Mount Stewart Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

The headteacher, staff and governors work together as an effective team to ensure teaching and pupils' achievement are at least good. Pupils' achievement has improved further since the last inspection. The majority of pupils make at least good and frequently rapid progress because of the systematic way leaders identify and address potential underperformance.

The achievement of newly arrived pupils, those who speak English as an additional language and many of those who have special educational needs is outstanding. The strong support for disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils ensures they make rapid progress to catch up with their classmate...s in reading, writing and mathematics. Children in the early years provision achieve highly from their different starting points.

They quickly develop strong social skills enabling them to work effectively together. The teaching of reading is outstanding. It has a high priority in school.

Parents and carers are actively encouraged to help their children to read and enjoy books at home. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Because teaching is good, all pupils are well prepared for the next step in their education.

Pupils feel happy and safe in school. They behave well and get on exceptionally well with one another. The school's provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is outstanding.

The school is a harmonious and tolerant place for pupils and their families to be respected and feel safe. Parents are highly supportive of the school. They speak very positively about how it helps their children achieve their best.

The governing body has a good understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development. They check the school's work regularly, with particular attention to closing the attainment gaps between different pupil groups. It is not yet an outstanding school because: The most able pupils are not given hard enough work, particularly in mathematics.

Mathematical skills are not developed effectively in other subjects. Leaders and governors have not systematically reviewed all policies in a timely manner. The strategic plan is not precise enough to drive the school's improvement to become consistently outstanding.

Information about this school

The school is a larger than average-size infant and nursery school. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above average. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is well above average.

The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below average. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium funding is well below average. The pupil premium is additional government funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and looked after children.

The number of pupils who arrive and leave the school during term time is lower than average. The school provides part-time early years provision for children in one Nursery class and full-time provision for children in three Reception classes. The children's centre is not managed by the school and was not included in this inspection.

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