Samuel White’s Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Samuel White's Infant School is a welcoming and caring place to learn. Pupils understand the importance of the school rules 'ready, respect and safe.' The rules are an integral part of school life that pupils follow day to day.

As a result, pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They listen carefully and try their best. Pupils are keen to do well.

Staff know pupils well. Relationships between adults and pupils are positive. Pupils are safe and feel safe.

Parents appreciate the nurturing environment that staff create.

Pupils accurately understand what bullying is. They say that it is rare.

They are confident that adults would quickly res...olve any problems if they arose. During social times, adults support pupils to play a range of different games and use a wide variety of playground equipment. Pupils show kindness and cooperate well.

Pupils enjoy a range of experiences to support their wider development. These include writing letters to the elderly in a local residential home. Pupils enjoy a range of extra-curricular clubs, including judo and gymnastics.

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

Leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to succeed and thrive as individuals. Leaders maintain a strong focus on mathematics and reading. From the Reception Year, learning builds on what pupils already know.

Adults provide appropriate support that helps pupils with SEND to learn the same curriculum as their peers. Pupils remember important learning in reading and mathematics. Teachers revisit previous learning to check pupils' understanding.

For example, pupils rehearse and practise the recall of number bonds. This helps them to confidently reason and solve mathematical problems.

Leaders have prioritised reading.

They ensure that staff have the training required to teach reading well. As a result, there is a consistent approach to the teaching of reading. As soon as children start school, teachers immerse them in a range of interesting and diverse stories.

Pupils enjoy listening to adults read aloud. This happens daily. An effective phonics programme supports the youngest pupils to learn to read well.

Parents say they find information about the teaching of reading helpful. They know how they can support it at home. The books pupils read match the sounds they are learning.

This helps them to read fluently. Teachers use assessment information to check the progress that pupils make. Therefore, those who are at risk of falling behind receive the support they need to catch up.

Leaders are developing a coherent and well-sequenced curriculum. In most subjects, leaders have identified the content and knowledge they want pupils to learn. However, in some wider curriculum subjects, they have not yet clarified precisely what they want pupils to know and remember.

Consequently, in history, for example, pupils do not have a secure understanding of chronology and time.

Pupils are thoughtful and inclusive. They appreciate difference and have a strong awareness of equality and respect for others.

Pupils know how to stay healthy. Children in the Reception Year know that fruit and milk are healthy choices. However, some aspects of pupils' personal development are not fully developed.

There are too few opportunities for pupils to make a positive contribution to their school community.

Leaders set high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils understand and happily abide by them.

This means that lessons flow without interruption and pupils focus on their learning. In the Reception Year, children move between the inside and outdoor environment in an orderly and considered way. They build dens together and listen to each other's ideas.

Children are confident to take risks when climbing and jumping because adults support them to feel safe.

Governors share the ambitions of school leaders. They provide a balance of support and challenge.

Governors meet with leaders, including subject leaders, to understand how the school is developing. Staff value the support they receive from leaders. They appreciate the consideration given to managing their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that adults in school are well trained to recognise when a pupil may be at risk of harm. Staff refer and record concerns using the school's agreed approach.

Leaders seek support from other agencies when families need their help. Parents are confident that pupils are safe.

Thorough recruitment checks ensure that adults who work with children are suitable.

Leaders record this information accurately on the single central record.

Pupils learn how to stay safe, including when using the internet. They learn about fire safety and the importance of leaving the school building sensibly when the fire bell rings.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some wider curriculum subjects, leaders have not identified the important knowledge they want pupils to learn and remember. This means that there are gaps in pupils' knowledge. Leaders need to more precisely identify the key knowledge they want pupils to learn so that pupils know and remember more.

Opportunities for pupils to contribute to their school community are limited. Pupils do not gain a full understanding of what it means to be a responsible citizen. Leaders should build opportunities for pupils to develop this knowledge so that pupils can contribute to and influence the school community.

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