Templemoor Infant and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils' achievement.

Pupils learn and achieve well. They settle easily into many happy friendships and feel safe when attending the school. From the very beginning of their time in the Nursery and Reception classes, children use this spacious school with confidence.

Pupils benefit from the learning activities that staff provide. These enthuse them to gain new knowledge.

Pupils learn from the staff to be kind and considerate.

They can explain the meaning of the word 'respectful', which they use to describe their own and other pupils' behaviour. They talk with understanding about wanting to be like the characters tha...t the school has created. For instance, they want to be 'Ready Rex', by being ready to learn.

They aim to be 'Tough Tortoise', who knows to keep going, even when things are tricky. They behave like 'Healthy Henry', by eating healthily and drinking lots of water.

Many pupils benefit from the extra activities that the school provides.

They enjoy clubs, such as singing and sports. Pupils in the popular after-school provision learn to mix well with other pupils who come to the club from a nearby junior school.

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

Mostly, the school has established a carefully considered curriculum that prepares children and pupils well for their future lives.

The unvalidated published outcomes in 2023, for phonics in Year 1 and reading, writing and mathematics in key stage 1, show that pupils' attainment was high.

The school has designed its curriculum in reading particularly well. Teachers and teaching assistants in the Nursery class use rhymes, song and talk to begin children's education successfully.

This skilful work continues in the reception classes and Years 1 and 2. Staff expertly teach pupils to read. The school ensures that staff have first-rate knowledge of how to support weaker readers to keep up in their learning of phonics.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), become skilled readers. They understand the importance of this skill for their future lives.

Pupils talk about different authors, poets and their works knowledgeably and eagerly.

This is because the school provides pupils with multiple, meaningful opportunities to enjoy reading. For example, pupils listen often to staff reading aloud skilfully from a diverse range of high-quality fiction and non-fiction books. Pupils are enthralled by the tales that staff tell them.

They want to read for themselves and to look at books even more.

The school teaches pupils many valuable new words. Staff challenge pupils to find and explain fascinating words in books.

Beginning in the Nursery class, children are captivated by the words that staff use and explain, such as 'fire' and 'kiln' when children learn to become a clay artist.Mostly, the school's curriculum is thought out, delivered and assessed carefully. This enables pupils to learn and achieve well.

Nevertheless, in a few subjects, including in the early years, the school's curriculum thinking is less well developed. At times, the school does not ensure that some pupils learn the essential information that they need to know. Sometimes, pupils find some complex learning a step too much.

Staff use assessment strategies to identify and support the needs of pupils, including those with SEND, quickly and effectively. The school keeps a watchful eye on the effectiveness of the support that it provides. It removes barriers to pupils' learning and development as much as possible.

With pupils so thrilled about their learning, it is little wonder that they behave sensibly. Pupils are keen learners. Disruptions to lessons are rare and staff can focus their attention on teaching.

The school makes certain that pupils benefit from a wide-ranging programme to develop their personal skills. For instance, pupils learn how to debate important topics and how to present one's views and ideas to an audience. Through many well-thought-out opportunities, pupils learn to respect human rights and to understand important issues, such as homelessness.

Governors check the quality of what the school provides, for instance about safeguarding, the curriculum and the provision for pupils with SEND. They challenge and support the school's work effectively.

The school takes many successful steps to ensure that staff have a work-life balance.

This means, for instance, that the amount of assessment records that it asks staff to complete has been reduced. Nevertheless, as part of the many changes to re-organising classrooms on the school site in recent months, teachers and teaching assistants have experienced a busy workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some of the curriculum, including in the early years, the school has not thought enough about the essential knowledge that pupils should be taught. Sometimes, pupils do not learn all the information that they need to know, to be ready for more complex learning. The school should ensure that all its curriculum helps pupils to build their knowledge, from the simple to the complex.