Oliver Tomkins Church of England Infant and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Oliver Tomkins Church of England Infant and Nursery School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Oliver Tomkins Church of England Infant and Nursery School.

They socialise happily together in and out of the classroom. Pupils are kind to one another. They enjoy making new friends in school.

Staff share high expectations for all. They celebrate pupils' good behaviour regularly. As a result, pupils behave well throughout the day.

Pupils say bullying is rare. They are confident that adults will help them overcome any worries they have.

Pupils are taught to value and respect everyone.

From the ear...ly years onwards, clear routines are in place. Staff provide strong pastoral support for pupils as they move through the school. Pupils form trusting, strong relationships with adults.

They feel safe at school.

Staff nurture pupils' wider development. Pupils enjoy learning in and beyond the classroom.

They enjoy visits to places of interest that deepen their knowledge. The school supports all pupils to become responsible, active citizens.

Parents praise the sense of community the school creates for every child and the nurturing atmosphere the staff provide.

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

In most subjects, the school has designed the curriculum so that pupils build securely on what they already know. For example, in Reception, children develop their knowledge of mathematical vocabulary well. Staff encourage children to talk about and use their knowledge of numbers as they count to 10.

This means pupils can tackle more difficult mathematical problems later on.However, in some subjects, the school does not know how well the curriculum supports pupils to build their knowledge. Pupils do not gain the depth of understanding they should in these subjects.

Assessment is in the early stages of development in some subjects. The checks staff make on what pupils know and remember are not used effectively. The school does not have a clear picture of what pupils know, or identify gaps in learning pupils may have.

Pupils' misunderstandings are not always corrected. This slows the progress they make in some subjects.

The school prioritises pupils learning to read.

Children in the early years start to read as soon as they begin school. They learn early sounds well. The books they read match the sounds they have learned.

All staff benefit from the training they receive to teach phonics well. They use assessment effectively to check pupils' phonics progress. Pupils get the support they need to help them catch up quickly.

The school carefully selects the books adults read to pupils. Pupils say that staff make reading exciting, and this helps them become more fluent, confident readers.

The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities quickly and accurately.

Pupils with complex needs are well understood. Staff skilfully meet the needs of individual pupils. This means that these pupils learn the same curriculum as their classmates.

Right from the start of Nursery, staff set high expectations for children's behaviour. They reinforce these often, both in and out of the classroom. Children follow routines well.

They take turns and listen carefully to adults. These expectations continue as pupils move up the school. As a result, pupils attend well.

The school works closely with families. It acts swiftly should attendance start to fall.

The school enhances pupils' wider development through a well-planned curriculum.

The school values of 'aspiring, thriving and wellness' weave through daily life. Many pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, take part in school clubs and sporting activities. Pupils learn how to look after their physical and mental health.

They learn about other faiths and backgrounds that differ from their own. Pupils understand how to act as a good friend to others. They develop their cultural and social awareness.

Through the curriculum, pupils learn to keep themselves safe when online. A variety of roles enable pupils to develop their leadership skills. For example, they act as school councillors and buddies for pupils new to the school.

Governors and leaders are knowledgeable about the school's strengths and development areas. They provide effective support and challenge. Staff appreciate the way leaders consider their workload and well-being.

They are proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school does not use assessment effectively.

This means that some pupils do not securely develop the knowledge and understanding the school expects them to. The school should improve how staff assess and adapt the curriculum accordingly so that pupils are ready for the next steps in learning. ? The school has not fully checked on the implementation and impact of its curriculum, across all subjects.

This means pupils do not learn as well in some areas. The school needs to check that the curriculum is implemented as intended so that it has maximum impact.

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 November 2014.

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