Chigwell Row Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils arrive at this school with a smile on their faces. They look forward to the day ahead of them. Everyone is welcomed and included.

Pupils enjoy playing and learning together in the happy 'family' environment.

The school week gets off to a great start with 'Milkshake Mondays'. This is a chance to celebrate pupils who have shown the school values by being 'caring, respectful and successful'.

At the end of each week, 'Forest Fridays' enable pupils to explore and learn about nature.

Pupils know that their teachers want them to do well. They try hard in lessons.

From the early years, children learn to focus and to take turns. Older pupils l...isten carefully to their teachers and each other. This helps them to understand new ideas.

High standards of behaviour are expected and demonstrated by adults and pupils. Pupils move around the school calmly. The playground is well set out with space for pupils to run and let off steam safely.

There is also space to write and draw, or to chat with friends.

Many parents value the school highly. They comment on how happy their children are to attend and how they 'flourish' in the caring environment.

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

The best interests of pupils are at the heart of the work of the trust and the school. There is a clear ambition to provide a high-quality curriculum across the school. The school has worked hard to develop this and to ensure that this curriculum is right for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The planned curriculum is taught well overall. The most important learning is clearly set out and introduced in small steps. Teachers help pupils to recall what they have learned before.

They explain how this links to new ideas. From the early years, adults show children how to do new skills before asking them to try on their own. They give enough time for pupils to practise these skills to become confident and fluent.

Teachers provide extra resources. This makes learning more interesting and helps pupils to understand complicated ideas. Pupils achieve well and are ready for their next steps.

Pupils with SEND get the right help in and out of class. Teachers adapt plans and resources to focus on the most important ideas and enable pupils to show what they understand. This helps pupils with SEND to learn alongside their peers in class as much as they can.

Teachers check what pupils know and can do in lessons. They adjust their lessons straight away when they need to so that everyone can understand. However, systems across the school to review how effective this is over time are less well developed.

As a result, it is not always clear where changes might improve things further.

The teaching of early reading is well established. Ongoing training enables adults to teach phonics well.

Pupils apply their developing reading knowledge by reading books at the right level. Most pupils quickly learn to read. The few pupils who need extra help get this with precise interventions that build their confidence alongside their reading skills.

From the early years, children are introduced to a diverse selection of high-quality books by their teachers. Most pupils become enthusiastic readers.The school works closely with families to promote understanding of the importance of regular attendance.

Leaders follow up rapidly when pupils are regularly late or miss too much school. However, a small group of pupils are still missing too much time in school.

There are clear routines to promote good behaviour.

These are in place consistently from the early years, where adults also teach children how to manage their feelings well. As a result, lessons proceed smoothly.

The school provides many opportunities for pupils to develop as responsible citizens.

Older pupils are proud to act as librarians and playtime buddies. School council introduces pupils to the democratic process, and members help with events, such as a charity coffee morning. Pupils, including pupils with SEND, attend sporting events.

Pupils develop aspirations from a range of interesting visitors who talk about their jobs. They learn about the world beyond their school with trips, such as to the beach and the pantomime.

During a period of rapid change and improvement, staff have appreciated the practical support for their well-being provided by the trust, including the interim executive board and leaders in school.

There is now a strong sense of teamwork and commitment to a shared vision for continued improvement.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school is not consistently clear about what is working well and where adjustments to curriculum planning and teaching will secure further improvements for pupils.

When this happens, pupils may achieve less well. The school should ensure that the right checks are in place to identify and act rapidly to address any gaps in teaching or learning. A small number of pupils miss too much time in school.

They are absent too often or arrive late. These pupils are missing valuable time to learn and play with their peers and to take advantage of all that the school has to offer. The school should continue and further strengthen its efforts to secure regular, punctual attendance by all pupils.