Tornedale Infant Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have created a safe and vibrant school community. Pupils enjoy school and learn well. Staff have high expectations of pupils' learning and behaviour.

Pupils follow three golden rules: be ready, respectful and safe. Behaviour in lessons is positive. Pupils usually engage well.

If they lose focus, staff quickly get them back on track. Pupils fall out sometimes, but there is no bullying. If pupils fall out, staff help them to sort it out.

The curriculum is planned well. Pupils get off to a strong start in Nursery and Reception. Staff provide effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

All pupils are ma...de to feel secure and valued.

Pupils enjoy learning about traditions and festivals, such as harvest festival, Diwali and the Nativity. They are encouraged to support charities, especially those that help other children.

Supporting charities helps pupils to learn compassion and gratitude. Pupils have opportunities to take on responsibilities, and are proud to do so. They are particularly proud to be playground leaders.

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

Leaders prioritise reading. The reading leader is knowledgeable. Staff are trained well.

They deliver the early reading scheme to a consistently high standard. Leaders make sure they know which sounds each pupil needs to learn next. Books match the sounds that pupils know.

Pupils engage well in phonics lessons. Pupils with SEND are well supported to learn to read. Staff provide effective interventions to help pupils who need extra help.

Leaders have planned the curriculum so that important knowledge is revisited. This helps pupils to remember it. Leaders have begun to break down this knowledge into small steps.

However, sometimes leaders' planning lacks clarity. It is not specific enough to help staff identify the most important knowledge to be taught. This makes it hard for staff and pupils to make connections across topics and subjects.

Some pupils are taught in mixed-age classes. Leaders continue to provide training to help staff develop strategies to make sure all pupils learn age-appropriate knowledge and skills. Subject leaders have discussions with pupils in each class every half term.

This helps leaders to understand what pupils have remembered. Leaders make sure staff access effective training on how to support pupils with SEND. Pupils with SEND engage well in lessons and in the wider life of the school.

Teachers build positive relationships with pupils. Pupils are respectful. Boys and girls play well together.

A small number of pupils do not come to school regularly. Leaders provide support for families to help pupils come to school every day. This work is beginning to have an impact.

In the early years, the curriculum is thoughtfully designed to get children ready for Year 1. Teacher-led sessions are well planned and delivered. Activities are purposeful.

Leaders plan the specific vocabulary they want children to know. Staff access training so that they can help children learn through play. However, as in the wider curriculum, leaders have not clearly identified the most important knowledge for children to learn.

They are developing this.

The curriculum for pupils' personal, social and health education (PSHE) is thoughtfully planned and sequenced. Pupils learn about being fit and healthy and being part of a community.

They are taught to respect people from different backgrounds and faiths. Pupils remember the PSHE curriculum.

Staff run a weekly activity club for pupils.

Leaders also offer a wide range of enrichment activities. Opportunities such as 'we can grow' enable pupils to grow and eat their own food. During the inspection, pupils took part in an African drumming session.

Pupils also recently watched chicks hatch and learned how to care for them. A series of educational visits is linked to the curriculum. For example, as part of studying medieval history, pupils visit Conisbrough Castle.

Pupils also visit the local church and the theatre. These opportunities help pupils to learn about life beyond their own everyday experiences. Leaders encourage members of the community to come into school and talk about their jobs.

This raises pupils' aspirations well.

Senior leaders are deeply committed to the children in their care. Governors have a range of useful and relevant expertise in education.

They offer support and challenge to help improve the school. Leaders have introduced a range of useful measures, such as tutoring, to support pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding. Leaders manage teachers' workload well.

Staff regularly plan lessons together. Subject leaders receive effective training. Senior leaders make sure that subject leaders have enough non-contact time to carry out their roles well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils feel safe in school. They talk to staff if they are worried about anything.

Staff listen and support pupils well. They understand their responsibilities in keeping children safe. Staff know how to report concerns.

Leaders react quickly and effectively. They work closely with other agencies, such as local authority children's services, when needed.

Pupils are taught how to stay safe in the community and online.

They know the risks of playing near train tracks. This is important because the school is close to a railway line.

Leaders carry out checks to make sure adults in school are safe to be around children.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders have not identified clearly enough the most important knowledge pupils should learn and remember. Pupils do not remember as much of the curriculum content as they should. Leaders should refine curriculum planning even further so that staff consistently teach knowledge in small steps and know the most important knowledge for pupils to remember.

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