Hyde Heath Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe, happy and have wonderful attitudes to their learning. Pupils know each other well and have strong and positive relationships with staff across the school. Strong, positive values are at the heart of this school community.

Pupils know these and the school's '7 Golden Rules', such as recognising and celebrating courage and kindness in each other and in characters they read about in traditional stories. Older pupils take thoughtful care of the younger ones during playtimes. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary.

Pupils and parents value the many school trips. These include visits to Windsor Castle and walks to the village woods and to a local farm. Each week, p...upils make a tangible difference to their community, visiting the local care home and sharing their learning.

Many external experts visit the school and add to the curriculum, such as visits from a nurse, a scientist and local authors. These contribute to creating memorable, joyful experiences and help pupils to develop their understanding of the world.

The school has high expectations for all pupils' achievement.

Some published outcomes are exceptionally high, and in some subjects these standards are maintained consistently well. All pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are well prepared for their next stage of education.

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

The school is highly ambitious for all pupils.

In Reception, staff create thoughtful sequences of learning that build children's knowledge and vocabulary. This continues throughout key stage 1, with an appropriately designed curriculum across all subjects. Where necessary, staff work closely with agencies and professionals, such as educational psychologists, to remove barriers to learning that exist for pupils with SEND.

The needs of disadvantaged pupils are considered thoroughly. Staff adapt the curriculum and regularly review the impact on children's learning to ensure that pupils achieve highly. Precise knowledge and vocabulary are identified and taught to help pupils build on what they learn over time.

Some subjects, such as mathematics, are embedded securely in the school's work. Across the curriculum, staff are developing increasingly detailed subject knowledge. In design and technology, for example, staff teach about a variety of sewing techniques and help pupils to learn different types of stitching and how to use them successfully.

Some staff are very confident in supporting pupils' understanding, particularly when dealing with pupils' errors and misconceptions. However, staff expertise in some subject areas is not as secure. This means that in certain aspects of the curriculum, some pupils do not learn and achieve as well as they could.

Staff teach phonics effectively. They follow the school's chosen phonics scheme carefully. Reading books are matched closely to the sounds that pupils have learned.

When pupils at early stages of reading encounter unfamiliar words, they use phonic strategies confidently to decode and blend with increasing accuracy. If any pupils fall behind with their reading, they receive thoughtful support to catch up with their peers. The school helps pupils to develop a love of reading in inspirational ways.

Staff and pupils act out stories and enjoy carefully chosen texts in lessons and assemblies. Staff share stories regularly. Trips and visitors often link to books and connect to the curriculum in meaningful ways.

The school promotes pupils' personal development exceptionally well. There is a wide range of clubs, such as gymnastics, French, cookery and yoga. Disadvantaged pupils, including pupils with SEND, benefit from the extra-curricular activities that the school provides.

Strong pastoral support helps pupils to learn how to keep physically and mentally healthy in age-appropriate ways. Pupils learn about fundamental British values and democracy through assemblies and the detailed personal, social and health education curriculum.

Pupils enjoy the many roles and responsibilities they have, such as being an 'eco-councillor', school councillor or 'play leader'.

Pupils play together in the well-resourced school grounds happily. Staff implement approaches to managing pupils' behaviour fairly and consistently. If any pupils need extra support to behave well, the school does everything that it can to help those pupils experience successful and inclusive lessons and play times.

Pupils attend school regularly. Staff work with parents and families effectively to ensure that pupils' individual circumstances are considered. This helps to ensure that pupils' attendance remains positive.

Staff are very proud to work at the school. There is a whole-community ethos, and all staff feel supported with their workload and well-being. Governors understand their statutory responsibilities and support and challenge the school mindfully and robustly.

Parents are extremely supportive and appreciate all the efforts of the whole staff team at the school. One parent summarised the thoughts of many others by commenting, 'This is a wonderful, nurturing school, where all the children feel secure and valued.'

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 subject areas, staff do not yet have all the precise knowledge that they need to deliver the curriculum effectively. This means that a small proportion of pupils do not achieve as highly as they could. The school should provide appropriate training so that all staff have consistently strong expertise to teach all subjects equally effectively at all stages of education throughout the school.

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