Scartho Infants’ School and Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Following a period of staffing changes, the school is becoming a more settled place for pupils.

The school is a happy and friendly place to learn. Pupils from different backgrounds and with different needs are warmly welcomed. Classrooms are calm and most pupils behave well.

The new leadership team has high expectations for pupils.

Pupils learn well in mathematics. In reading, pupils learn about letters and the sounds they represent in increasingly structured ways.

This work is not consistent. Pupils do not learn well enough in a wide range of subjects, including in personal and social development. Staff have only recently begun to identify what they... want pupils to learn and in what order.

Leaders have quickly established positive relationships with parents. Staff are proud to work at the school and they want to continue to improve things for pupils. Curriculum leaders know that they need to develop how well they check how pupils are learning.

Most parents have confidence in the school. Bullying is rare. Pupils say that adults respond swiftly to their concerns.

Where there are problems, pupils say that staff talk to pupils and help them to find ways to play together.

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

New leaders are working hard to improve the quality of education at school. They are having a positive effect.

Leaders have made reading and mathematics their first priorities. In mathematics, pupils benefit from a well-structured curriculum. In reading, improvements are less securely embedded.

Despite recent staff training, the reading scheme is not consistently implemented. Leaders know that staff need further support to better apply this scheme and improve pupils' reading. Pupils practise reading with books that are well matched to their needs.

Teachers have identified those pupils who are falling behind but have not yet put extra support in place to help pupils catch up. Daily reading lessons are helping pupils to be taught to read in an increasingly systematic way. This is not a consistent approach across all year groups.

Pupils develop a love of reading and can talk about their favourite books, characters and authors.

Leaders have ambitious plans to develop the curriculum in other subjects. Pupils enjoy their learning in a wide range of subjects.

Many can recall facts about recent topics. However, the curriculum has not been constructed well enough to ensure that pupils build on learning from year to year. It is not sufficiently clear what teachers want pupils to know, do or understand.

Leaders know this and are working to help pupils to know more and remember more in subjects such as history and science.

Pupils can attend a range of clubs and a variety of sports after school. Pupils learn about different cultures, religions and types of families.

They learn how to be good citizens and how to share and take turns. Leaders have held assemblies on consent and the importance of respecting one another's bodies. However, the personal development curriculum is underdeveloped.

For example, the policy for relationship and sex education has not been consulted on, approved or implemented.

In the early years, there is a strong focus on developing children's vocabulary. Children develop their confidence and social skills well.

Adults know what interests individual children. However, not enough thought has been given to the curriculum. Plans are designed around activities rather than what leaders want children to know and do by the time they start Year 1.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities study the same subjects as other pupils. Leaders think carefully about how they can best support these pupils and give them well-thought-out extra help. Leaders focus on these pupils' social or behavioural needs as well as any additional support needed in English and mathematics.

Pupils attend school regularly. They enjoy positive relationships with the staff and other pupils. Pupils' behaviour is improving but occasionally pupils lose focus in lessons.

Leaders are improving the school and already know what the next steps for improvement are. The local authority is supporting them well. Even as the school develops, teachers say that leaders take account of their workload.

However, subject leadership is underdeveloped. Subject leaders' ability to influence and check the curriculum in their subject is limited. Most governors are new to their roles.

They have not been able to challenge and monitor with sufficient depth.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All the required checks are carried out before staff start their roles.

Staff receive regular safeguarding training. There is a caring culture at the school. Staff use the electronic recording system if they see anything that might indicate a pupil needs help.

Leaders work effectively with external agencies to support pupils and families, when needed.

Pupils learn to keep themselves safe online and in life. They have learned about the risks associated with speaking to strangers online and they understand that busy roads can be dangerous.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The recently introduced phonic scheme provides a suitably sequenced and systematic approach to teaching phonics. Staff have benefited from some training. However, staff need further training and support to implement the new scheme more effectively.

Leaders should ensure that staff get ongoing training and support so that they all become adept at implementing the scheme to help pupils make better progress in reading. ? The curriculum is not well sequenced in all subjects. Some plans are still under review.

Leaders have not considered what pupils must know in each subject carefully enough. Teachers do not consistently help pupils build on what they already know in some subjects. Senior leaders should ensure that curriculum leaders understand how to better plan a well-sequenced curriculum with clear components.

Curriculum leaders should consider what is essential for pupils to know and in what order so that pupils can deepen their knowledge in each subject. ? Curriculum leaders have not checked and influenced how well their subject is being implemented. They do not have a consistent understanding of how well pupils are learning in the subjects they lead.

Senior leaders should introduce effective systems to check how well pupils are learning. Leaders should support teachers to plan more effective activities that help pupils build on what they know and can do. ? Governors do not consistently have the knowledge and skills to challenge and support the work of the school.

Many governors are new to their roles. Some understand their role, but this is not the case for all governors. Leaders should ensure that governors are better trained so they are able to exercise their roles as critical friends.

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