Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a friendly and welcoming environment. It is a place where pupils are happy and they enjoy learning.

The staff demonstrate a strong commitment to the pupils, the school and the wider school community. Leaders have high expectations of what pupils can achieve in their learning and in their personal development.

Pupils behave well because school routines are clear to them.

The school's values teach them how to treat each other with compassion. The school's values include caring, kindness, respect and... community. Pupils understand these values.

They are woven into many areas of the curriculum.

Pupils behave very well. Children in the nursery learn to follow good routines.

Pupils of all ages get along very well together. Pupils have very good relationships with the staff, who know them well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported effectively.

The school provides many opportunities for pupils to develop their character and experience new things. Even the youngest pupils participate in leadership opportunities by being part of the eco-club, the collective worship group, or the 'kindness crew'.

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

The school has an ambitious curriculum.

Leaders carefully consider the starting points of pupils. Great emphasis is placed on developing communication and language, reading and mathematics. Leaders ensure that the curriculum in the foundation subjects clearly specifies the important vocabulary that pupils should know.

However, in some subjects, there is more work to do to identify the important knowledge that pupils need to know securely to be ready for the next stage of learning.Supporting all pupils to learn to read accurately and with confidence sits at the heart of the school curriculum. The school has embedded a phonics scheme that has improved the teaching of reading.

Most adults in school have undertaken training in how to implement this reading programme. Pupils learn to read well, especially those who speak English as an additional language. Pupils have a rich range of books to choose to read in school and take home.

Throughout the school, reading is promoted and celebrated.

The school has effective procedures in place to identify children who may need additional help. This supports prompt identification of pupils with SEND.

Pupils are supported through carefully considered adaptations to the school's curriculum. Some pupils with SEND benefit from working in smaller groups within the classroom and in separate spaces. Leaders have thought carefully about how to use the classroom and other spaces to create a calm and supportive environment for these pupils to learn in.

Where appropriate, teachers break down learning into smaller steps. As a result of this targeted approach, pupils with SEND receive timely and appropriate support.

Children in the early years learn carefully planned routines from their first days in school.

Rhymes and songs help them to remember these routines. Children are supported to express their feelings. High-quality adult and child interactions have a positive impact on the development of communication and language.

Children in the early years access a range of learning opportunities, games and activities. This supports their language development and vocabulary. The curriculum in the early years prepares children well for key stage 1 and beyond.

The school provides pupils with a range of experiences to broaden their horizons. Regular trips take place to local parks and museums. Pupils also enjoy trips further afield, including a visit to the pantomime.

These trips and visits help pupils to bring to life what they have learned in school. Pupils show a good understanding of different religions. The religious education curriculum begins with pupils learning about their own faith.

From this base they learn about the faith of others.

There is a strong sense of teamwork and mutual support among the staff. Staff feel valued and supported.

Adults are able to access a wealth of training across the range of roles they undertake in school. Staff feel that their workload and well-being are taken into account. Governors know the school and the local community well.

They provide highly effective challenge and support to the school.

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 foundation subjects, what pupils need to learn and in what order, is not identified clearly enough.

In these subjects, pupils struggle to recall facts and information. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum planning, in every subject, clearly sets out exactly what pupils should know and in what order, so that they are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2018.