Kilburn Infant and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships are positive at this school. Pupils are well cared for.

Leaders' strongly held belief that 'a happy child is a successful child' drives the daily interactions between staff and pupils. One pupil summed up the school when they said: 'Teachers are lovely to us. They help us to learn and get better at things.

They look after us really well.'

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. Behaviour is positive.

Pupils get on well with each other. They are attentive in lessons and play cooperatively at playtimes. They look out for and care for one another.

Outside, they use the playground pals and the buddy bus stop to make sure that no... one is lonely or left out. They are enjoying learning Makaton to help them communicate more widely.

Pupils enjoy helping out around school.

They take their roles as school councillors and monitors seriously. They understand the principles of democracy and the importance of treating everyone equally.

Bullying is very rare.

However, pupils know what it is and what to do should it occur. The three steps of 'stop, tell a friend, tell an adult' are consistently understood and applied. Pupils know that it is important to speak out to stay safe.

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

Overall, the school's curriculum is well planned and sequenced. Pupils enjoy exploring a range of carefully planned topics. They are motivated by the questions that the topics pose, such as 'What was it like to be a child in the past?' and 'What will you see in space?' The curriculum makes clear the knowledge and skills that pupils should acquire each term.

However, in a small number of subjects the curriculum does not make clear the underpinning knowledge that pupils should secure in order to master the skills.

A new curriculum for phonics has been recently introduced. It makes clear what sounds pupils should know at each stage of their education.

It is well sequenced. Staff have received comprehensive training. Overall, the programme is taught consistently well.

However, pupils in the Reception Year have not been taught phonics from the very start of the school year. Too much time has been spent checking on what pupils know and recapping what they have learned previously.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well catered for.

Leaders have robust procedures in place to ensure pupils with SEND get the help that they need. Leaders are determined that these pupils will achieve the same curriculum end points as their peers. Leaders work effectively with staff and parents to ensure that the help in place is understood and working effectively.

The early years environment is an exciting and vibrant place. Children follow the well-established routines. They are happy and well cared for.

The early years curriculum is ambitious. It is well planned and sequenced. Children enjoy participating in the wide range of exciting activities, all of which help them to learn the content of the curriculum.

Leaders regularly review provision to ensure that it is helping all children to learn the curriculum.

The school's personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Pupils develop an age-appropriate understanding of equality.

They make good use of the extra-curricular activities on offer, including dodgeball and archery. The school's curriculum is enhanced by a comprehensive programme of trips, visits and experiences. This ensures that pupils get to experience and try new things.

Senior leaders know their school well. A robust programme of quality assurance helps them to keep a close eye on what is working well and to identify what needs to improve further. Improvements are planned and implemented carefully.

Pupils, staff and the majority of parents are positive about the school. One parent summed up the view of many when they said: 'Every single member of staff is caring and committed… I feel lucky to have such a fantastic school on our doorstep!' However, a small group of parents do not agree. They raise concerns about the provision for pupils with SEND and the way in which the school communicates with the community.

The findings of the inspection do not match these views. However, more needs to be done to ensure that working in partnership with parents is both prioritised and successful.

The work of the governing body is well organised.

Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined. It ensures that it has the skills and experience to hold leaders to account. The governing body's procedures for dealing with complaints and exclusions are robust.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils say that they feel safe in school. They are confident that adults will help them if they have a worry or concern.

They know that all staff are trusted adults. They know that they can get help by putting a message in the school worry box. They know that the headteacher checks this every day.

Leaders prioritise safeguarding. The school's policy and procedures are detailed and fit for purpose. They are consistently understood and applied by staff.

Staff know how to escalate concerns should they need to.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils in the Reception Year are not taught the school's phonics programme quickly enough when they join the school. This means that they do not begin to read as quickly as they are able or should.

Leaders should ensure that pupils are taught phonics from the very beginning of the Reception Year. ? The majority of the school's curriculum is well planned and sequenced. In some places, the curriculum shows skills that pupils are to acquire.

However, the underpinning knowledge that pupils need in order to master these skills have not been considered. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum, across all subjects, makes clear the most important things that pupils need to know in order to learn the full range of the curriculum. ? A small group of parents have concerns about aspects of the school's provision.

Concerns include provision for pupils with SEND and how the school communicates with its community. These concerns do not match what inspectors found during the inspection. However, leaders should ensure that working in partnership with parents is prioritised and successful, and that the work of the school is communicated more clearly to provide assurance.

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