Mowden Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Key Findings

This is a good school. It is not yet outstanding because pupils' progress is not consistent in all subjects. Parents, carers, pupils and staff are very positive about the school.

The recent federation of the infant and junior schools has had a very positive impact on school development. Progress is good and often outstanding in reading and writing so that pupils, by the end of Key Stage 1, are keen readers and write exceptionally well. However progress in mathematics, although good and sometimes outstanding, slows in Year 1.

Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good progress in all areas of learning. However, in the adult-led activities a few children do not receive the attention ...they require because teaching groups are too big. Teaching is good overall.

However, it varies from outstanding to satisfactory and this affects the rate of progress pupils make. When teaching is outstanding, activities capture pupils' imagination and they are given very clear instructions about what they are to learn and how they will achieve it. This is not evident in lessons that are satisfactory.

In some lessons in mathematics in Year 1, activities are not always well matched to pupils' level of ability. The excellent relationships between staff and pupils ensure pupils are eager to learn and feel very safe and secure. They fully understand and meet the very high expectations the school has for behaviour.

Pupils' attitudes to work are excellent. The skilful bringing together of the infant and junior school staff into the Federation of Mowden Schools has resulted in good systems for the management of performance and the leadership of teaching. The rigour with which performance is evaluated is ensuring that the school is improving at a good rate.

Information about the school

This is an average-sized infant school. The infant school has been in a hard federation with the junior school on the same site since March 2010, and shares the same headteacher and two deputy headteachers, one based in the infants and the other in the juniors. The two federated schools have been part of an academy trust since June 2012.

The Ofsted inspection teams for both schools collaborated on the inspection and the production of the reports. Almost all pupils are of White British heritage. A few pupils are from minority-ethnic backgrounds and almost all od this group speak English as an additional language.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well below average. The proportion of those supported by school action plus or with a statement for special educational needs is very low. The school has achieved numerous national awards including Healthy School status, Activemark and Eco-school Green Flag Award.

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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