Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Ilfracombe Infants and Nursery School lies at the centre of the community.

It is a friendly and welcoming school. Staff provide a high level of care for pupils. Staff have very positive, nurturing relationships with pupils.

They ensure that pupils are safe, happy and confident. Pupils are kind and helpful towards each other. They support each other in lessons and in the playground.

Pupils relish learning. They are eager to read and write well. Staff nurture pupils' curiosity about the world.

As a result, pupils strive to do well. Children in Nursery and Reception learn positive attitudes to learning. They take turns and share toys and ideas with each... other.

For example, children discuss how to care for birds, badgers and hedgehogs.

Pupils' behaviour is generally positive throughout the school. Pupils follow the rules of the classroom.

However, where there are instances of poor behaviour, some members of staff are unsure of the behaviour systems.

The school is highly inclusive of pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils thrive through strong support in the classroom.

From Nursery to Year 2, pupils with SEND develop confidence and enthusiasm for learning. Leaders include them in every aspect of school life.

The majority of parents and carers are positive about the school.

They value the high-quality education, including the strong pastoral support. One parent echoed the views of many when she stated that the school has 'great teachers'.

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

Leaders and staff enrich pupils' understanding of the world they live in through trips to places such as Dunster Castle and Rosemoor Gardens.

Pupils develop a strong understanding of the history and geography of where they live. Pupils told inspectors how much they valued and enjoyed these trips. Pupils are able to draw on their experiences of these places in their writing.

Leaders have designed an effective curriculum for pupils. Consequently, pupils are ready for the next stage of their education.

Leaders prioritise reading throughout the school.

The teaching of phonics is effective. Pupils read books that match their knowledge of letters and sounds. As a result, pupils love reading.

Teachers and teaching assistants support pupils skilfully to read a breadth of books. They ensure that pupils learn to read fluently and with understanding.

Pupils enjoy writing too.

At breaktime, pupils were enthusiastically practising their writing with chalk. Leaders ensure that pupils develop their vocabulary and grammar so that they can read and write with increasing complexity. Pupils with SEND receive strong, tailored support to enable them to write accurately.

Consequently, pupils write well about a range of subjects. For example, Year 2 pupils were writing in detail about the life of Amelia Earhart.

Leaders and staff ensure that pupils build on what they have learned before when studying different subjects.

For example, pupils learn about the value of different numbers in progressively more detail as they move through the school. Teachers ensure that pupils have a range of resources to help them understand addition and subtraction. Teachers address pupils' misconceptions quickly.

As a result, pupils achieve well throughout the school.

Children in Reception and Nursery learn about the world around them well. Leaders plan the curriculum with a clear understanding of children's developmental stages.

Through a range of well-structured activities, children learn how to communicate and interact with the world around them. Children in Nursery develop their physical health through star jumps and other exercises. Children learn early reading skills with enthusiasm in Reception.

They have many opportunities to practise their early writing skills. For example, children independently created a make-believe cinema and designed marketing posters. Children are well prepared for learning in Year 1.

Disadvantaged pupils receive effective support which enables them to learn successfully and confidently. Leaders have addressed economic and social barriers effectively. As a result, disadvantaged pupils achieve well in every subject.

Pupils say that staff are friendly and help them. Parents overwhelmingly praised the quality of teaching and the care that staff show to pupils. However, very occasionally, pupils' misbehaviour is not dealt with effectively.

Some members of staff are not confident about the behaviour systems in the school.

Governors share leaders' ambition for the school. They are regular visitors and pose effective challenge and support.

The majority of the staff enjoy working at the school. They feel valued and well supported by leaders and governors. However, a minority of staff members do not feel that leaders take sufficient account of their workload and their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. There is a strong culture of safeguarding at the school. The school's checks on adults who work at the school are effective.

Leaders and staff demonstrate a high level of care for the physical and emotional well-being of pupils. Leaders work effectively with external agencies to keep pupils safe.

However, the school's system for recording safeguarding concerns is not as strong as it should be.

All pupils who spoke to the inspectors said that they felt protected and supported by staff.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

There is a strong culture of safeguarding at the school, ensuring that pupils are safe. However, the system for recording staff's concerns about pupils is not good enough.

Leaders need to ensure that the recording of safeguarding concerns, however small, is consistent and thorough. . Although the vast majority of pupils behave impeccably throughout the school, there are a few pupils who struggle with following school rules.

Some members of staff are not confident about the school's behaviour system and feel that this adds an additional layer of stress to their roles. Leaders need to support all members of staff effectively in managing incidents of poor behaviour. .

Although the majority of members of staff enjoy working at the school and feel well supported by leaders, there is a minority of staff who do not. Leaders need to communicate their ambition and vision for the school more effectively to all members of staff. Leaders need to ensure that all members of staff receive effective support with managing their workload and well-being.

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