Bishopswood Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils get off to a great start at Bishopswood Infants. Each morning, confident and resilient pupils arrive eager to start their learning.

They greet their friends with a hug and a big smile. Pupils receive a warm welcome at the school gates from caring staff. This is an inclusive and harmonious community.

Pupils are happy and feel safe. Bullying is not something that they worry about. Pupils know that staff care deeply for them and will help when it is needed.

The school's values of, 'caring, respecting and thriving together' are woven through the very heart of everyday life. Pupils learn about different cultures and communities. They respect individual choi...ce.

One pupil said, 'It doesn't matter what you look like, it matters that you care'.

Leaders and staff have high expectations of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are polite, cheerful and kind to each other.

In lessons, pupils are determined to work hard and strive to move from 'green to gold'. Children in Reception Year play happily together, take turns and work alongside each other well. At social times, pupils keep active and play happily together with their friends.

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

Leaders, staff and governors are rightly proud of the school. They are united in their vision for all pupils to love learning, be curious and achieve well. Leaders have designed a curriculum that is ambitious, exciting and engaging.

They have given careful thought to what pupils need to learn and in what order this should be taught, starting from the early years. Leaders are determined that all pupils should participate fully in school life. They ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified appropriately.

Knowledgeable staff adapt learning and ensure activities are well matched to the needs of these pupils.

Leaders have created a strong culture of reading. They have recently introduced a new approach to teaching phonics.

For children in Reception Year, phonics teaching gets underway promptly at the beginning of the year. This helps to create a real buzz about stories and rhymes. Staff make sure that books are well matched to pupils' reading skills.

Staff are quick to increase reading support if pupils are at risk of not keeping up with the phonics programme. While the teaching of phonics is largely effective, some inconsistencies exist. Leaders have identified that some staff need further training to develop their expertise.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge that they use to make learning engaging and fun. Children in early years explore number through a range of practical activities and equipment. This helps them to develop their understanding of early number concepts.

In key stage 1, pupils develop their knowledge about everyday materials and use scientific vocabulary to explain which item would make the best waterproof hat. However, in other subjects, teachers do not check what pupils know and understand carefully enough. They do not always help pupils make links in their learning.

Leaders know that their next step is to ensure a system of checking what pupils can remember from previous lessons or topics is in place for all subjects. Consequently, there is some variability in what pupils know and can remember.

Pupils are highly respectful towards each other.

Lessons are rarely disrupted by poor behaviour. They know the routines well and follow instructions with thought and care. Pupils listen attentively, offer answers to questions and talk about their ideas with their friends.

This includes children in the early years. In a music lesson, for example, children politely took turns to 'tap, shake or scrape' their musical instruments.

Leaders provide a wide range of opportunities so that pupils become responsible and respectful citizens.

For instance, pupils raise money for local charities they support. Children in early years, have delivered wildflower seeds to residents to create a 'bee corridor' in the area. A broad range of trips and visitors help to widen pupils' learning experiences.

During the inspection, pupils were looking forward to attending the school disco and younger children chatted excitedly about their trip to the farm. Leaders plan to expand the range of clubs on offer as soon as they can.Pupils develop a strong understanding of democracy though their roles on the school council and the additional responsibilities they hold within their classes.

Governors have a strong understanding of the school's strengths and priorities for development. They provide effective support and challenge for leaders. Staff morale is high.

They appreciate that leaders are mindful of their workload and value the 'strong team ethos' across the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders provide staff with regular training, so they are clear about their responsibilities.

Staff keep a close eye on pupils' welfare. They know the signs that may indicate a pupil is at risk or needs help. Staff are quick to report any concerns.

Leaders make effective use of external agencies to provide support for pupils and their families. Suitable checks are made on all adults who work with the pupils in school.

Leaders ensure that pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe.

Pupils demonstrate an age-appropriate understanding of the potential dangers of using the internet.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There are inconsistencies in how phonics is taught. This risks slowing some pupils' learning and progress.

Leaders should continue providing staff with phonics training to further strengthen staff expertise. This will help ensure that the school's phonics curriculum is implemented consistently well in all classes. ? Assessment within some of the foundation subjects is not as effective as in English and mathematics.

Teachers do not always check and help pupils make links with their prior learning. This means that over time, pupils do not remember the essential knowledge as well as they could. Across foundation subjects, leaders should carefully monitor the implementation of assessment processes to ensure it is as effective as it is in the core subjects.

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