve is given at the beginning of the report in section 2.

What the school should do to improve is given at the beginning of the report in section 2.

The Effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation

6.(a) The overall effectiveness of the early years provision – how well the school meets the needs of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

6.1 The overall effectiveness of the setting is good, with some outstanding features. It successfully achieves its aim to provide a caring and stimulating environment where all are valued. Children’s needs are met well through a broad range of activities. The careful attention given to implementing safeguarding procedures ensures that children are safe. The setting has good capacity for improvement, as is demonstrated by the highly effective partnerships with parents established since the last report. These add considerably to the knowledge adults have of the children in the setting.

6.(b) The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage

6.2 Leadership and management are good, with some outstanding features. The dedicated management team have high aspirations for quality through ongoing improvement and a strong commitment to equality and diversity. Appropriate risk assessments and safeguarding procedures are in place. Communication with parents is outstanding, with a range of information made available through the website, letters, meetings and home/school liaison books. Parents are very happy with the provision and actively support the school. Self-evaluation is effective in identifying strengths and weaknesses of the provision. The required policies and procedures are implemented consistently. The adults have a good knowledge of the EYFS and work hard to provide opportunities for learning and development through detailed planning. Staff work together to provide a range of activities; they identify what they intend the children to learn but do not consistently use assessment to target the next steps in learning. As a result, activities do not always engage children to become active, independent learners and to develop their problem-solving skills. A good range of resources is available which children use effectively.

6.(c) The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage

6.3 The quality of provision is good. The welcoming environment fully reflects the children’s backgrounds and wider community. Access to the outdoor environment is limited, but good use is made of the facilities on site and frequent visits to an allotment and nearby amenities offer valuable experience of weather, seasons and the natural world. Opportunities for child-initiated, purposeful play, linking imaginatively with the Early Years curriculum, are less well developed. Children’s welfare has a high profile and their emotional and social needs are well supported by adults who provide safe and clear routines and provide them with a good range of learning experiences.

6.(d) Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

6.4 Achievement and progress are good in relation to the children’s starting points. Children enjoy their learning. They develop personal qualities which enable them to take responsibilities. They behave well, can talk confidently to one another and to adults and play in harmony. They demonstrate knowledge, respect and understanding of one another’s cultures. The children relate well to their key people, are good listeners and try hard to please their teachers. When teaching closely matches their needs they focus on a task and respond with delight and enthusiasm. Their social and communication skills are good; they are keen to use their knowledge to write; they express a growing knowledge of the world and are able to count and use numbers for different purposes. They investigate, problem-solve and develop their own theories less frequently. The children understand safety and hazard; they know about keeping themselves clean and can make healthy choices at lunch time. They are energetic and enjoy being active.

Section 2 includes what the Early Years Foundation Stage should do to improve its provision

Inspection Evidence

The inspectors observed lessons, conducted formal interviews with pupils and examined samples of pupils’ work. They held discussions with senior members of staff and governors, observed a sample of the extra-curricular activities that occurred during the inspection period and attended registration sessions and assemblies. Inspectors visited the facilities for sick or injured pupils. The responses of parents and pupils to pre-inspection questionnaires were analysed and the inspectors examined regulatory documentation made available by the school.

Inspectors

Mr Graham Nunn Reporting Inspector
Mr Eugene Sharkey Senior Teacher, IAPS School
Mrs Linda Chiverrell Headteacher, IAPS School
Mrs Diane Gardiner Headteacher, IAPS School
Ms Sue Vale Former Headteacher
Mrs Catherine Lane Early Years Co-ordinating Inspector
Ms Tessa Richardson Early Years Team Inspector (Head of IAPS Pre-Preparatory School)