Earlsheaton Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have not clearly set out what pupils should know at each stage in each subject. Teachers often choose work that pupils are not yet ready for. Pupils can become confused and frustrated because they cannot do the work that has been set.

Pupils are kind and courteous to each other. They enjoy receiving 'care packages' when they show kindness to someone else. They play well with each other outside.

However, some pupils do not concentrate well in lessons. Classrooms can sometimes be too noisy and some pupils say that this means that they get easily distracted. They find it difficult to do their work.

Pupils say that bullying is rare. They feel confident th...at staff will deal with 'small issues' of unkindness so that they do not become bigger issues.

Pupils enjoy their personal, social and health education (PSHE) lessons where they get to practise being calm and talk about their feelings.

However, some pupils say they do not learn about British values. They have limited knowledge of different religions and do not know the difference between, for example, Christianity and Islam. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves healthy, some pupils are not sure how to use this knowledge.

Leaders have strong links with the community. Pupils visit the local care home and sing there at Christmas time. Pupils read to the residents.

Parents and carers are very positive about the school. They are appreciative of the opportunities to be included in a wide range of activities in school, such as 'stay and play' or 'stay and craft' events.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have a vision that communication is threaded through the curriculum.

They want teachers to use opportunities in lessons to develop pupils' vocabulary. Staff are not doing this as well as leaders want them to. Leaders have not planned the vocabulary teachers should use in each subject.

Leaders have not trained staff on how to set up effective pupil discussions. Teachers do not demonstrate how pupils can use new words when explaining their thoughts to the rest of the class or their peers.

Subject leaders have not planned curriculums that are progressive over time.

Leaders have made sure that teachers are following the early years framework and the national curriculum. However, there is little coherence between the early years and key stage 1. Leaders want all pupils in key stage 1 to learn the same objectives at the same time.

Leaders have not been clear about how what pupils learn in Year 2 builds on what they have been taught in Year 1.

Leaders have not planned effective sequences of learning that break down what pupils need to be taught into manageable steps. Teachers sometimes overload pupils with too many new concepts and so pupils are not sure what to do.

At other times, teachers repeat learning from the past that does not help with what pupils are learning now.

Currently, phonics teaching and support is not effective. Staff do not accurately match reading books to the sounds that pupils have been taught.

Some pupils struggle to read words and staff know that they cannot sound them out. Staff then resort to looking at pictures or asking children to guess what the word says. Leaders have not made sure that children in Reception get off to a good start in phonics.

Too many children are not given books with words in to read soon enough, so they do not get to practise reading. Leaders have rightly recognised that the current phonics programme is not precise enough to help pupils read well. Leaders have researched which programme they will use instead and have plans to train staff in it.

Just as in the rest of school, leaders have not planned out precisely what children in the early years should be taught. Because staff are not clear on this, they are also not clear on what activities to prepare for children. Some of the independent learning activities in the early years are not well considered as it is not clear what children need to do.

Some staff do not give appropriate support to children. Staff questioning and guidance lack focus and are too often imprecise. Some children wander from one activity to another without concentrating on or getting better at what they are doing.

Children are not grasping basic skills in communication or understanding of number quickly enough.

Teachers know the pupils in their class well. They make suitable adaptations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Often, teachers break down learning for these pupils or give them a separate input to check they know what to do. Parents are involved in the planning for pupils with SEND and receive feedback on how well their children are getting on. Staff provide effective interventions for pupils who struggle with their social, emotional and mental health needs that help pupils feel more settled in school.

Leaders recognise that some plans for pupils with SEND could be more precise.

Governors share the passion of leaders for the school's importance in the community. Governors ask robust questions about safeguarding to check that leaders are doing what they need to keep pupils safe.

Governors recognise that they need the same level of questioning and scrutiny around the quality of education in the school.

Leaders track the attendance of individual pupils closely. Leaders offer support to families to help improve attendance.

This has ensured the vast majority of pupils attend school regularly.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders have a sense of urgency around safeguarding.

It is given a high priority in school. Staff are well trained and know what to do if they have a concern. Staff know about specific risks to children in the local community and what the signs of these risks are.

Staff know that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

Leaders keep effective records of pupils who are vulnerable. They use external agencies to help get families the support that they need.

They are dogged in ensuring that this support is happening and is helping families and pupils as intended.

During the inspection, leaders needed to make some minor additions to the records that they keep on staff and governors. These were completed while inspectors were onsite.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Senior leaders have not fully trained subject leaders in how to design a coherent curriculum. Curriculums do not set out the precise knowledge and skills that pupils need at each stage in each year group. Teachers often do not teach pupils work set at the right level.

Pupils do not build up their knowledge and skills; they forget content easily. Senior leaders should ensure subject leaders complete their training in how to design a progressive and coherent curriculum in each subject. ? Leaders have not planned sequences of learning in individual year groups that break down composite objectives into their component parts.

Teachers use too much content in lessons or introduce work that pupils are not ready for. Pupils get confused and are not successful in achieving the set objective. Leaders should ensure that sequences of learning are carefully broken down into smaller steps.

• Some pupils are given books that they cannot read. They are not ready for the sounds that are contained in them. Not all children are given decodable books at the start of Reception.

Pupils who need most help are held back by this and struggle through books and lose confidence. Leaders have purchased a new phonics programme to use. Leaders need to ensure that staff are trained to match books to the sounds that pupils learn when using this programme.

Leaders need to insist all children are given books to read with words in them. ? Leaders have not defined the vocabulary that teachers should ensure pupils know in subjects. Teachers do not use opportunities to promote language because they do not know what vocabulary to teach or how to set up discussions.

Pupils are not developing their communication skills as effectively as leaders want. Leaders should ensure the curriculum identifies the important vocabulary pupils should know. Leaders should train all staff on how to promote effective discussions and how to teach vocabulary in a way that helps pupils develop their spoken and written language.

Sometimes activities in the early years are not purposeful for children. Staff interactions do not consistently support children in developing their communication skills. Pupils sometimes waste time or disrupt others.

Opportunities to develop language can be missed. Leaders should ensure that all provision in the early years is matched to the curriculum and what children need to practise. Leaders should train staff on how to support children in widening their vocabulary.