Orchard Lea Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a kind and welcoming school. Adults know every pupil and care for them well.

Pupils feel safe. They know adults will help and support them. The school motto of 'growing together to achieve and succeed' is at the heart of all that the school does.

Pupils know and try their best to follow the school rules of 'ready, respectful, safe'. They can explain the importance of being respectful to everyone. At times, pupils, including the youngest children, struggle to remember how to behave.

Pupils say that bullying occurs sometimes but that adults listen and sort out any issues quickly.

Pupils are happy to be able to choose to attend the many clubs th...e school has. They enjoy their school trips.

Leaders and governors are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Following leaders' recent review, pupils now benefit from a broad and challenging curriculum. However, leaders know pupils, across the school, are not achieving as well as they should.

Leaders have a clear understanding of what pupils need to know as they move through the school.

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

The school has experienced a number of staffing challenges this year. The acting executive headteacher has acted quickly to address key issues.

However, there is still work to do to ensure that pupils benefit from a good-quality education.

Teachers do not have high enough expectations of pupils' behaviour in class. Too often, pupils, including the youngest children, are distracted from their learning.

They are slow to respond to instructions. At times, they struggle to listen to adults and each other.

Procedures to identify pupils with barriers to learning, particularly for those pupils with SEND, are in place.

However, the identification of need is not clear enough and is taking too long. As a result, pupils with SEND are not receiving the support that is required early enough to enable them to make progress in line with their peers.

Reading is the number one priority for all leaders.

Staff are experts in the teaching of phonics and reading. This is because of the training they have received. Children in the Reception Year get off to a strong start in reading.

They have daily phonics lessons as soon as they begin school. Leaders regularly check to ensure that the books pupils are reading match the phonics sounds they know. This develops their confidence and fluency.

However, pupils with SEND and pupils who are disadvantaged are not keeping up with their peers. New support strategies have recently been put in place but have yet to have a real impact.

Leaders develop pupils' love for reading through daily story times.

Teachers select high-quality texts to expand pupils' vocabulary. Children in the Reception Year enthusiastically share their version of the story of the 'superworm'. The 'snuggle and read' monthly sessions, in which parents come in and read with their children, is a highlight for many.

Leaders and staff are committed to providing pupils with interesting learning experiences. In all subjects, leaders have ensured that learning is sequenced and progressive. This is particularly effective in mathematics.

For example, children in the Reception Year use their knowledge of making 10 to support their learning when making 20. The school's curriculum overviews start from the Reception Year and build on through to Year 2. These set out the key knowledge and skills leaders expect pupils to learn.

They also make explicit the expectations of what pupils will know and remember at the end of a topic.

Teachers use the curriculum overviews and start lessons by revisiting prior learning and try to address any gaps before they introduce new content. They check pupils' understanding throughout the lesson before moving on.

However, the curriculum is not yet embedded or having the intended impact. Consequently, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge in many subjects. They struggle to remember what they have learned before.

Leaders ensure that pupils learn about respect, kindness, commitment, healthy eating, and physical health. This is to enable pupils to make good decisions about relationships and to care for themselves.

Governance has significantly improved since the last inspection.

They now hold leaders and staff to account for the outcomes of all pupils. They regularly visit to check on the effectiveness of leaders' actions. Staff are motivated and know they are valued.

They feel well supported to manage their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have made sure that all staff are well trained.

There is an ongoing programme of training which enables staff to be vigilant and report any concerns. The members of the safeguarding team make sure that every support is given to children and their families. They are prompt to action and seek external support to ensure that vulnerable families receive the help and advice they need.

A linked governor visits half termly to ensure that recruitment checks are fully compliant. Pupils know how to keep safe online. They know not to go on sites or talk to people they do not know.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The review of the curriculum has shown that there is limited impact on pupils' outcomes. As a result, the essential knowledge pupils must learn in all subjects is not yet fully embedded. This means that pupils have gaps in their learning.

Leaders should ensure that all pupils can build on their knowledge and make sure that they are knowing and remembering more. ? Pupils with barriers to their learning are not identified promptly. This means that support is not as effective as it should be.

Pupils with SEND, and those who are disadvantaged, do not catch up quickly enough. Leaders should ensure that staff have the expertise to identify needs and put in support that improves pupils' outcomes. ? Staff expectations of behaviour are not yet consistent across the school.

Pupils struggle to concentrate and listen and respond to adults. This slows learning. Leaders need to ensure that routines and procedures are embedded, understood and applied consistently so that lessons are not disrupted and pupils' attitudes to learning are positive.

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