ABSTRACT
This is a popular inner-city infant and junior school. The school, which is above average in size, has 383 pupils on roll between the ages of four and eleven years. Most pupils live close to the school and there is a strong demand for places in the SEN classes, which provide specialist provision for pupils with speech and language difficulties, and those with autistic spectrum disorders. Sixty per cent of the pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is well above the national average. Sixty per cent are on the SEN register, which is high, but includes the pupils admitted to the specialist SEN classes. Five per cent of the pupils have a Statement, which is high compared to most schools. Less than three per cent of the pupils are learning English as an additional language. The school admits up to 60 four-year-olds into its Reception classes every year. Initial assessments of the children when entering the school show that their attainment is well below the standards expected of children aged four years. A recent Ofsted report highlights the planning process as being particularly effective in supporting those pupils identified with SEN, including those in the school's speech and language class and the communication class.
