Whitehall Nursery and Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.

By the time pupils leave at the end of Year 2 they have reached standards in reading, writing and mathematics which are well above average. In the excellent Early Years Foundation Stage, children make rapid progress, often from very low starting points. They are taught basic skills very well and enjoy the interesting and imaginative activities.

All groups of pupils make outstanding progress, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, disadvantaged pupils and the most able pupils. Teachers have high expectations of pupils' behaviour and achievement and successfully challenge them to do the very best th...ey can. Teachers very effectively help pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills, especially those who speak English as an additional language.

Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. They attend regularly, work hard and want to do well. Their behaviour is outstanding.

Pupils said that they feel extremely safe, secure and well looked after. The headteacher and senior leaders expect a lot from the teachers. They check the quality of teaching regularly and help teachers to develop their skills.

Leaders at all levels are ambitious for the school and committed to raising standards for all pupils. The school's well-planned curriculum provides exciting lessons and topics which engage pupils' interest. A wide range of trips, visitors, clubs, special events and chances to take on responsibilities helps pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well.

Governors know the school well and very effectively hold it to account for its performance.

Information about this school

The school is larger than the average-sized infant school. The school provides full-time education for reception-aged children and part-time education for nursery-aged children.

More than eight out of 10 pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, which is a much higher proportion than average. The largest groups are of Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage, although a number of other minority ethnic groups are represented. Two thirds of pupils speak English as an additional language, which is much higher than average.

Around four out of 10 pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which is much higher than average. The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals or who are looked after by the local authority. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, around one in ten, is about half the national average.