Glebe Infants’ School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has been through a period of rapid change. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have raised expectations significantly of what pupils can achieve. Parents and carers highlight the improvements made 'across the board'.

Staff work as a team to do the best for the pupils. They value the expertise leaders have brought to the school.

Pupils understand that learning takes perseverance but say that lessons are fun.

As a pupil explained, 'We learn new things every day'. Books are full of well-presented work, particularly in mathematics, science and history. Every pupil is entitled to exciting experiences during their time in school such as a woodland wal...k and a visit to a beach.

Pupils behave well throughout the school day. The school is effective in improving the behaviour of those few pupils who need more help. If need be, 'positive play' is taught, helping pupils to take turns and play fairly.

Pupils say that sometimes friends fall out, but they feel safe because adults help them sort out their problems.

Good routines are established in early years as soon as children start school. Staff help children to listen carefully and speak clearly.

Children in early years are confident and independent.

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

Leaders are in the process of completing their curriculum improvements. Reading, writing and mathematics have been their priority.

Pupils gain knowledge securely in these subjects. Where other subjects are fully planned, for example physical education and science, pupils remember what they have been taught. In art and history, displays and workbooks show pupils are learning and remembering the right things.

The music curriculum is not yet planned as effectively as other subjects, and pupils do not learn as well.

Leaders put reading at the heart of learning. At the start of the day, the early years classes are full of parents sharing books with their children.

The new programme for phonics is helping children in early years to learn to read quickly. Teachers choose books carefully to give children practice with the sounds they are learning. In key stage 1, pupils build their phonic knowledge securely.

Most read confidently and spell accurately.

Pupils, particularly those who need to catch up, have frequent opportunities to read with their teacher and with skilled teaching assistants. In reading lessons and at individual reading times, teachers help pupils to understand their reading and to explain what pupils have read.

When reading with children in early years, staff contribute to records of what children know. Some records in key stage 1 are not as thorough. Some of the adults reading with pupils are not clear about what pupils need to learn next.

The school's ways of teaching mathematics are consistent in early years and key stage 1. Pupils learn to think deeply about their mathematics. Teachers explain new learning clearly.

This helps children to remember more. Teachers quickly spot when pupils could do more, or need extra help.

In early years, children form letters accurately and write sentences about their favourite stories.

Pupils in key stage 1 know the correct terms for the grammar they are expected to use when writing. However, they are not encouraged consistently to extend their vocabulary and make their writing more interesting.

Generally, teachers in key stage 1 build well on the knowledge children gain in early years.

In science, pupils had remembered what they had learned about their senses in early years. This helped them to plan their investigations into hearing and sound. However, the curriculum plans for the foundation subjects do not fully explain the sequence of learning from early years to key stage 1.

Leaders are too reliant on teachers sharing this knowledge through discussion.

The school's 'life skills' curriculum recognises that pupils have things to learn beyond the national curriculum. Pupils learn to tie shoelaces and use a knife and fork, for instance.

Mid-day supervisors encourage pupils to try new foods. Every day, pupils vote for their favourite book at storytime to learn about fairness. Teachers stress the importance of being a good friend and showing respect.

Leaders widen pupils' cultural understanding through events such as Samba band and Bollywood. Pupils take responsibility for tasks such as putting away playground equipment.

Parents are positive about the support for their children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The skilled leader of this area is vigilant for pupils' achievement. She guides leaders in how the curriculum can be adapted to meet the needs of disadvantaged pupils as well as those with SEND. Pupils' workbooks show that teachers successfully adapt tasks to make learning accessible.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have made sure that all staff are trained well to identify when a pupil may be at risk of harm. Staff fully record any concerns they may have and report them to leaders promptly.

Leaders know the community well and work effectively with agencies that help families to support their children.

All parents spoken to, and those who completed the Ofsted survey, agree that their children feel safe in school.

Statutory checks are made and recorded on adults who work with pupils in school.

Governors check for themselves to ensure this happens.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The school's curriculum is not yet planned coherently in every subject, for example in music. It is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken to plan and train staff in how to deliver the curriculum that they are in the process of bringing this about.

For this reason, the transition arrangement has been applied. Leaders need to ensure that they implement their curriculum plans so that pupils know and remember more in every subject of the national curriculum. .

The curriculum plans for the foundation subjects do not show pupils' starting points when pupils join key stage 1. Leaders should ensure that plans show how knowledge is built from the time children join the school. .

In key stage 1, ongoing assessments of reading do not always give an indication of pupils' next steps to gaining fluency. Leaders should sharpen the system for assessing reading. This is so that adults who read with pupils understand what pupils know and what they need to learn next.

. The most able pupils' vocabulary is not developed sufficiently for them to show they are writing at the higher standard. The curriculum and teaching of writing need to build pupils' vocabulary more securely.