All Saints Church of England Aided Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

All Saints Church of England Aided Infant School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this friendly, caring and welcoming school.

Staff support pupils to follow the school's motto of 'learning with love and laughter'. The school is a happy, safe place and staff and pupils treat each other with respect. Staff and pupils describe the school as one big family.

One parent said: 'Over what has been a difficult few years, they have supported families very well. My child loves being at this school and is thriving.'

All staff have high expectations for all pupils.

Pupils are supported successfully to meet t...hese high expectations. They are keen to do their best. Behaviour is exemplary.

Pupils are focused and calm in class. They get on with each other very well during breaktimes, happily joining in with activities such as playing football or using the climbing frame. Pupils know that adults will take appropriate action if bullying occurs.

Pupils enjoy the wide range of opportunities the school offers. For example, they enjoy taking part in 'bushcraft' activities or attending the popular drama and multisports clubs. Pupils are understandably pleased with the school's recent fundraising activities in aid of families in the Ukraine.

They proudly proclaim themselves to be both 'All Saints citizens' and 'global citizens'.

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

The assistant headteacher has developed a well-structured curriculum. It states clearly the knowledge that pupils need to learn from early years to the end of Year 2.

The curriculum is ambitious and covers a broad range of subjects. It is adapted effectively for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This ensures these pupils learn as well as their classmates.

Effective teaching helps pupils to remember and understand what they are learning. Consequently, most pupils achieve well.

Leaders have given reading a high priority over the past year.

Training has been used well to ensure that staff know how to teach phonics effectively. Children begin to learn phonics as soon as they join the school in Reception Year. By Year 2, most pupils read with confidence and expression.

Teachers make learning vibrant and fun. They ensure that the majority of pupils can remember and use the sounds that they have learned. Teachers give pupils extra help with their reading where needed.

This means that pupils do not fall behind. Parents support the school's work to teach pupils to read by listening regularly to their children reading at home. The school promotes a love of reading well.

Pupils talk enthusiastically about books.

Leaders have established a cohesive and carefully planned curriculum in mathematics. Teachers' strong subject knowledge enables them to explain clearly the precise mathematical vocabulary and knowledge that pupils need to know and remember.

Teaching assistants support learning well. However, some pupils are not as secure in mathematics as they could be. This hampers their progress.

The headteacher is currently acting as the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo). She is knowledgeable and experienced. Teachers are well trained and take steps to ensure that any additional needs that pupils have are identified quickly.

They identify and implement the help pupils need to access the curriculum and to keep up with their learning.

The school provides a comprehensive personal development curriculum. Pupils are encouraged to become positive citizens.

For example, the school parliament provides opportunities for pupils to develop leadership and decision-making skills. The school teaches and promotes mental well-being positively through a series of special sessions led by a trained health and well-being practitioner. Assemblies and personal, social and health education lessons are well sequenced.

They help pupils to explore values and to understand the world around them.

Staff are proud to work at All Saints Infant School. They appreciate the attention leaders and governors give to staff's workload.

Governors are highly involved in the life of the school. They are effective in checking the school's work and holding leaders to account. They are committed to meeting the needs of pupils and families in the community.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff understand that it is everyone's responsibility to keep pupils safe. Staff and governors benefit from regular safeguarding training.

They are knowledgeable about what to look out for and what to do if they are concerned about a pupil's welfare. Leaders make sure that recruitment checks are carried out rigorously.

Pupils say that they feel safe in school, and parents agree.

Pupils know how to stay safe online. They are also shown how to make friends and to respect the views of others.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In mathematics, some pupils struggle to recall and apply what they have learned previously when solving mathematical problems.

This means that pupils do not always make as much progress as they could. Leaders need to ensure that pupils are given further opportunities to strengthen their application of mathematical knowledge and skills.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2012.

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