Sawtry Infants’ School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, along with their parents and carers, receive a warm welcome from leaders and staff at the start of each school day. This provides an opportunity for parents to share important information about pupils, allowing the school to quickly address any issues that may arise. Having adults in school who listen and resolve problems helps to keep pupils happy and safe.

Pupils are achieving more under the school's high expectations. They read confidently, supported by daily access to high-quality books. A well-stocked library encourages them to choose books to share at home.

Pupils also remember what they learn. For example, Year 1 pupils recall facts about shapes in math...ematics, and Year 2 pupils understand what it means to be a good friend through their personal, social health and economic (PSHE) lessons.

Pupils learn how to behave in an age-appropriate way.

For example, the school's mascots, including Brave Badger and Friendly Fox, teach pupils concepts like determination and kindness. Their adventures are shared in assemblies. Rewards, such as the 'golden table,' recognise positive behaviour.

These give pupils the opportunity to dine with the headteacher or deputy headteacher to foster a sense of pride.

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

Recent changes to the phonics programme have brought about rapid improvements. Pupil outcomes are improving, and their confidence is growing.

With the support of external experts, leaders introduced a more consistent approach to the teaching of early reading. Staff receive ongoing coaching and training to ensure high-quality practice across the school. Staff share the school's ambition that every pupil is supported to keep up.

For example, in the Reception Year, children have two daily reading sessions, with one specifically focused on closing knowledge gaps.

The school has introduced more structure to the early years curriculum. For example, staff have a clear understanding of the purpose of activity stations.

This enables them to offer the guidance children need to apply their knowledge and skills. Areas like early reading and mathematics provide structured opportunities to practise and succeed. However, the approach to writing currently lacks enough opportunities for children to connect their phonics knowledge to their writing.

As a result, some children struggle to make connections, which affects their confidence and interest in writing.

The curriculum is well thought through and structured. Staff have a clear understanding of the words, concepts, and skills pupils should learn.

In a few foundation subjects, work is underway to finetune systems to check what pupils know and can do to better inform teaching. With all curriculum development, governors and the local authority, acting as supportive partners, help the school identify what is working well and guide it in planning the next steps.

The school identifies and meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well.

This follows recent training and support from the local authority. While interventions and individualised targets are in place, checks on whether pupils are meeting their targets are not precise enough. Consequently, pupils work does not always align to the targets they have been set.

This slows their progress.

A positive learning environment exists here. Pupils generally demonstrate polite and resilient behaviour.

Leaders guide staff to instil behavioural expectations through clear expectations and routines. For example, Reception-age children sit with a plastic zip wallet containing their whiteboard, pen, and eraser during carpet time. This keeps resources neatly stored until needed, helping children to focus during lessons.

The school has a well-planned personal development programme, supported by the PSHE curriculum. Pupils learn key ideas, including how to make friends and why exercise is important. Parents are involved in the programme, such as through 'When I grow up day'.

Here, pupils explore different careers to broaden their aspirations. Cultural awareness is developed through events like 'International week.' During this, pupils take part in hands-on activities.

These include, navigating a mock airport and learning about the cultures, art, and food of different countries.

Leaders and governors' care and through clear communication have built a strong, collaborative school community. Parents respect leaders' decisions and value their openness.

This has helped, for example, to raise attendance. The school's proactive communication with parents sets expectations and resolves issues. As a result, more pupils are attending school regularly to benefit from what is on offer.

Staff value the strong focus on their training, which enhances expertise, builds confidence, and supports well-being. Pupils, parents, and staff acknowledge how the school continues to go from strength to strength.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In the early years, the school's focus on developing children's transcription skills is not yet sufficiently precise. As a result, some children are not given regular opportunities to practise their early writing skills in a way that reinforces their phonic knowledge. The school should support staff to enhance children's early experiences with written communication, ensuring they have consistent, purposeful practice to build confidence and success in this area from the start.

• For pupils with SEND, short-term targets are not always aligned with their long-term goals. This leads to inconsistencies in adapting their schoolwork and limits progress.The school should ensure that staff set measurable, well-connected short-term targets that are frequently reviewed and lead to pupils with SEND progressing well in all areas of the curriculum.

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