Fordingbridge Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Fordingbridge Infant School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this warm and happy school. Staff know their pupils well and work with families to make sure that pupils arrive at lessons ready to learn. The school has selected five core values of kindness, honesty, respect, responsibility and effort.

These are woven through the curriculum and modelled by the adults. As a result, pupils try hard to demonstrate them as they learn and play together.

Pupils are curious and enthusiastic learners.

The 'curiosity cubes' in each classroom spark the imagina...tion of pupils and lead to great conversations with their friends and adults. Pupils work hard in lessons and achieve well. The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils.

For example, pupils delight in reciting poetry by heart. They love learning, supported by dedicated staff and a strong community.

Pupils learn to behave well.

They listen carefully and are kind and respectful towards adults and each other. This creates a friendly and welcoming atmosphere in which pupils can learn and play without disruption. Weekly assemblies celebrate the achievement of pupils both in and out of school.

The 'apple' and 'bucket' awards are highly prized by pupils as they seek to pack their 'suitcase of life'.

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

The school has put in place a curriculum that is broad and balanced. It is complemented by explicit teaching of what the school calls 'learning behaviours'.

These are represented by a host of characters that help pupils to understand how to approach challenges. For example, pupils speak of 'being like Toby', the turtle who keeps trying even when things are tough. These firm foundations ensure that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are well prepared for their move to junior school.

Pupils are excited to learn to read, write and understand mathematics. As they learn to read, they talk animatedly about the stories they encounter and the sounds they are learning. Staff make sure that pupils practise these skills regularly.

Early morning mathematics helps to consolidate the learning from the day before. In Reception, children learn about numbers in a range of well-thought-out activities in addition to focused mathematics sessions. Every pupil reads regularly to an adult.

Close monitoring means teachers spot pupils who are falling behind in any area. They make sure that pupils get the help they need to keep up with their peers. Parents and carers welcome updates on what their children are learning.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge and know their pupils well. They use what they know to identify the individual needs of pupils. Teachers work with well-trained additional adults to make appropriate adaptations to their lessons.

Pupils with SEND achieve well overall as a result. In most lessons, teachers present information clearly, and pupils learn the intended curriculum. However, in a few subjects, teachers do not present information as clearly as they could.

Sometimes, the activities that they choose do not help pupils to remember the key information that they need to recall.

The school has high expectations for learning and behaviour. Routines are established in Reception and consolidated through purposeful practice in all years.

Pupils walk calmly around the school. They are keen to demonstrate their good manners, especially when they eat together in the hall. Outside play is harmonious.

Adults join in with games and engage pupils in conversations that develop their confidence and vocabulary. Pupils enjoy school and attend well.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of lunchtime clubs, including construction, choir and colouring.

They enjoy visits to local places of interest and engaging with visitors to the school, including theatre groups. Such experiences help them to understand more about the world and prepare them for the next steps in their education. Right from the start of Reception, pupils are encouraged to develop their independence by having a go at everyday tasks.

In Year 2, pupils are proud of their roles of responsibility as table captains or handout helpers. Pupils value the contribution they make to the school through the school council. As a result, they develop an understanding of the democratic process.

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, analyse information about the school forensically to work out what is working well and what could be improved. This is coupled with a strong understanding of the community and families that the school serves. As a result, leaders have taken effective action to improve the teaching of reading and writing.

In other areas, they have maintained the standards seen at the last inspection.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the way teachers present key information is not clear.

Sometimes, activity choices do not match the desired learning outcomes well. This means that pupils do not recall some key information over time. The school should ensure that staff are supported to implement the intended curriculum in these subject areas so pupils learn and remember the key information.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

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

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in January 2019.

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