Exhall Cedars Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

There is a warm welcome from pupils and staff at this inclusive school.

The school's values of kindness, respect, honesty, resilience and nurture underpin much of what happens here. They contribute to the school being a happy and vibrant learning environment where pupils start their education. Staff want the absolute best for pupils.

Positive relationships contribute directly to how happy and safe pupils feel.

Across the curriculum, pupils do well because adults support them skilfully and have high expectations. For pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), expectations are equally high.

Teachers carefully adapt lessons to mak...e the learning accessible.

There are high expectations of behaviour here. Pupils meet these consistently well.

They are polite, courteous and confident. The school helps them to become independent and resilient from a very early age. Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes in class and in the school's exciting outdoor spaces.

Everyone is enormously proud of the unique and extensive outdoor provision. The contribution this makes to the curriculum and to pupils' development is significant. Pupils become risk-takers and problem-solvers in safe, engaging environments.

They learn to work together harmoniously and this contributes strongly to calm, purposeful playtimes and lessons.

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

From pre-school into key stage 1, the school has created a well-considered and sequenced curriculum. This is reviewed and adapted regularly so that it fits the needs of pupils.

The school has ensured that lessons have a clear, consistent structure that pupils become familiar with. This predictability helps pupils to learn well in subjects, including music.

Pupils develop their numeracy skills and become competent mathematicians, building on the foundations taught in the early years.

Every lesson starts with revisiting work from previous lessons to help pupils consolidate their mathematical knowledge. Pupils typically use mathematical vocabulary accurately in lessons. Teachers notice and correct any misconceptions that arise.

Staff teach phonics effectively because the school has an established, successful and consistent way of doing so. The use of mnemonics and simple phrases helps pupils to become secure in their knowledge. By the time pupils leave this school, most are fluent readers, ready for the challenges of junior school.

Teachers engage pupils and present information clearly. Developing pupils' language and vocabulary is a school focus. However, sometimes staff miss opportunities to model spoken or written language precisely, which would help pupils to improve their oracy or writing further.

Support for pupils with SEND is a strength. Staff are skilled at identifying pupils' needs and provide effective support. The school is particularly successful at providing for pupils with complex needs.

There is a relentless drive to make the necessary adaptations to include all pupils in school life. The school makes good use of a strong network of external experts and acts swiftly on the advice they give.

The school does a lot to help pupils' wider development.

Pupils learn about staying safe and healthy. For example, they know about the benefits of eating healthily and drinking plenty of water. They understand about staying safe online by not talking to people they do not know or sharing personal information.

At lunchtimes, pupils love taking advantage of the impressively curated outdoor space. Pupils are outside in all weathers, immersed in a wide range of activities, including using the zip-wire, digging at the beach and building enormous towers out of car tyres. This space has been transformational in enriching pupils' social and physical development.

Parents speak highly of the school. They appreciate the opportunities to attend curriculum information sessions. Since the last inspection, the school has been successful in reducing pupil absence.

However, there are still pupils missing too much of their education. The school continues to focus on this as a priority.

A passionate and involved governing body offers effective support and challenge to the school.

Governors know the school well and ask the right questions to find out more. They share in the strategic direction and in setting school priorities for continued improvement. The school has been outward facing and successful in working with the local authority to develop and improve practice since the last inspection.

There is an impressive sense of togetherness among the staff at Exhall Cedars. They feel valued and are very proud to work at such a caring and exciting school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Adults do not model written or spoken language as precisely as they could in some lessons. This means they miss opportunities to further develop pupils' language and vocabulary. The school should ensure all staff demonstrate precision when speaking to, and writing with, pupils so that high expectations are made explicit to pupils at all times.

• A number of pupils are absent from school too often. This means they miss out on valuable lessons and so find accessing future learning more difficult. The school should further explore alternative ways of engaging with parents so that they bring their children to school every day and on time.

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