Lee-On-the-Solent Infant and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very happy in this school. They value their friendships and enjoy being part of a caring community. This helps pupils to settle quickly and feel like they belong.

As one parent commented, 'Lee-on-the-Solent isn't a school, it's a family.'

Leaders and staff want every child to achieve well and to love learning. Pupils respond well to these high expectations and are enthusiastic about learning.

Staff support them to practise their 'excellent communicator' skills when learning together in small groups. Pupils grow in confidence, which helps them to be resilient when working independently.

Staff use the 'LEAP' values effectively to help pupil...s to understand how to behave well.

Even the youngest pupils understand these and respond positively. They trust adults in school to do their best to help if they have any concerns. Pupils are confident that staff will listen to them.

This helps pupils to feel safe. They said that incidents of bullying are rare.

All pupils are encouraged to be active and healthy.

They like the different clubs, including yoga and 'Little Troopers' for children of service families. Staff read pupils books and stories, which helps them to understand about good friendships and positive mental health.

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

Leaders and staff make learning irresistible, so that pupils want to learn.

Parents value this approach. As one parent commented, 'Staff inspire my child to learn.'

Leaders place a high priority on all pupils learning to read fluently and confidently.

They provide high-quality training for staff. This gives staff the expert knowledge to teach early reading very well. From the start of Nursery, staff introduce children to stories that they become familiar with.

Children learn how to listen carefully and to recognise sounds. In Reception, children learn phonics well and are excited about learning new sounds. They read books that are accurately matched to the sounds they have learned.

In older year groups, pupils further develop their reading skills by comparing stories. Staff give effective extra help to weaker readers. They ensure that these pupils have the time and support to catch up.

Pupils take pride in achieving well in mathematics. In Reception, staff support children effectively to learn key vocabulary, including 'bigger than' and 'smaller than' when sequencing numbers to 10. Older pupils use a range of resources to learn calculation methods.

They then confidently use this knowledge to solve problems.

In almost all other subjects, well-sequenced plans are in place which contain the important knowledge for pupils to learn. Staff work with small groups of pupils, following these plans skilfully.

Teachers check pupils' understanding closely. Pupils then practise applying this learning when working on their own. This helps pupils to progress through the curriculum.

As a result, pupils learn well in most curriculum areas. The curriculum design in a few subjects is not as well developed.

Staff welcome leaders' support to manage their workload and to develop their leadership skills.

For example, experienced staff support new subject leaders. This helps them to check the curriculum is being consistently delivered by all staff. Many leaders check how well pupils are learning and remembering the most important knowledge and skills.

This is not yet consistently evaluated in every subject.

Leaders help staff to accurately identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The special education needs coordinator (SENCo) provides training for staff.

This helps them to adapt their teaching so that these pupils can access the curriculum. She ensures that pupils have the focused support that meets their needs. This helps them to learn well.

Pupils with SEND are fully involved in the full life of the school. They are actively supported to attend different clubs and helped to participate in events such as the nativity performance.

Pupils are motivated to learn.

As a result, they listen well and concentrate on their work. If needed, staff are swift to refocus pupils and positively reinforce expectations. This helps pupils to develop strong levels of self-control.

Leaders plan a range of opportunities to ensure that pupils learn about the wider world. They study different cultures and religions. They are encouraged to be inclusive and to value others.

Pupils feel that everyone is welcome at the school. As one pupil commented, 'It doesn't matter what you look like.'

Governors are effective in challenging and supporting subject leaders on the design of the curriculum.

They plan to improve their understanding about how well pupils are learning in all subjects.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders know their pupils, families and local context well.

Staff know the signs to be alert to that a child may be at risk. They report concerns quickly. Leaders responsible for safeguarding, including the home-school worker, take effective action to ensure that pupils get the help that they need.

They work well with external agencies

Governors review the safeguarding arrangements. This includes checking the record-keeping procedures and training for staff.

The school's curriculum teaches pupils how to keep themselves safe and to recognise risk.

This includes learning how to cross the road safely when on school visits.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Not every subject is fully planned. This means that pupils do not always build on prior learning.

All subject leaders should ensure that their plans are coherently planned and well sequenced, with the most important knowledge and skills precisely identified. Leaders have already taken action to address this weakness over the coming year. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied.

• Not all subject leaders know how well pupils are learning their subject. Consequently, they do not know if pupils have gaps in their knowledge and understanding. Subject leaders should check how well all pupils have learned and remembered the most important knowledge and skills.