Havelock Infant School Inspection report
Unique Reference Number Local Authority Inspect ion number Inspect ion dates Report ing inspector
This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.
Type of school School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Nu mber of pupils on the school roll Appropriate authority Headteacher Date of previous school inspection School address Telephone number Fax number Email address
bursar@havelock-inf.northants-ecl.gov.uk
Age group Inspect ion dates Inspect ion number Inspection report: Havelock Infant School, 20–21 January 2011
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Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA
T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E:W:
Inspection report: Havelock Infant School, 20–21 January 2011 Introduction
This inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors. Thirteen lessons, taught by nine teachers, were observed. Meetings were held with the headteacher, Chair and Vice-
chair of the Governing Body and staff. Inspectors talked to parents and children, looked at
school planning, samples of pupils work and records of their progress. They examined the
school's documentation including minutes of governors' meetings, improvement planning and that relating to safeguarding and children's welfare. Questionnaire responses from
staff and 89 parents and carers were analysed. The inspection team reviewed many
aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at the following: How effectively the quality of teaching and learning has been improved for more-able
pupils since the previous inspection and the progress they are making in reading and
How well the recently introduced creative curriculum is helping to improve standards
How effectively governors and subject leaders are evaluating school improvement.
The quality of learning outdoors for children in Reception and their progress in
Information about the school
Havelock Infants is slightly larger than typical primary schools. Numbers have increased
for the past three years and the school is nearing its capacity. The overwhelming majority
of pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion with special educational
needs and/or disabilities is broadly average. The school has gained National Healthy School Status, Activemark Award and an International Schools Award. The headteacher
had a sabbatical leave for the whole of the last academic year.
Inspection report: Havelock Infant School, 20–21 January 2011 Inspect ion grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate
Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms
Inspection judgements Overall effectiveness: how good is the school?
The school's capacity for sustained improvement Main findings
This is a good school. Over the last few years it has made sustained improvements which
have enabled it to move forward from when it was judged as satisfactory in the previous
inspection. There is strength in depth in leadership and management with the staff working effectively as a team and governors supporting developments well. This ensured
that the improving trend was maintained, even during the absence of the headteacher.
This effective leadership and management and consistently good quality of teaching results in pupils, including the more able and those with special educational needs and/or
disabilities, making good progress in Years 1 and 2. As a result, attainment is above
average at the end of Year 2 when pupils leave. Staff and governors share a common vision with the highly regarded headteacher to
provide all of the pupils with a wide range of enjoyable learning experiences to make
school enjoyable, exciting and interesting for pupils. Pupils' good attendance and their
good progress reflect how successful staff are in their endeavours. Parents and carers clearly appreciate what the school is doing for their children and everyone who responded
to the inspection questionnaire praised the school's excellent approach to keeping their
children safe and making them more aware of how to keep themselves safe. Pupils' behaviour is outstanding and a credit to them and their parents. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, there is a mixture of strengths and areas to improve.
Children make satisfactory progress rather than good. There is room for improvement in the quality of provision and the leadership and management of this key stage. In the three
Reception classes, which make up the Early Years Foundation Stage, there is a need for
greater emphasis placed on developing children's writing skills; other activities planned are sometimes too easy or too difficult. The learning intentions for many of the outdoor
activities are sometimes not clear and there is not enough emphasis on creative play
outdoors. As a result, outdoor learning is not exciting enough to captivate children or inspire them to learn at a faster pace. The headteacher and governing body have a clear ambition to bring further improvement
to the school. Their self-evaluation of the school's effectiveness is accurate, and their
action plans place them in a strong position to continue to improve.
What does the school need to do to improve further?
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, ensure that children are better prepared for
planning more opportunities for them to practice their writing skills
Inspection report: Havelock Infant School, 20–21 January 2011 Inspect ion grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate
Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms
matching tasks more closely to children's different ability levels to accelerate their rate of progress planning more interesting and exciting activities to promote children's learning and creativity outdoors.
Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils
In Years 1 and 2 pupils achieve well and make good progress. They listen attentively and are keen to answer questions. Their concentration rarely wavers and they always try their
best to complete whatever they are asked to do by their teachers. Children's skills on entry vary from year to year, but in most year groups are broadly in line with those expected. By Year 2, attainment is above average in reading, writing and
mathematics. This level of attainment has been maintained for the past three years with
pupils doing particularly wel to achieve significantly above average standards in 2009. Staff identified that more-able pupils were not doing as well as they should, particularly in
reading and writing. Additional support involving parents and carers listening to pupils
read have been introduced in addition to strategies to emphasise writing not only in English sessions but also during topic work. Already, these measures have brought about
an improvement and a higher than average proportion of pupils are attaining above
average standards in both areas. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make the same good progress as their peers. Initiatives such as the 'Lunch bunch' where pupils are closely supported during
lunchtime, give many of these pupils confidence and this is reflected in their attitudes to
learning in lessons. The detailed assessment conducted by staff each term also identifies early which pupils need additional support and this is provided. Pupils thoroughly enjoy school. Most have an excellent understanding of keeping
themselves and others safe. All pupils try their best to live up to the six golden rules for their conduct. They are rewarded and praised with 'Golden Time' each Friday and
celebration assemblies where their achievements are recognised. Pupils develop a good
understanding of responsibility through their roles as school councillors and their care and consideration for the welfare of others in the community. Outstanding behaviour, positive
attitudes to learning and competent skills when using computers further enhance skills
that will be of benefit for themselves in later life. Many of the themed topics include lessons about different cultures and frequent visitors representing different faiths give
pupils a secure knowledge and understanding of world religions such as Hinduism.
Inspection report: Havelock Infant School, 20–21 January 2011 Inspect ion grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate
Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms
These are the grades for pupils' outcomes
Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning
The quality of pupils' learning and their progress
The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities
The extent to which pupils feel safe Pupils' behaviour The extent to which pupils adopt healthy lifestyles The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community The extent to which pupils develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4 is low
How effective is the provision?
The consistently good quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 ensure that all pupils make good progress. Common features include providing pupils with a range of
interesting and enjoyable activities that are well matched to their learning needs and
excellent relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils are invariably keen to learn and concentrate well on the work they are given to do. Pupils understand their targets well
and work on these diligently in lessons. Marking is a particularly strong feature and the
code used by teachers gives pupils a clear evaluation of their work and exactly what they
need to do to further improve it. The well balanced curriculum has a strong emphasis on developing pupils' basic skills in
literacy and numeracy and their creativity. These skills and those in other subjects are
carefully planned and integrated in the well designed creative curriculum with its interesting topics such as Towers and Turrets and Toys from the past. The good range of
visitors to school and trips to places of interest further enhance the curriculum and add
significantly to pupils' enjoyment of school. There is a good emphasis on pupils developing their information and communication skills by using a range of equipment to support their
learning. Pupils' attendance at the wide range of after-school clubs such as sewing and
drama further enhances their learning and skills. Inspectors agree with the overwhelming majority of parents and carers who say their
children fell safe at school and which is echoed by pupils' views. Pupils are known as
Inspection report: Havelock Infant School, 20–21 January 2011 Inspect ion grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate
Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms
individuals and the excellent relationships which exist between adults and pupils ensure
pupils' concerns are dealt with very promptly. Staff effectively support pupils facing challenging circumstances to ensure their well-being and raise their self-esteem. Measures
to improve attendance such as a weekly class award and immediate contact with parents
These are the grades for the quality of provision
The quality of teaching
The use of assessment to support learning
The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships The effectiveness of care, guidance and support How effective are leadership and management?
Good improvements in provision and outcomes since the previous inspection are a result
of the concerted actions of staff and governors. Most middle leaders have a very clear
understanding of where improvements are still to be made, based upon a rigorous analysis of performance data and their involvement in regular monitoring activities. Their
subject action plans and the school's overall development plan blend together well.
Effective strategies such as those to improve the progress of more-able pupils are having a positive impact in sustaining a good rate of improvement. Challenging targets and good
tracking of pupils' progress are also effective in ensuring the school continues to improve. The governing body make a valuable contribution to the school's effectiveness. They are deeply committed to school improvement and offer constructive challenge in order to hold
the school to account. They are fully involved in drawing up the school development plan
and monitoring the success of its implementation. Safeguarding procedures are implemented rigorously. For example, all policies are regularly reviewed and safe
recruiting systems are followed to the letter. Good partnerships have been established
with other schools and outside agencies. These make an effective contribution to pupils' good achievement and staff development. Equality of opportunity is promoted successfully. The teachers use performance data to
ensure that individual learning needs are met and all groups do as well as they can. As a
result, the rising trend in attainment is being maintained. Community cohesion is promoted effectively with detailed action plans and much work completed in developing
local, national and international links with schools and organisations of different cultures.
Links with a school in Ghana have recently strengthened international links and the school is searching for other partnerships with schools in contrasting locations to further add to
pupils' knowledge and understanding about cultural diversity.
Inspection report: Havelock Infant School, 20–21 January 2011 Inspect ion grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate
Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms
These are the grades for leadership and management
The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambit ion and driving improvement
The leadership and management of teaching and learning
The effectiveness of the governing body in challenging and support ing the school so that weaknesses are tackled decisively and statutory responsibilities met The effectiveness of the school's engagement with parents and carers The effectiveness of partnerships in promoting learning and well-being The effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discriminat ion The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures The effectiveness with which the school promotes community cohesion The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money Early Years Foundation Stage
The caring approach of staff and warm relationships between staff, children and their
parents ensure that children settle into school quickly and are happy. The latest
assessment on entry shows that children's skills in calculating, writing and linking letter sounds are not as well developed as other aspects. An analysis of children's performance
shows that most make satisfactory progress from their starting points. Overall, standards
are average in most areas of learning when children enter Year 1. Most make good progress in their personal, social and emotional development as staff
establish good routines for learning and set high expectations for behaviour. These are
carried forward as children move through the school. Children also make good progress in mathematical calculation as this aspect was identified as a weakness in earlier year groups
and staff ensure it has a high profile when planning activities. Children play and work together well. There is good quality of support provided for them
by staff. Children demonstrate good levels of independence and are able to maintain their concentration to complete activities. However, many are not making as much progress as
they should because they sometimes find work too easy or hard. One group, for example,
were taught the words 'the' and 'and' but already knew them. Opportunities to promote essential skills such as learning letter sounds and writing are not taught regularly enough
to enable children to make more rapid progress. A satisfactory range of activities are
provided outdoors but it is not always made clear what the learning intentions are for these activities and they often do not hold children's interest for long enough.
Inspection report: Havelock Infant School, 20–21 January 2011 Inspect ion grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate
Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms
These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage
Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage
Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage
The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage
The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation
Views of parents and carers
A third of all parents and carers returned their questionnaires and they clearly hold the
school in high regard. Everyone agreed that the school keeps their children safe. Almost all of those who made additional comments were very pleased with the work of the
school, particularly their children's progress and the way they are involved with staff in
supporting their children's learning. Many singled out the headteacher for special praise
and were impressed with how well the school is run. 'Staff go the extra mile for pupils' and 'He is a different boy since starting this fabulous little school' are typical comments.
Inspectors endorse parents and carers' positive views. However, they found that the
quality of provision, outcomes and the way the Early Years Foundation Stage is led and managed are not up to the same standard as they are in Years 1 and 2.
Inspection report: Havelock Infant School, 20–21 January 2011 Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire
Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Havelock Infant School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school.
In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school. The inspection team received 89 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 262 pupils registered at the school.
Strongly Strongly Statements Disagree disagree
The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for
children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment)
Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this
The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.
Inspection report: Havelock Infant School, 20–21 January 2011 Glossary What inspection judgements mean Judgement Description
These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils' needs.
These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils wel .
These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils.
These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.
Overall effectiveness of schools Overall effectiveness judgement (percentage of schools) Type of school Outstanding Satisfactory Inadequate
New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously.
The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2009 to 31 August 2010 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspec tion outcomes (see
The sample of schools inspected during 2009/10 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools.
Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.
Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.
Inspection report: Havelock Infant School, 20–21 January 2011 Common terminology used by inspectors
the progress and success of a pupil in their learning,
the standard of the pupils' work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.
the proven ability of the school to continue
improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality
the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities,
directing and motivating staff and running the school.
how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their
understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.
inspectors form a judgement on a school's overall
effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school. The following judgements,
in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness
The school's capacity for sustained
Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.
The extent to which the curriculum meets
pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.
The effectiveness of care, guidance and
the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and
over longer periods of time. It is often measured by
comparing the pupils' attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.
Inspection report: Havelock Infant School, 20–21 January 2011 This letter is provided for the school, parents and carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's main findings from the inspection of their school.
24 January 2011 Dear Pupils Inspection of Havelock Infant School, Kettering, NN14 2LU Thank you for making us so welcome to your school. We enjoyed talking with you, looking
at your work and watching your celebration assembly. We found out that you go to a good school. Here is a list of some of the things we liked best: Your behaviour is outstanding. You told us you feel extremely safe in school, really like the topic work and that your
teachers give you friendly smiles all the time. Having seen you working in class, we agree with you. At the end of Year 2, many of you are achieving above averag e standards in your reading,
writing and mathematics. We also thought that you used computers really well. Your attendance is good and this shows how much you enjoy coming to school. Topic work is varied, interesting and helps you improve your reading and writing skills and
develop your creativity. We can see why you enjoy doing it. Adults in the school always show how much they care for you. It was good to see the help
and support staff gave to the Lunch Bunch. Those of you who find learning difficult are really well supported and this makes sure that you can do your work and feel happy and cared for in school. Your headteacher, staff and the governing body have worked well as a team to improve
the school since the last inspection Every school has some things that could be improved. We found that children in the
Reception classes are not making the same good progress as the rest of you. We want
staff to concentrate on improving the first year in school for al of you by planning more
writing tasks so that you can develop your skills, making sure you have hard enough work to do and making outdoor learning as interesting and exciting as that indoors. We ask all
of you to keep up all the good work you are doing and concentrate even more on
improving your writing! I wish you great success in the future. Yours sincerely Joseph Peacock Lead Inspector
Inspection report: Havelock Infant School, 20–21 January 2011 Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspect ions', which is available from Ofsted's website: If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email
Havelock Infant School Inspection report
Unique Reference Number 
Inspection report: Havelock Infant School, 20–21 January 2011 
Inspection report: Havelock Infant School, 20–21 January 2011 
Inspection report: Havelock Infant School, 20–21 January 2011