Victoria Park Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, and children in early years, enjoy attending this welcoming school. They arrive in the playground eager to start the day. Pupils are proud to be members of their school community.

They are kind and care for each other.

Staff have high expectations of all pupils' and children's behaviour. Pupils behave well.

Children in early years settle quickly into school routines. There is a happy and calm atmosphere throughout the school. Staff celebrate pupils' positive behaviour.

For example, they encourage pupils to be stars each day. Pupils look forward to finding out who has won the weekly behaviour award.

Pupils enjoy playing with their pee...rs and are confident that staff will deal swiftly with any problems that they may have.

Pupils feel safe in school. They said that this is because they make friends easily and because staff support them well. Leaders deal with any incidents of bullying effectively.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' achievement, including that of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils take pride in their work and most achieve well.

Pupils benefit from extracurricular activities, such as minigolf and disco dodgeball.

They enjoy learning more about their curriculum through a range of visits, for example to Blackpool Zoo. Pupils learn how to be active citizens. They take part in community events, such as Singing in the Park.

Pupils and children have recently enjoyed performing their Christmas plays for their families.

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

Leaders have developed a curriculum that is broad and ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND. Leaders have identified the knowledge that pupils need to acquire in each subject.

They provide clear guidance for teachers in most areas of the curriculum. This ensures that staff have the support that they need in order to teach most subjects effectively. As a result, pupils achieve well in most subjects.

In a small number of subjects, leaders are in the process of refining the curriculum. In these subjects, leaders and teachers are not as clear about the order in which to teach key knowledge. This means that that some children and pupils do not build on their earlier learning as securely as they could.

In the same subjects, leaders have not provided sufficient guidance on how to deliver the topics and concepts that make up the curriculum effectively. As a result, children's and pupils' learning and development are uneven. Some children and pupils learn less well as a result.

Since the previous inspection, leaders have prioritised the development of the reading curriculum. From their first days in early years, children begin to learn and enjoy rhymes and songs. Leaders have ensured that staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme effectively.

Children learn phonics from the start of the Nursery class. Staff ensure that children practise their reading with books that are well matched to their knowledge of letters and sounds. Staff support children and pupils who struggle to read, including pupils who speak English as an additional language, to catch up quickly.

This increases children's and pupils' confidence in reading.

Pupils value their school and class library areas. They use these areas regularly and spoke excitedly about them.

By the end of key stage 1, most pupils are accurate and fluent readers.

Staff accurately identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Staff give these pupils the help that they need to access the same ambitious curriculum as their classmates.

Pupils with SEND learn successfully.

Leaders have created a positive culture where children and pupils succeed. Children in early years listen carefully to adults.

In lessons, most pupils are attentive. They enjoy learning and are keen to do their best. Classrooms are purposeful places where pupils learn without disruption.

Leaders prioritise pupils' wider personal development through a well-designed curriculum. Staff provide pupils with rich opportunities to live out the school's values. This helps pupils to respect diversity in the world.

Pupils also learn to respect differences between people in the local community. They talked to the inspector about the importance of fairness, and everyone being treated equally.

Parents and carers hold the school in high regard.

They appreciate the care and opportunities that staff provide for children and pupils. Staff morale is high. They value leaders' consideration of their workload and well-being.

Governors are supportive of the school. They hold leaders to account effectively for the quality of education that pupils receive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff know how to keep pupils safe. Staff are alert to any potential harm that children or pupils may face and respond quickly when they are worried about a child's or a pupil's welfare. Staff report any concerns about children and pupils in a timely manner to the leaders responsible for safeguarding.

Leaders follow up any concerns diligently to ensure that children, pupils and their families get appropriate support when necessary.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. This includes learning about road and stranger safety.

They know how to keep safe when online and the importance of healthy relationships.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, staff are in the early stages of implementing revised curriculums. In these subjects, leaders have not defined the order in which key knowledge should be taught and they have not provided sufficient guidance to staff.

This hinders how well some children and pupils achieve. Leaders should finalise their curriculum thinking in these remaining subjects. They should provide staff with the training and support that they need to deliver new learning well in these subjects.

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