Twerton Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a calm and safe place.

Staff know pupils and their families well. Parents describe staff as 'caring and nurturing'. Pupils' academic and personal development needs are well met.

This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Throughout the school day, pupils attend clubs and activities that support their well-being. Some pupils start the day with breakfast and a chat at 'Rainbow Club'.

Others go to 'Cosy Club' at lunchtime. Pupils value these opportunities and say staff always help them.

Bullying is rare.

Pupils know that everyone is different. They say we should all be treated fairly. ...Pupils enjoy playing together.

They particularly like playing in the large sandpit and on tricycles during breaktimes.

Most pupils attend school regularly. This sets them up well for their future education.

From the beginning, children take part in outdoor learning activities. Children in the early years are happy and inquisitive learners. They like challenges, such as working in a team to collect wood to saw.

This helps to build children's resilience and problem-solving skills well. Children learn early on the importance of not giving up when faced with difficulties.

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

Leaders have focused on developing pupils' personal, social, emotional and communication skills and knowledge, following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Leaders carefully plan the transition arrangements into the nursery and the school. Younger pupils benefit significantly from this additional support. Staff take time to get to know children's achievements and personalities.

They form positive working relationships with most parents.

Pupils' behaviour has improved significantly recently. The number of behaviour incidents has reduced over time.

This is because staff consistently use clear routines that help to develop pupils' independence. Leaders help staff to support pupils to understand feelings and how to behave appropriately.

Leaders have rightly made learning to read a priority.

Children are introduced to high-quality texts right from the start. They enjoy listening to and retelling well-known stories and rhymes. Staff are trained well so they teach and assess the phonics programme effectively.

As a result, children in Reception Year develop a secure knowledge of phonics successfully. Staff check and correct children's pronunciation. They quickly spot pupils who need extra help.

Pupils read books that match their phonic knowledge accurately. They practise reading 'tricky' words frequently. This helps pupils to read fluently.

Leaders have designed a carefully sequenced curriculum. The essential knowledge leaders want pupils to know and remember is identified, from Nursery to Year 2. Teachers know and understand leaders' expectations for pupils' learning in some subjects better than they do in others.

For example, staff know the small steps pupils need to complete to secure their phonic knowledge.

Teachers regularly check what pupils remember of the curriculum. When teachers know the curriculum content well, they accurately identify pupils' next steps.

This includes pupils with SEND. In the early years, staff use assessment information well. They plan learning activities to help children practise and build new knowledge.

In mathematics, teachers ensure pupils fill gaps in their knowledge before moving on. This work is effective. However, teachers' subject knowledge and assessment information are not consistently used well to close gaps and plan future learning in some subjects.

Positive relationships, built on respect for other people, form the foundations of leaders' work with pupils and parents. Leaders understand barriers to learning and act to overcome them. For example, leaders support individual families to help them improve their children's attendance at school.

They work with a wide range of external services to ensure pupils have every opportunity to attend school regularly. This work is ongoing.

Leaders regularly invite visitors to the school, such as professional rugby players, to inspire pupils and to raise pupils' aspirations.

To develop pupils' knowledge of life in modern Britain, leaders plan for pupils to take part in more educational visits. Staff ensure pupils have opportunities to develop their physical health effectively. Play equipment, outdoor learning and physical education lessons help pupils understand the benefits of being physically active.

Leaders share their expectations for pupils' learning with staff. Governors continue to develop their knowledge of the school's strengths and areas for improvement. For example, they visit the school to check the impact of leaders' actions.

Leaders show careful consideration of staff's workload and well-being. Staff appreciate leaders' care and support.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The appropriate checks are carried out before staff and volunteers begin working at the school. Staff, governors and volunteers receive appropriate safeguarding training and updates. This helps them to understand their safeguarding roles and responsibilities well.

Staff know how to report and record concerns for pupils' welfare.

Leaders are tenacious in their pursuit of support for the school's most vulnerable pupils. They are not afraid to escalate concerns should they be unhappy with the response from an external service.

Pupils say they feel safe. They are taught how to keep themselves safe, including online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Teachers' subject knowledge in some foundation subjects is not secure.

This means that teaching is not as effective in these subjects. Leaders need to ensure teachers know the curriculum's essential knowledge in depth so that teaching ensures pupils learn well in all subjects. ? In some subjects, leaders have not set out how they want pupils' learning to be assessed.

This means assessment information is not used effectively. It is not used well to help teachers adapt the learning to meet pupils' needs sufficiently. Leaders need to agree on what and how they will assess, and support teachers to use the information to ensure pupils know and remember more.