Stoke Hill Infant and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Stoke Hill Infant and Nursery is an outstanding school where all feel valued. It sustains a very welcoming atmosphere within its caring and increasingly multicultural community.

Leadership and management are outstanding. The much respected and skilled headteacher is extremely well supported by senior staff and by the federation's very effective single governing body. They work as a highly efficient team to sustain excellent teaching and pupils' achievement.

Leaders also continue a strong, and often innovative, drive for further improvement. The school has improved well since the previous inspection. For example, outdoor learning ...for children in Reception is now a significant strength.

Pupils in all classes enjoy learning in a variety of stimulating ways and this strongly promotes their excellent attitudes to learning. Pupils' behaviour is typically excellent. Pupils have very meaningful relationships with each other and with caring adults in the school.

Consequently, pupils greatly enjoy attending. Highly supportive relationships between parents and staff also boost pupils' confidence and enrich their learning at home and at school. The school's work in keeping pupils safe and secure is outstanding.

As a result, pupils feel very safe and behave extremely well. Teaching is outstanding. Typically, teachers use a range of very effective methods that significantly extends pupils' understanding.

As a result, pupils across the range of abilities, including an increasing number who speak English as an additional language, make excellent progress from different starting points. Pupils' achievement is outstanding. National assessments at the end of Year 2 over the past three years have been well above average in reading, writing and mathematics.

A high proportion of pupils have higher levels of skill than normally expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics. Many pupils also show advanced skills for their age in speaking and listening and in science. Children achieve extremely well in the high quality Nursery and Reception early years provision.

The school's high quality and relevant range of activities enthuses all pupils equally. It also greatly promotes their spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development.

Information about this school

This infant and nursery school, which caters for pupils aged three to seven years, is larger than the average-sized primary school.

The majority of pupils attending the school are of White British heritage. The proportion of disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs is above average. The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after) is below average.

Early years children attend the school's Nursery on a part-time basis. Approximately one third of these children then transfers into the three Reception classes on a full-time basis. The school operates its own breakfast and afternoon clubs in partnership with the adjacent junior school.

The school federated with Stoke Hill Junior School in September 2010. Each school retains its own headteacher. One governing body oversees the work of both schools in the federation.

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