Brightside Nursery and Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Pupils make outstanding progress in this vibrant and happy school and leave Year 2 with above average levels of attainment. Teaching across all year groups is outstanding.

Teachers and teaching assistants know pupils very well. Teachers plan lessons that are well structured, meaningful, interesting and provide challenge for all pupils. Highly skilled teaching assistants provide well focused and tailored additional support.

This means that pupils who speak English as an additional language, those with special educational needs and those pupils eligible for pupil premium, achieve exceptionally well. Children in the Early Years Foun...dation Stage settle quickly and get off to an outstanding start, as a result of the exciting and well resourced activities offered to them both indoors and outdoors. Behaviour is outstanding.

The very caring and supporting ethos of the school ensures that pupils know that they are cherished and valued and feel safe. Pupils are very polite, well mannered and always want to do their best. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is evident in all aspects of the school's work.

This means that pupils of all backgrounds get on extremely well with each other, and in the words of one pupil, the school is 'one happy family'. The headteacher provides inspirational and determined leadership and is very ably supported by senior leaders and an effective governing body. Leaders know the school very well and expect and get the very best from pupils and staff.

Governors are very effective in supporting and challenging the school's work. They employ a range of strategies to ensure that pupils achieve well. All parents who responded to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and spoke to inspectors are unreservedly positive about this outstanding school.

However, the school is determined to establish an even closer partnership with all parents, particularly those newly arrived in the country.

Information about this school

This is an average size infant school. Pupils come from a range of ethnic groups, the largest single group being White British followed by Pakistani and African pupils.

An increasing number of pupils are joining the school from Eastern European countries. An above average proportion of pupils (just over a third) speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium (which provides additional funding for pupils know to be eligible for free school meals, in local authority care and those with a parent in the armed services) is well above average.

The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is below average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action plus or a statement of special educational needs is above average. The number of pupils leaving or joining the school part way through the year is well above average.