Corfield CofE Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Corfield C of E Infant School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's vision of 'achieving, believing and caring' is evident from the moment visitors walk through the door of this small school. Pupils are exceptionally well known by adults in the school. The care for pupils is second to none.

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the work of the school. One parent commented, 'I could not be happier with the school.'

Pupils are happy to come to school.

They have fun together at playtime and lunchtime. They enjoy using the outdoor activity boxes which provide them with lots of games to play. Staff make sure that pupils... who need extra help to manage their behaviour are supported.

Pupils are confident that the grown-ups in school will help them if they have a problem. They understand what a bully is and say that bullying does not happen very often. Pupils know that it is important to respect each other's differences.

One child told an inspector, 'everyone is welcome at Corfield.'

Staff, governors and parents are positive about the ways in which the school has improved since the last inspection. Leaders have plans in place that are targeted in the direction of improving the school further.

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

Leaders make sure that pupils learn a broad range of subjects. Curriculum plans are complete for English, mathematics, science, religious education, and personal, social and health education (PSHE). These plans map out the knowledge that pupils need to know and remember and when it needs to be taught.

However, in other subjects, curriculum plans are not yet as well developed. Teachers do not plan lessons with such a sharp focus on the key knowledge that needs to be taught. This was exemplified during the art lessons visited during the inspection.

In these lessons, pupils were clearly enjoying the activities that teachers had set for them but could not say what they had learned.

Reading has been a priority for the school. Phonics is taught systematically.

Pupils begin to learn to read as soon as they start at school. During a lesson visit to the Reception Year, children were confidently reading and writing simple words using the sounds they had already learned. Teachers check that pupils remember new sounds.

They make sure that pupils have the extra help they need so that they do not fall behind. Pupils are rewarded for reading regularly through the 'rainbow read' reward system, and every child is encouraged to reach the 'pot of gold'. By the time pupils reach Year 2, the vast majority are fluent and enthusiastic readers for their age.

Mathematics is taught well. Teachers' explanations are clear. Teachers make sure that pupils understand prior learning before moving on to new concepts.

Pupils enjoy mathematics and become confident mathematicians.

Leaders have reviewed the school's behaviour policy. Adults praise pupils when they get things right.

Pupils understand that they need to be kind to each other and they know how to take turns in games. The importance of getting on together is instilled in pupils as soon as they join the school. Leaders make sure that staff have the training they need to understand how to help pupils who find good behaviour more difficult.

However, in lessons, a few pupils can sometimes be distracted. They do not always focus on their work. This can occasionally slow their learning and means that they do not do as well as they could.

Corfield is an inclusive school. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified quickly and accurately. Teachers develop plans that, when implemented, address the needs of pupils with SEND.

These are followed by everyone who works with the pupils. Leaders work closely with professionals, for example the behaviour support team and educational psychologist, to make sure that the curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. As a result, these pupils benefit from the same experiences as other pupils.

Leaders know that pupils have had a difficult time during the pandemic. They have prioritised pupils' well-being since their return to school. Leaders have improved the provision for outdoor play and learning because they know that being outside helps pupils to feel better.

Pupils have opportunities to participate in sports and community events. The school has close links with their local church, which helps to promote pupils' spiritual development. Extra-curricular sports clubs have recently resumed.

Leaders have experienced challenges in recruiting governors so that they have a full governing body. Much of the governors' work has focused on operational activities. As a result, they have not held leaders to account as well as they could with regard to curriculum development.

Governors have a good understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff receive regular safeguarding training.

This enables them to recognise when pupils may be at risk of harm. Teachers and support staff know pupils well. As a result, staff pass on their concerns about pupils swiftly.

Leaders work closely with the school community and know the local risks. Leaders engage external agencies to make sure that families and pupils get the help they need.

The school's PSHE curriculum ensures that pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some subjects. The key knowledge that pupils need to know and remember has not been made explicit for all subjects. Teachers do not always plan lessons that build on pupils' prior learning.

However, it is clear that leaders have already taken action to plan next year's curriculum and to train staff in how to deliver it. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. ? While pupils play well together and are kind to each other, their attitudes to learning are not always as strong.

At times, pupils are not as well focused in lessons as they could be. Leaders should ensure that pupils develop good learning habits so that not a moment of learning time is wasted. ? Governors have not challenged leaders as well as they should.

They have not held leaders to account for the development of the school's curriculum. They now need to make sure that they take an active role to monitor the impact of the planned curriculum on the quality of education that pupils receive.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a good school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2016.