Heathfield Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Heathfield Infant School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like their school very much. They were keen to tell me about all the exciting things that happen here, including the many outings and clubs.

One pupil said, 'This school is really good for your brain because we learn lots.' This comment reflects pupils' typically positive attitudes.

Leaders and staff expect pupils to learn well.

In most subjects, staff plan learning which inspires pupils to work hard and achieve highly. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff are skilled in meeting these pupils' needs.

Pupils ...get off to a strong start in reading. They particularly look forward to their daily story times. They enjoy joining in with stories that they know well.

Pupils are kept safe here. Unkind behaviour is rare. Staff expect pupils to behave well and be considerate towards one another.

Pupils are not worried about bullying. As one pupil put it, 'We do not allow meanness here.' Staff deal effectively with any issues that arise.

They are always on hand to comfort pupils if they feel upset.

The school is popular with parents and carers. Many parents described the school as 'wonderful' and 'amazing'.

They particularly value the school's 'community feel'.

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

Leaders and staff think carefully about how to help each pupil achieve highly, particularly in reading and mathematics. The school's caring atmosphere also supports pupils to learn successfully.

Staff nurture pupils' self-confidence and motivate them to try their best. They provide strong support for pupils with SEND, including those who attend The Willow Centre. This ensures that pupils with SEND learn and behave as well as their peers.

Leaders and staff know the importance of reading here. All pupils learn to read well. Staff read aloud stories that they know pupils will enjoy.

During my visit, pupils gasped and giggled when they heard that one character in a story had 'ants in his pants'. Staff also choose texts that support pupils' language development. I saw how pupils take great delight in learning new words, such as 'rustle' and 'orbit'.

They used these words confidently when they talked about the story.

The phonics programme is ambitious. Reception children start the programme straight away.

Staff teach new sounds clearly and correct pupils' misconceptions. Throughout the day, pupils have plentiful opportunities to practise their phonics knowledge. Staff also expect pupils to practise reading at home.

Parents receive guidance to help them support their children's reading. However, some lower-attaining pupils read books that are too hard. Sometimes, instead of reading the words, pupils try to guess words by looking at the pictures in reading books.

This holds pupils back from learning to read accurately and fluently.

As well as reading, writing and mathematics, leaders give a great deal of thought to pupils' learning in other subjects. They are currently reviewing how each subject is planned and taught.

Leaders have started with history and science. Their work has secured clear improvements, including in the early years. Plans set out the knowledge that leaders expect pupils to learn.

Pupils study new ideas in a logical order. Teachers plan activities which build on what pupils have previously learned. These strengths enable pupils to achieve highly.

Subject leaders have reviewed plans together with colleagues from the junior school. As a result, staff know what pupils need to learn in order to be ready for Year 3.

Leaders intend to review art and geography next.

Leaders' goals for these subjects are based on the national curriculum. However, leaders have not fully considered what pupils need to learn in order to achieve these goals. Teaching is not sharply focused on building pupils' knowledge progressively.

In art, for example, teachers expect pupils to create their own work inspired by artists such as Kandinsky and Hokusai. However, pupils have not learned and practised the knowledge and skills that they need to do this well.

Leaders and staff organise lots of outings and clubs for pupils.

They listen to pupils' views on the experiences they would like. For instance, following a visit to a local pet shop, pupils asked if the school could get some guinea pigs. Leaders readily agreed to this request.

This helps pupils to learn how to respect and care for other living creatures.

Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour, including in the early years. 'Golden rules' remind pupils to be gentle, kind and helpful.

In classrooms, pupils listen respectfully to staff and each other. Pupils' positive attitudes help them to learn well.

Staff are proud to work here.

They share leaders' commitment to making sure that the quality of education continues to improve. Staff know that their well-being is a priority for the leadership team so that workload is not excessive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff care for pupils very well. Pupils told me that adults always look after them, for instance if they feel unwell or fall over in the playground. Parents and staff agree that pupils are kept safe here.

Leaders and staff know which signs and symptoms may indicate a pupil's welfare is at risk. Staff know what they must do if any issues arise. Leaders follow up concerns effectively.

They work well with families and external agencies and make sure that pupils get suitable help when they need it.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' learning in all subjects. However, leaders have not made sure that pupils' learning in art and geography is sufficiently well planned and sequenced.

In these subjects, pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Leaders intend to improve how art and geography are planned and taught by September 2020. Leaders' plans are credible.

For this reason, the transition arrangements have been applied. Leaders need to ensure that subject planning sets out how teaching will enable pupils to build up their knowledge step by step, and in turn achieve the ambitious goals that leaders expect. .

Pupils achieve well in reading, including pupils with SEND. This is because leaders and staff have high expectations and plan pupils' learning carefully. However, some lower-attaining pupils read books that do not closely match their reading abilities.

This prevents them from becoming accurate and confident readers. Leaders and staff need to ensure that pupils' reading books only contain sounds that they have been taught and know well.

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 school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, 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 convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Heathfield Infant School to be good on 25 and 26 May 2016.

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