West Byfleet Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

West Byfleet Infant School is a vibrant and nurturing community. Pupils are highly enthusiastic about coming to their welcoming school.

They love learning new things alongside their many friends. There are high levels of care and pastoral support in place for every pupil. As a result, pupils feel safe and are thriving.

Leaders' ambition is for every pupil to feel that they belong, are inspired and that they succeed. Leaders keep the development of the whole child at the heart of their work. They know their pupils and the community extremely well.

At breaktimes, pupils play well together, keeping active by playing games that adults organise for them. Pupils ar...e kind, considerate of others and well mannered. Pupils do not worry about bullying, because they know that caring adults will quickly deal with issues.

Pupils engage in a wide range of clubs and trips that enrich their learning and interests. For example, visits to RHS Garden Wisley or Hampton Court support their spiritual and cultural development well. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school.

A very large majority would recommend the school, although many acknowledged that staffing and leadership changes in recent years have sometimes been unsettling.

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

Governors have been instrumental and effective in guiding the school through some tricky times with unavoidable staffing changes. They have supported and challenged leaders skilfully in maintaining stability, prioritising and helping to achieve ambitious goals.

Governors are knowledgeable and proactive. They have sought extra support and additional evidence to reassure themselves of what they are told by leaders. Governors also find out pupils' views and check up on staff welfare.

All this has led to governors' comprehensive understanding of the curriculum and how well the school is doing.

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. They have identified the knowledge that pupils need to learn, right from the start of Reception Year.

In some subjects, for example mathematics and religious education, pupils develop knowledge in a clear sequence that builds over time. This helps pupils make connections between topics and strengthens their learning. As a result, pupils achieve well in many subjects, including reading.

However, in a very small number of foundation subjects, leaders' work to identify the key knowledge and the precise order to teach it is not yet fully developed.

Leaders are ambitious for every pupil to succeed. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are supported to do their best.

Leaders have a robust system in place to identify the needs of pupils who need additional help. Teachers are supported well to adapt tasks in all subjects to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. As a result, pupils with additional needs develop their knowledge and skills across the curriculum effectively.

Leaders prioritise the teaching of reading. The environment supports language development with a wide selection of well-chosen books. Children in Reception learn phonics using a well-organised and effective programme.

In the early stages of learning to read, pupils read books containing the sounds they know. This means that pupils quickly become fluent and confident readers. Pupils who find learning to read more difficult are helped to keep up with extra support led by well-trained staff.

Pupils behave well because they understand the routines and choose to do the right thing. In addition, staff praise pupils' impressive behaviour. Pupils are calm, focused and fully engaged in lessons.

Relationships between adults and pupils are warm. They also reflect the highly respectful culture that leaders create. Starting from Reception Year upwards, pupils' attitudes to their learning are very positive.

Leaders prioritise pupils' personal development. Pupils experience a wealth of planned opportunities that enhance the curriculum and build their life skills. For example, pupils look forward to the 'Life Bus' visiting the school, as it inspires them to learn even more about the human body.

Work to develop pupils' character is strong. Pupils develop resilience and confidence through well-chosen activities, starting in the Reception year. Pastoral support, including understanding why mental health is so important to learning, is a strength of the school.

For example, pupils are taught thoughtfully about their emotions and feelings. This helps them understand themselves and others so that they can be even more ready to learn.

Leaders and governors have a clear, shared vision for the school and work really well together.

Leaders have planned a programme of high-quality training to develop staff's subject knowledge across the curriculum. Because of this, staff feel valued and trusted. Staff say that leaders are approachable and mindful of their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a secure culture of safeguarding. There are clear systems in place to identify pupils who may be at risk of harm.

Leaders tackle all concerns about pupils as soon as they are identified. Leaders make sure that children and families in need of additional support access this quickly and when they need it. Record-keeping is thorough and systematic.

Procedures for checking and training staff are strong. Pupils are taught about risk and how to manage it. For example, they have a clear, age-appropriate knowledge of how to keep themselves safe, including when online, and know where to go for help.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a very small number of foundation subjects, the curriculum is not yet fully effective. Consequently, pupils do not consistently achieve as well as they could.Leaders need to refine the curriculum so that it identifies the precise sequenced, foundational knowledge that pupils must know and remember.

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