The Annunciation Catholic Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy here. They embrace and celebrate diversity within the school.

Pupils know how leaders and staff expect them to behave. They are highly respectful of each other and of adults. They follow the school's rules well.

Staff are strong role models for pupils. All this makes the school a calm and orderly place.

Pupils are kept safe at the school.

If bullying occurs, staff are quick to resolve any issues. Pupils trust adults to ask for their help should they have a concern. Parents and carers appreciated the care that staff give to pupils.

Staff have high expectations of pupils.

Parents rated the school highly and felt lucky... to have it in their local community. They shared that the school was a friendly place and that teachers were supportive.

Leaders provide a range of clubs and activities to enrich the school's curriculum.Uptake from pupils is high, which makes a strong contribution to promoting their personal development.

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

Leaders ensure that pupils develop a strong understanding of most subjects that they study.

Generally, they have identified the key knowledge they want pupils to gain in most subjects. The curriculum design supports pupils to build on their prior knowledge. Teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to recall what they have already learned.

Teachers use assessment information to identify any knowledge gaps or misconceptions. However, inconsistencies in leaders' curricular thinking remain. In a few subjects, leaders have not identified the important subject content that pupils should learn.

This limits the development of pupils' deeper knowledge in these subjects.

Leaders have made recent changes to the teaching of early reading, which have been positive. Staff introduce new sounds to pupils in a logical order.

Pupils at the early stages of reading, read books that match the sounds that they know. Pupils who fall behind in their reading are generally well supported to help them to catch up. Occasionally, the phonics programme is not followed as closely to ensure that all pupils benefit consistently from the school's new approach.

Children in the early years quickly settle into the school routines. They listen carefully to adults and follow instructions closely. Older pupils build well on this positive start.

They are attentive in lessons and do not disrupt each other's learning.

Leaders support teachers to identify accurately the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers adapt learning for pupils with SEND to help them to access the same curriculum as their peers.

Parents of pupils with SEND value the regular updates that they receive about their children's learn-ing.

Leaders ensure that pupils are taught about diversity among people and families. Pupils are encouraged to be respectful of other faiths and cultures and to understand what is right and wrong.

Pupils are well prepared for the next stages of their education. In the early years, teachers encourage children to develop secure social and emotional skills.

Pupils have a variety of opportunities to get to know their local area and beyond.

Visits and visitors are interwoven throughout the year. For example, all year groups studied an artist and painted in the style of their artist. Pupils are proud of their many achievements, including being part of their own 'pupil parliament'.

Leaders provide training and guidance to strengthen the expertise of new staff members. Staff, including those at the early stages of their career, felt extremely well supported in their roles. All staff appreciated the support and challenge they received from leaders across the federation.

Governors are knowledgeable, committed and determined. They have a thorough and accurate knowledge of the school and are determined for it to be the best school it can be. Members of the governing body support and challenge leaders to ensure that the school's development is well focused.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders know their school community extremely well. Staff are well trained to keep pupils safe.

They know how to identify any pupils who may be vulnerable. Staff follow up on any concerns diligently. Leaders work tenaciously with external agencies to help keep pupils safe.

Leaders ensure that pupils and their families get the timely support that they need.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including online. They are strongly encouraged to speak out if they are made to feel uncomfortable by other pupils or adults.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, leaders do not identify the key content that pupils need to learn. As a result, in these subjects, pupils do not build secure subject-specific knowledge and understanding. Leaders should continue to ensure that in all subjects, curricular thinking identifies the most important knowledge that pupils should learn sequentially over time.

Occasionally, teaching does not follow leaders' agreed approach to teaching phonics and early reading. This means that occasionally pupils do not benefit from a consistent approach to developing their early reading confidence and fluency. Leaders should continue to ensure that all staff follow the school's early reading approach consistently.