Bournes Green Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Bournes Green Infants is a happy and welcoming place for children to learn. Pupils learn to live by the school 'learning powers', which include curiosity, perseverance and effort.

These values run through every aspect of the life of the school and are celebrated in weekly assemblies.

Pupils always try to do their best. This can be seen in their behaviour and their work.

This is because the school staff and leaders have high expectations for all pupils. As a result, pupils achieve well.

Pupils enjoy coming to school and feel safe because they know that adults listen to them and care about them.

Around the school and at breaktimes, pupils are ...kind and considerate. Older pupils eagerly volunteer to be play buddies to ensure that nobody is without a friend on the playground.

Pupils learn about other people's beliefs, experiences and perspectives and then reflect on their own, for example through activities linked to Black History Month.

Pupils understand the need to treat everyone equally and to value each other's differences.

Pupils value the range of opportunities that they have in school to broaden their interests. These include sports clubs, such as for multi-sports and football, and visits around the local area and to activity centres.

The school works hard to ensure that all pupils can participate in these activities.

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

The school has developed a curriculum that is ambitious for pupils, including those children in early years. Where the curriculum is more effective, plans set out the most important knowledge that leaders want pupils to acquire.

They also clearly identify the small steps of learning that pupils need to take in order to be prepared for the next stage of their education. For example, in physical education and games, pupils are coached on individual gymnastic moves before independently combining these into a flowing sequence.

In some areas, however, the curriculum is not as well developed.

In a few subjects, leaders have not identified the specific ideas and vocabulary that pupils need to learn as they pass through the school from the beginning of early years. As result, pupils' knowledge in these areas is not as strong.

Pupils develop a mature regard for books and learn to read well.

Children make a strong start in early years, supported through a carefully structured phonics and reading programme. Teachers check that pupils can remember new sounds in lessons and provide additional teaching if required. This helps pupils to catch up quickly.

Pupils talk with enthusiasm about their favourite books and authors and enjoy listening to their teachers read to them every day. Whole-class reading books are carefully selected to help promote pupils' understanding of those who may come from different backgrounds or families to themselves.

Teachers are confident about the subjects they teach.

Leaders support them with training where this is needed. Teachers present information clearly and revisit learning often. They understand the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

They use assessment well to identify any gaps in pupils' knowledge. They then adapt lessons to ensure that pupils are supported through the use of practical resources and prompts. This means that all pupils are able to access and enjoy a full curriculum.

Leaders have developed a systematic and consistent approach to behaviour that helps to ensure that pupils learn without interruption. The school is a calm and orderly place to be. Children in early years successfully settle to the routines and expectations of the school quickly.

They are engaged and well behaved in assemblies and play happily with older pupils on the playground.

The school promotes pupils' personal development effectively. The curriculum is well designed to ensure that pupils to have strong understanding of how to keep themselves healthy and maintain positive relationships.

This is supported by a comprehensive programme of assemblies and lessons. Pupils have opportunities to take on responsibilities, such as being lunchtime helpers or eco-councillors. They are very proud to take on these responsibilities.

Pupils serve as good role models for each other. Their learning is enriched through a range of educational trips to the local area and wildlife centres.

Staff, including early career teachers, say that they feel valued as members of the school community.

They develop their practice effectively through a personalised programme of training and support. They know that leaders, including the local academy committee and trustees, care about their well-being and work–life balance.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum, in a small number of subjects, is not outlined precisely enough to build pupils' understanding sufficiently. Because of this, in these subjects, teachers are not able to organise the learning well enough to ensure that pupils are able complete tasks successfully. Leaders should continue to refine the curriculum plans in these areas and develop the curriculum expertise of staff to ensure that pupils, including children in early years, secure essential knowledge and achieve well.