Maple Infants’ School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Maple Infants' School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff inspire pupils to be curious learners. Pupils enjoy lessons and value learning new things.

The school prepares pupils well for transition into Year 3.

There is a strong culture of keeping children safe. Working relationships between adults and staff are respectful.

This underpins the positive behaviour in the school. Pupils know the school rules and learn about the difference between right and wrong. Staff enable pupils to manage their emotions and ...resolve any minor disagreements positively.

Leaders provide a range of opportunities and experiences that enhance pupils' talents and interests. Pupils participate in a wide range of clubs, such as choir, tennis and Spanish. They take pride in representing their school as members of the school parliament and in local sporting competitions.

The school is part of a close-knit community. Many parents and carers and staff shared that the school is a nurturing environment that enables pupils to thrive. Parents appreciated the guidance they receive to support their children's learning and development at home.

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

Leaders have thought carefully about the aims of the well-designed curriculum. They know what they want pupils to achieve in each subject. Learning is built on strong foundations in the early years.

Pupils build their knowledge progressively as they move through the school. For instance, in history, pupils learn the importance of timelines and use them to develop their understanding of chronology. Staff encourage children in the Nursery to develop their physical development skills.

For instance, children practised large movements when climbing on the frames and balancing on wooden blocks.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge. Adults model subject-specific language well.

They support pupils in learning and understanding key vocabulary skilfully. This begins in the Nursery where children keenly talk about solving problems. In Reception, staff supported children to develop their reasoning skills when exploring repeated coloured patterns and matching pairs of objects.

Pupils in Year 2 used appropriate vocabulary when comparing buildings in the past and present. Teachers help pupils to remember crucial knowledge learned in lessons. On occasion, teachers do not adapt learning for pupils with SEND carefully.

This limits these pupils' development of knowledge and skills securely.

The school places great emphasis on early reading. Pupils make regular visits to the local library.

Teachers develop children's communication and language within the Nursery, through exposing children to a wide range of stories, songs and rhymes. Staff train regularly in broadening their understanding of how to teach phonics. They use suitably matched books and resources to help pupils learn the sounds they need to know.

Adults use careful and regular monitoring to support pupils who need additional support. Pupils read with fluency and accuracy by the end of Year 2 as a result.

Leaders identify and support pupils with SEND effectively.

They ensure that pupils with SEND get bespoke support through skilled adults, including through working with external agencies closely.

Pupils concentrate and work positively in lessons because learning is rarely disrupted. The school carefully checks pupils' attendance and punctuality.

Leaders work closely with external agencies to support families where attendance is below leaders' expectations and of concern.

The personal, social and health education programmes cover themes that build in complexity and in an age-appropriate way. The school celebrates different cultures.

Pupils are taught about the rule of law. Staff provide pupils with purposeful experiences that enrich the curriculum. Pupils make strong links between off-site visits and what they are learning in class.

For instance, pupils shared how a visit to the Barnes Wetland Centre developed their knowledge of animal habitats. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. This includes what to do with unfamiliar information when online.

Staff value the support and guidance that leaders provide. They appreciate the efforts that leaders have made in reducing workload, including the adjustments to the planning procedures and the streamlining of administrative systems. Leaders, including those responsible for governance, have a strong understanding of the strengths of the school.

They take actions that drive continued school improvement. Leaders are forward-thinking in developing staff at all levels. Members of the governing body evaluate their effectiveness and fulfil their statutory duties, including safeguarding requirements.

They hold school leaders to account while maintaining thoughtful oversight of 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)

• On occasions, teachers do not routinely check what pupils know and can do to adapt and meet the range of pupils' needs.

This limits the development of some pupils' knowledge and skills securely. The school should continue to develop staff's confidence and expertise in adapting teaching to enable all pupils to access the intended curriculum successfully.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2014.

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