Westfields Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Westfields Infant School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are welcomed into a delightful environment where they forge strong friendships. Adults build good relationships with pupils, modelling and expecting courteous and respectful behaviour. As a result, pupils settle quickly and behave well.

They feel safe in school because they trust adults and know that they are on hand to help should they be worried about anything. Bullying is dealt with well on the rare occasions it happens.

Leaders' high expectations are shared by staff.

They want the best for all pupils. The school is inclusive and welcomes all pupils. Leaders ma...ke sure that staff understand how to adapt activities so that all pupils can access them.

This means that all pupils, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn well.

Staff promote pupils' personal development through a wide range of activities, including special workshops and visits to support the curriculum. For example, pupils enjoyed their 'Victorian Day' when all pupils and adults dressed up and they got to 'meet' Charles Dickens.

Pupils also enjoy subjects that help with their wider development, including art and music. They particularly enjoy their physical education lessons.

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

Leaders have high ambitions for everyone at the school.

They make sure that staff are supported and trained well so that pupils can learn what they need to. Leaders have made sure that this learning is planned clearly for each subject and builds carefully on what pupils already know and can do.

Leaders are determined that learning activities must develop pupils' knowledge and skills so that they are well prepared for their next lesson, class or school.

Most staff check pupils' understanding carefully and use this information to work out when to move pupils on or to provide extra support. However, sometimes staff assume that pupils need to revisit or revise learning even when it is already secure. This means that on occasions some pupils, including those with SEND, do work that is not demanding enough.

For example, in some phonics lessons, teachers go over sounds pupils already know well. They do not move onto the next sounds in the planned programme quickly enough. That said, staff are skilled at spotting those pupils at risk of falling behind.

They take quick and effective steps to help them get back on track. As a result, most pupils, including those with SEND, read well by the time they leave the school.

Leaders have made sure that reading is valued throughout the school.

Pupils told me that they love reading. Pupils' reading journals show that they read a wide range of books and stories. Pupils make good use of the book corner in each classroom.

They share this space considerately, and chat about the books that they are reading. During story time teachers read expressively and so pupils are thoroughly absorbed in the story. Pupils listen attentively and are keen to answer questions about what they have heard.

Staff build well on the love of reading they have nurtured. They plan guided reading activities carefully so that pupils learn new skills such as prediction and inference.

This careful approach to planning for pupils' learning is seen across other subjects.

Alongside this well-planned academic curriculum, pupils benefit from a wide range of activities and learning that helps them to develop as well-rounded individuals. For example, they enjoy the wide range of cultural experiences available, including visits by theatre groups and authors. Pupils are proud that they have sung at various community events.

Behaviour is strong throughout the school. Poor behaviour rarely disrupts learning, so all pupils can learn in a calm atmosphere. Pupils listen to each other's ideas well and demonstrate respect for each other.

Staff are proud of their school and work closely together to make sure that they meet pupils' needs. They appreciate the support they receive from leaders. One member of staff wrote, 'Leaders are very aware of the effort and work staff put into our lovely school.'

Leaders make sure that staff have access to regular training and support. They make sure that staff workload is considered when new ideas are introduced.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.'

Everyone's priority, everyone's responsibility' is a sign seen frequently around the school showing the high priority given to safeguarding. Governors are diligent in ensuring that all recruitment checks and requirements for keeping pupils safe are met. All staff receive regular training so that they know what to do should they have a concern that a child may be at risk from harm.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The curriculum is well planned and taught. However, some teachers do not have high enough expectations for what pupils can learn. They do not take enough account of what pupils already know and understand and so some work given to pupils is not sufficiently demanding.

This slows learning for some pupils. Leaders need to make sure that all teachers have high expectations and use assessment effectively to move pupils on and build on their learning when they are ready.

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 a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since Westfields Infant School was judged to be good on 17–18 March 2016.

Also at this postcode