Askern Moss Road Infant Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school.

They are eager to learn and enjoy their lessons. They benefit from a wide range of opportunities through the strong partnership culture of the schools in the trust. Parents and carers are delighted with the many inter-school sporting events on offer.

Children as young as five played in the after-school rounders tournament. Pupils are developing a competitive streak along with good sportsmanship skills.

There are plenty of curriculum enrichment opportunities in school too.

Pupils enjoy singing in the school choir and performing to their parents. There are several after-school clubs, including for street dance and dram...a. This helps to develop pupils' talents and wider interests.

Pupils behave well and respect others. They feel happy and safe because there is no bullying. Leaders celebrate diversity and different cultures.

Pupils access a rich curriculum, including Black History Month and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month. Pupils learn about traditions and lifestyles in their community and the wider world.

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum.

Most pupils are achieving as well as they should for their age. Some pupils are falling behind because they miss school too often. Leaders are determined to improve attendance rates so that all pupils achieve well at school.

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

The early years curriculum is based on high-quality texts. Nursery children enjoyed listening to 'The Tiny Seed' by Eric Carle, then staff cut fruit in half so that children could study the differences between grapefruit, melon, avocado and pomegranate seeds. Children handled tools safely to grate carrots and parsnips.

They experienced the scent of freshly cut herbs and lavender. The enabling learning environment stimulates all senses to enrich children's learning about the natural world. Children are making rapid progress in all areas of learning in Nursery.

The rate of children's progress slows down in Reception Year. Some children are not moved on quickly enough to the next stage of their learning. This includes the curriculum for early reading.

As a result, too many Reception children cannot read at the expected standard for their age by the end of Reception Year. This means that they are not prepared well enough for the Year 1 curriculum.

The curriculum for early reading and phonics improves as pupils move through key stage 1.

Pupils are given extra phonics lessons to help them catch up. Teachers assess pupils' phonic knowledge frequently to monitor pupils' progress. By the time they reach Year 2, most pupils can read as well as they should for their age.

Leaders have established effective assessment arrangements in all curriculum subjects. Teachers are pleased that their workload was considered carefully when these arrangements were made.

Senior leaders in the trust have invested in specialist curriculum resources.

For example, in art and design, teachers show videos of professional artists modelling art techniques that create different effects. Pupils benefit from teachers' selective use of these resources because they observe exemplary demonstrations in every practical subject. The impact of this expert instruction is evident in the high quality of pupils' artwork.

This high standard is typical of pupils' achievement in other curriculum subjects.

The attendance officer works closely with all parents of pupils who are frequently absent. Staff work with parents to try to remove any barriers to pupils' good attendance rates.

In some cases, this has helped pupils' attendance to improve. However, some pupils miss out frequently because they are regularly absent from school.

Teachers adapt the curriculum well to meet the individual needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The experienced special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) regularly meets staff to monitor and review provision for pupils with SEND. This ensures that the targets set for pupils with SEND are well understood by all staff.

Learning is never disrupted by poor behaviour.

Pupils' good character is developed well through the effective curriculum for pupils' personal development. Pupils are polite and they listen respectfully to others in group discussions. Pupils' knowledge and recall of different faiths and cultures are strikingly impressive for their age.

Pupils' social skills are developed through visits to a local day centre to enjoy shared activities with elderly citizens.

Pupils' good health is promoted through a commercial bike-riding scheme. Leaders are determined that all pupils will be able to ride a bicycle by the time they leave Year 2.

All pupils are given regular practice in riding balance bicycles. Teaching assistants provide 'intensive interaction' to support pupils with SEND who need this, so that all pupils can succeed.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make all the necessary safeguarding checks when recruiting staff.

Designated safeguarding leads work well with other professionals to keep pupils safe.

Leaders have adapted the curriculum to take account of local safeguarding risks.

Railway network professionals have spoken to pupils about the risks presented by the level crossings near the school. Staff regularly remind pupils of this danger.

The early years staff agree additional controls with parents that help to ensure children's safety at the end of the school day.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The quality of education in early years is inconsistent. The curriculum is well planned but it is not implemented at the required pace or with sufficient ambition in Reception Year. This means that children are not prepared well enough for the Year 1 curriculum, including for early reading and phonics.

Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently well in early years to enable all children to make good progress, with a higher proportion ready for key stage 1 when they leave Reception Year. ? The rate of persistent absence is high. Some pupils are missing out on their full statutory entitlement to education.

As a result, these pupils are not achieving as well as they should for their age. This includes some of the most able pupils. Leaders should continue to work closely with parents to improve the attendance rates of pupils who are persistent absentees.