Hursthead Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, staff and parents and carers agree that Hursthead Infant School is a happy place to learn. The school has high expectations for pupils' academic achievement. Pupils, and children in the early years, rise to meet the expectations that the school has of them.

Typically, they achieve well across the curriculum.

The school has prioritised pupils' well-being and their wider development. Pupils develop a strong understanding of their emotions and how their actions impact on the feelings of others.

They learn successfully how to look after their mental health, as well as their physical well-being. Pupils know that staff care about them. They think of the sch...ool community as being like a family.

Pupils value learning and they demonstrate positive attitudes to their studies. For example, they regularly spoke about 'not giving up' and 'trying your best'. Pupils behave well, they show kindness and care to their peers and they are exceptionally well informed about how to be a helpful and responsible citizen in a diverse society.

Parents and carers are proud to be part of the school community. They appreciate the lengths that staff go to in helping pupils to achieve their best. This includes staff's in-depth understanding of how to support pupils' individual needs.

Parents spoke positively about the extensive range of opportunities that the school provides to develop and hone pupils' talents and interests.

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

Pupils, including children in the early years, learn a curriculum that prepares them well for key stage 2 and helps them to build their knowledge securely over time. The school has thought carefully about the order in which pupils learn.

In the majority of subjects, the school has set out carefully the most important knowledge that pupils need to know and remember.

Teachers use their expertise to explain new concepts clearly to pupils and select appropriate learning activities. That said, in a small number of subjects, teachers are not as clear about the important knowledge that pupils need for subsequent learning.

Where this is the case, some pupils do not recall their prior knowledge as easily. From time to time, this hinders these pupils when they come to use and apply this learning to more complex ideas.

The school has well-thought-out procedures in place to find out what pupils know.

Teachers use the information that they gain from their checks on pupils' learning to design and shape pupils' next steps. Consequently, pupils deepen their understanding of concepts and, in the main, they acquire a rich body of subject knowledge.

The school makes sure that staff are well equipped to deliver the curriculum effectively.

For example, children in the early years benefit from staff who are adept at delivering the school's chosen phonics programme. As a result, pupils build on this strong start in key stage 1 and become confident and fluent readers by the end of Year 2.

Children in the early years join the school with a wide range of experiences.

The school ensures that children quickly develop a love of reading. Staff carefully consider the books that are available for pupils to practise their reading. Staff make sure that pupils read books that are matched well to the sounds that they know.

Those pupils who struggle with reading receive appropriate support from skilled staff to catch up quickly. In addition, pupils are exposed to a diverse range of high-quality texts. For instance, staff take care to ensure that the books pupils read reflect and represent people from different backgrounds and cultures.

The school has effective systems in place to identify the additional needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These pupils receive the support that they need from staff to learn successfully alongside their peers. The school goes to great lengths to understand the challenges that pupils with SEND may face and to help them to achieve their best.

This includes forging strong links with a range of professionals who provide appropriate support and guidance.

Pupils are clear about how they should behave. Staff apply the school's behaviour policy consistently and fairly.

This means that pupils' learning is seldom disrupted.

Pupils know what it means to respect others, including how to maintain healthy relationships. For example, they proudly described the 'consent culture' in school and they have a secure understanding of how this helps to keep them safe.

Pupils have a strong understanding of how different people live. They explained why it is important to be sensitive to the needs of others. Through the curriculum, pupils gain a detailed knowledge of the negative effects of discrimination and the importance of equality.

The school provides many opportunities for pupils to take on roles of responsibility. Pupils fulfil these roles, such as playground friends and sports leaders, with pride. They know how these roles make the school a welcoming place to be.

For example, without prompting, they set up games at playtime and ensure that pupils across the school can take part and have fun.

Governors have an accurate overview of the school. They have the breadth of knowledge that they need to provide the school with an appropriate level of support and challenge.

Leaders at all levels show consideration for staff and take suitable steps to reduce their workload. Governors make sure that leaders' decisions about the school are carefully balanced with how these might impact on staff's well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, the school has not ensured that teachers are clear enough about the important knowledge that pupils need to learn. As a result, some pupils do not know and remember enough of their learning and this hinders them using and applying this knowledge in more complex tasks. The school should ensure that teachers are sufficiently clear about the most useful knowledge for pupils' subsequent learning.

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