Chapel Street Infants and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils' happy faces show how much they like their school.

They feel safe and secure here. Pupils love their breaktimes. They can stretch their muscles on the outdoor gym equipment, or dance to music on the soft-play area.

They can draw or chat quietly if they prefer. There is always plenty for everyone to do.

Adults want all pupils to do well, so that they are ready for junior school when the time comes.

Pupils know that their teachers expect them to work hard in lessons. Even the youngest children listen carefully and pay attention. This helps pupils to learn and to achieve well, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilit...ies (SEND).

Pupils learn to follow the school rules and to behave well. For example, children in the Nursery class handle books and resources carefully. Older pupils diligently stack their plates and cutlery in the right place when they have finished their lunch.

Pupils show kindness towards each other. Adults put a swift stop to any bullying behaviour, should it occur.

There is a wide programme of activities for pupils' personal development.

For example, there are a number of after-school clubs to choose from, such as gardening, construction or gymnastics. Pupils contribute to fundraising activities and take part in sports competitions with other schools. All pupils can participate in these activities, including those with SEND.

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

Since the last inspection, leaders have made important improvements to the quality of education. They have created a broad and ambitious curriculum from the early years to Year 2. All pupils learn this broad curriculum, including those with SEND.

Leaders have carefully considered what they want pupils to know and to be able to do so that they are well prepared for key stage 2. In most subjects, leaders have worked with staff to break this important knowledge down into smaller, well-ordered steps. This ensures that pupils build up their knowledge in a logical way from the early years to the end of Year 2.

In a small number of subjects, some of these smaller steps are less clearly defined for children in the early years. This makes it more difficult for staff in the early years to make sure that children learn all of the important knowledge that they need in these areas of learning.

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum.

Children begin to learn about phonics as soon as they start school in the early years. No time is lost in introducing new letters and sounds every day. This continues into Year 1.

Any pupils at risk of falling behind receive prompt help to catch up. Leaders have made sure that the school library is full of exciting books. Pupils love to select and borrow these books to take home.

Across the school, pupils develop a love of reading and achieve well, including those with SEND.

The training that leaders provide enables staff to develop strong knowledge in all subjects. Staff use this knowledge to design activities for pupils that engage their interests and to stay focused on their learning.

Pupils behave sensibly in class and concentrate well. They do not disturb each other by chatting too much. This ensures that everyone can get on with their work.

Staff check regularly in lessons to make sure that pupils have understood learning before moving on to the next learning step. This helps to ensure that pupils build up knowledge securely. In some subjects, leaders carefully check the impact of the curriculum.

For example, leaders use information from assessments to make sure that the curriculum is helping pupils to know more and remember more over time. This helps them to make any necessary improvements to support pupils' learning. However, in a few subjects, leaders do not have such a clear overview of the effectiveness of the curriculum.

This is because their work to develop this overview is at an earlier stage.

Pupils with SEND have their needs identified quickly. Leaders and staff work together to make any necessary adaptations to help pupils with SEND to access the curriculum.

Leaders communicate effectively with a range of other professionals. This helps to secure expert support for pupils who need it. Parents are fully involved in this process.

Pupils with SEND achieve similarly well to other pupils in school.

Pupils develop an understanding of difference and diversity in their community and in the wider world. For example, they visit a local temple to learn more about Buddhism.

They listen to stories from a range of cultures. Pupils learn about British values such as tolerance, democracy and the rule of law in ways that are appropriate for their age. All of these experiences prepare pupils well for the next stage in their education.

Governors have a clear understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. They ask leaders plenty of questions to hold them to account for their work to improve the school. Leaders, including governors, take account of the impact on staff's workload of any decisions that they make.

Staff value leaders' concern for their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders provide a range of safeguarding training for staff.

Staff know how to recognise the signs that a pupil might be at risk from harm. They report any concerns that they have about a pupil's welfare.

Leaders work with a range of agencies, such as local authority safeguarding and welfare services.

This helps them to secure prompt support for pupils and families who need it.Through the curriculum, pupils learn about how to stay safe when they are working online. They learn about what action to take if they see anything that looks wrong.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, subject leaders' work to understand the impact of the curriculum in their subjects is at an early stage. This prevents them from being able to make any necessary changes to the curriculum to help pupils to know more and remember more. Leaders must now ensure that subject leaders have the time that they need to evaluate the impact of the curriculum on pupils' learning over time.

• In a few areas of learning in the early years curriculum, not enough thought has been given to defining the most important knowledge that children need to know or the order in which this should be taught. This makes it difficult for leaders and staff to be sure that children are learning everything that they need to know. Leaders, including subject leaders, must ensure that staff in the early years have all of the guidance that they need in each area of learning.