Whybridge Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Whybridge Infant School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils really enjoy coming to this school. They take pride in telling visitors about what they are learning and about all the exciting things they do.

During breaktimes, pupils especially like the way that they can play in different 'zones'. For example, some of these areas have activities, such as netball, which are led by adults. Other zones are set aside for quiet games and toys, and for stilt walking and games of football.

The curriculum is ambitious. Pupils are well supported to remember and understand knowledge. Nevertheless, there are times when the activities that pupils c...omplete do not match precisely with what they are expected to learn.

Pupils are highly engaged in their learning. For example, children in Reception Class eagerly join in with counting songs, as well as matching numbers and objects.

With the mascots of a lion, giraffe and rhinoceros, pupils embrace the school's values of kindness, resilience and good manners.

Pupils spoke enthusiastically about how they try to show resilience in overcoming challenges in their learning, both in and out of school. Pupils were particularly proud to show off their 'Gerald the Giraffe' stickers, awarded for showing resilience, both in and out of school.

Pupils behave well and there is a real sense of peacefulness and calm.

Pupils are guided well to follow the school's expectations. In the Reception Year, children are expertly helped to settle in quickly.

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

The school's curriculum has been designed to be broad and engaging.

It is ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has planned subjects so that pupils' learning is well sequenced. Clear curriculum thinking means that the steps that pupils need to make in their learning are well planned.

This attention has been given to both the academic curriculum and the aspects that enrich pupils' time at the school.

Early reading is a real priority. Children begin to learn the sounds that letters make as soon as they join the Reception Class.

Children especially enjoy joining in with the rhymes and actions that support the school's chosen phonics scheme. Teachers regularly check pupils' understanding of the sounds that have been taught. Any pupils who have gaps in their knowledge are given extra support, both before and after the whole-class sessions.

Pupils take home a range of books. These are carefully selected to support their development as readers, with texts that help pupils to practise their phonics. Pupils also like taking home books that they can enjoy and share with their family.

The school has thought carefully about how it can promote a love of books and reading. Pupils spoke about the author and illustrator visits that the school has organised. They were especially proud to share the illustrations drawn by Korky Paul when he visited the school.

Overall, pupils achieve well. Teachers give pupils work that helps them to recall and remember what they have previously learned in a curriculum subject. For example, in mathematics, at the start of each session, pupils are given questions that recap prior learning.

Teachers quickly see where pupils have any gaps in what they remember and go back over these points. Most teaching focuses well on helping pupils to grasp and remember with fluency the knowledge set out in the curriculum. However, there are times when the work pupils are given does not link well with what they are expected to learn.

This reduces the effectiveness of the school's work to ensure that pupils securely recall and understand key ideas.

The school works closely with families to help them to support their children's learning. This includes coffee mornings and workshops, where parents can learn about what is being taught in school.

For example, in Reception Class, parents are invited to take part in phonics sessions to find out how children learn the sounds that letters make. The school also sends out 'family homework' and information about what is learned in class.

Subjects taught in school are enriched with carefully chosen educational visits.

For example, the history curriculum is complemented with trips to RAF Hornchurch, where pupils learn about the Second World War, important local people and the local area. In science, pupils visit Rainham Marshes to learn about the animals found there and about the different natural and human features of the landscape. Pupils spoke knowledgeably about the creatures that they had seen during their visits.

Pupils with SEND benefit from high-quality, extra help. This is delivered by well-trained staff, who know them well. Pupils follow the same curriculum as their peers.

In lessons, teachers make effective adaptations to support pupils' learning.

Pupils behave well and understand the school's clear expectations. They spoke about how this is a school where everyone is treated with respect.

Pupils especially enjoy finding out about each other's different faiths and traditions.

Staff feel well supported by the school. They know that the training and resources that they need to be effective in their work are available to them.

Staff commented positively about how leaders consider well-being and workload when making decisions.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some lessons and activities, there are instances where teaching does not match the objectives of the curriculum.

This can mean that pupils develop misconceptions about what they have been taught or that they find it harder to acquire and remember new knowledge. The school should ensure that the purpose and sequence of planned activities are carefully considered, so that teaching consistently prioritises ensuring that pupils learn the core knowledge identified in the curriculum.

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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

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

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2014.

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