6. SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

6.1 The inspection was carried out from 2"d to 5th March 2009. The inspectors examined samples of pupils' work, observed lessons and conducted formal interviews with pupils. They held discussions with teaching and non-teaching staff and with governors, observed a sample of the extra-curricular activities that occurred during the inspection period, and attended registration sessions and assemblies. The responses of parents and pupils to pre-­inspection questionnaires were analysed, and the inspectors examined a range of documentation made available by the school.

6.2 The Early Years Foundation Stage was inspected on 2°d and 3'd March 2009 by one inspector. The inspector observed sessions, talked to the children, examined samples of work, and held discussions with staff and governors. Comments from parents and carers were considered, and the inspector examined a range of documentation made available by the school.

List of Inspectors

CONCLUSIONS AND NEXT STEPS

5.2 The school has made considerable progress since the last inspection. While maintaining the standards noted then, it has strengthened its performance in a number of areas and moved on in others. The school is well led and managed and the depth of that management has been extended. Teachers are well supported but job descriptions for some posts are not sufficiently detailed. Teachers and non-teaching staff together form a strong team focused on the best interests of the pupils. Staff development is now firmly based on the individual appraisals and the needs of the school. Planning is more firmly founded on thorough review, and on more effective monitoring of teaching and learning. Assessment has been strengthened and is used increasingly to support pupils' progress, although inconsistencies exist in its use. Resources, including ICT provision, are now good and technology is being increasingly well used. The school is aware that further staff training is needed in this area.

5.3 The school complies with most of the regulatory requirements, but does not at present meet Standard 3 (the welfare, health and safety of pupils).

1. continue to review and share good practice in challenging the most able pupils;

2. provide more complete job descriptions for some of its management roles and consider providing training opportunities for staff starting in these roles;

3. review widely the data it collects from assessment and the use to which it is put so that teachers can be given more specific guidance in future;

4. continue to offer ICT training for teachers to support subject teaching and learning.

(1) complete and maintain written risk assessments for all aspects of PE and games [Regulation 3.(4)].

5.6 Any failures to meet EYFS requirements are detailed in Section 7. 

7. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE (EYFS)

7. I The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) setting at Twickenham Preparatory School offers education for children between the ages of four and five. At the time of the inspection 36 children were on roll, 16 of whom were boys. All children attend full-time. On entry children are assigned to one of the two Reception classes. No child has a statement of special educational needs but the school has identified one child as needing learning support. Although a number of children speak another language at home, all are fluent in English. No assessment of ability is made for entry at Reception. From the outset, children are taught by specialists for music, physical education (PE), French and information and communication technology (ICT). The school aims to provide a setting in which children are physically safe, happy and emotionally secure both indoors and outdoors, have a wide range of opportunities in which they can engage as active learners, develop a sense of well-being and feel part of the school community. The last inspection was carried out by Ofsted in 2005.

7.2 The EYFS provision is good overall and successfully meets the school's aim of encouraging independence in a Christian environment. On entry most children are achieving at least in line with age related expectations and many are achieving above that. They show particular fluency and confidence with language. The setting enables children to make good progress in all areas of their learning so that by the end of Reception most have achieved the Early Learning Goals and some have exceeded them. They are articulate, able to sustain their concentration, and approach their tasks with determination, settling quickly to their work and displaying high standards of behaviour. They enjoy their activities and show confidence both in their relationships with other children and with adults. Overall, their achievement is good during their time in Reception.

7.3 Children's personal development and well-being are outstanding. They move about the school with care and consideration for others, recognising that it is important not to disturb other classes. Their behaviour is excellent. They appreciate the importance of healthy eating, can identify healthy foods and explain why some foods are not good for them. Through their PE lessons and outside play, whether in the playground at breaktimes or in their own dedicated area, they learn the benefits of physical exercise. Regular reminders from staff and good routines ensure that all children know when they should wash their hands, and they do so independently. They enjoy the wide range of activities which is offered to them and are keen to discuss what they have done. They compared a story about planting beans with their own attempts and could explain the differences in the procedures. They respond equally well to the specialist staff whom they meet as to their class teachers. Children work very well independently but also co-operate readily in pairs or groups, sharing resources and ideas with kindness and consideration. They listen with sustained concentration, acquire strong literacy skills and use ICT readily. They experience a wide variety of activities in numeracy and are able to use their knowledge to count in twos and identify shapes. Role-play situations offer plentiful opportunities for developing their understanding of the wider world; the post was sorted carefully and then delivered by tricycle, and patients with an assortment of maladies were assessed and bandaged. Staff model quiet behaviour and respect for others, and set high expectations for the children in their work and relationships. Children respond well to this positive approach.

7.4 Staff offer children good support and provide an appropriate balance of activities. Regular observations and close teamwork ensure that concerns are highlighted at an early stage and any necessary support is organised. The setting is bright and cheerful and its displays of children's work are an eclectic mix of paintings, fantastic insects with feather antennae and spongy eyes, as well as examples of children's use of ICT. Sounds, words, shapes and numbers offer stimuli as well as useful prompts for children's work. This colourful and creative indoor environment is extended into the outside area, where a wide range of large ­scale toys is provided, together with sand, water, large apparatus and construction equipment. Targets are set for each child and careful assessment at every stage ensures that progress is recognised. However, short-term planning does not include details of how specific needs will be met. Outstanding provision is made for children's welfare. The class teacher is the key person, but teachers' assistants provide invaluable support and are fully involved in the planning process and in the pastoral care of the children. Relationships between staff and children are very strong. Risk assessments for the setting are thorough and regular. In a PE lesson which was observed, safety was given a high priority. Careful arrangements for safeguarding pupils have been made. All members of staff co-operate closely in the aim of achieving the highest possible standards.

7.5 The leadership and management of the setting are good. Records, policies and procedures are detailed and are regularly reviewed. All staff are suitably qualified and benefit from the generous provision of extra training, both within the school and on external courses. The bead of the setting offers good support to her team; she is aided by the stability of the staffing of the EYES, with experienced practitioners working harmoniously together. The special educational needs co-ordinator plays a valuable role in offering additional support and liaising with outside agencies as necessary. All resources are of high quality and are stored and used well. in responses to the pre-inspection questionnaire parents recognised the strength of the EYFS provision and were overwhelmingly positive about the experience offered to their children. A few parents expressed the desire for further opportunities to discuss their children's progress; however, in discussion, they recognised that the school responded positively to any request for extra appointments. The previous report identified the need for more ethnically diverse material, which has since been acquired, and teachers include its use and teaching about other faiths in their planning.

What the Setting Should Do to Improve

1. ensure that short-term written plans show how activities will be adapted to suit the needs of different children.

7.7 The school's provision for childcare meets the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.