Ofsted reports key failings in West Berkshire infant school

Mrs Bland’s Infant School, Jordan’s Lane, was inspected on January 12 and 13 and the inspector, Najoud Ensaff, found several key failings.
The school was told that standards of attainment had declined from significantly above average at Key Stage 1 in 2009 – the previous inspection date – to broadly average in 2011; that the proportion of pupils who attained levels higher than expected for their age was significantly lower than the national figure; that there was relative weakness in pupils’ mathematical skills at Key Stage 1; and that leaders and managers had been slow to act on improvement suggestions from the previous inspection, specifically regarding mathematics.
The report states that “this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than in all the circumstances it could reasonably be expected to perform.”
In the four areas of inspection, the school received satisfactory ratings for pupil achievement, for the quality of teaching and for behaviour and safety of pupils. It received a rating of inadequate for leadership and management, and an overall rating of inadequate.
Schools served with a notice to improve receive more regular monitoring inspections.
It was not all bad news for the school, however. Behaviour in lessons was found to be generally good.
School leaders had also improved the indoor learning environment and teaching was described as satisfactory overall, with some better teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage.
The school was described as a happy, friendly place, where most staff and pupils interacted harmoniously and where pupils were known as individuals.
West Berkshire Council executive member for children, young people and youth services, Irene Neill (Con, Aldermaston), said: “The results are not what we have hoped. The main factor is that they had poor maths results – this turned out to be the clincher in pulling down their rating.
“But I believe both the school and West Berkshire Council have a clear picture of what needs to be done.”
She said that a consulting headteacher from a school with an outstanding rating is being brought in to advise on best practice.
However, Mrs Neill did not lay the blame squarely on the shoulders of the school, saying that a change in the inspection procedure may also have played a role.
“Ofsted changed its inspection criteria on January 1, and the emphasis is now on learning and teaching, and on management and leadership, which is exactly how it should be.
“But when Ofsted changes its criteria, the inspectors can often be very rigid in the way they apply it.”
The school’s headteacher, Alison Lewis, refused to comment on the findings of the report.