Willesborough Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Each morning, pupils arrive smiling. They are excited to be at this friendly and happy school.

Even the youngest children settle in quickly. They start in Reception confidently because of the many opportunities children have to get to know the school and each other. Parents are welcomed and included.

They are given lots of information which helps them support their children as they start school.

Pupils benefit from the many excellent opportunities for personal development. They are inspired by the exciting range of clubs and trips which enhance their learning and build their confidence.

Pupils bubble with enthusiasm when describing how they train in ...first aid or when they are given roles as 'mini middays' and 'tiny teachers'. This exceptional aspect of school life helps ensure that pupils are very well prepared for the next stages of their education.

Teachers have high expectations.

Pupils want to meet these. They behave well and are keen to do their best. Relationships throughout the school are warm and respectful.

Pupils describe their school as 'kind', and there is much laughter. Pupils know that they are cared for and this helps them to feel safe. Any hint of bullying is quickly identified and dealt with by staff.

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

Willesborough Infants school is led extremely well. Leaders at all levels are absolutely dedicated to providing the very best for pupils. There is a tangible sense of everyone working together to enable all pupils to achieve highly.

Staff are given the training, time and support they need to develop both the curriculum and their own expertise. Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) thrive because their needs are known and met. Provision is carefully shaped to support their success.

Leaders' plans for the curriculum make clear what each pupil should learn, starting in the early years. Across the different subjects, staff have good subject knowledge that they use to plan learning. Sometimes, however, planning does not set out clearly the steps to help pupils develop specific subject knowledge, including learning to be a scientist or a historian.

In addition, while in English and mathematics teachers carefully check what pupils remember to help them plan next steps, this is not always the case in some other subjects. Where assessment is less well developed, teachers are not able to quickly identify any gaps in pupils' learning. Leaders know this and have plans in place to make the necessary improvements to help pupils confidently build their knowledge.

Learning to read quickly and fluently is a priority at Willesborough Infants. Right from their very first days in school, children begin to learn to read. They quickly master their phonics, and regularly practise their skills through reading well-chosen books.

Pupils delight in reading and listening to stories. They enjoy using the library, with the librarian to guide them. Older pupils relish the opportunity to visit the library in the junior school.

One pupil explained, 'It's good to be a bookworm.' Pupils who need to catch up with their reading are also given the extra help they need. Support is in place to help ensure that all pupils, including those with SEND, can access the whole curriculum even when they find reading a challenge.

Pupils across the school are motivated and engaged in their learning. They can confidently express their opinions. Most of the time they follow instructions and listen carefully to their teachers.

There is a hive of happy activity.

No opportunity is missed to enhance pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. For example, conversations during snack time focus on current events or British values.

Pupils demonstrate the school's ethos of 'wonder – inspire – shine'. They are proud of the rewards they consequently earn. Pupils are actively engaged in supporting their local community through links to a care home and through raising money for worthy causes.

Personal development opportunities are also used to promote the attendance and engagement of some pupils who do not attend well. Leaders do all they can to support parents in achieving regular school attendance for their children.

Governors are a highly effective part of school leadership.

They are well informed and well trained. Together with school leaders they form a highly effective partnership in driving the school forward and ensuring it is at the heart of the community it serves.

Parents are very positive about the school.

Time and time again they use words such as 'fantastic' and 'delighted' when describing it. A parent summed this up by saying, 'It makes me proud that my children attend.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The welfare and protection of children are top priorities. Leaders have trained all staff to be able to identify when a child may be at risk. This training is regularly updated.

The strong partnerships that are built with parents help staff to identify when extra support may be needed to safeguard pupils. Leaders work closely with a range of other agencies to help ensure that children are kept safe.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe.

This includes guidance about online safety. They know what to do if they have worries. They trust in adults to help keep them safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, planned sequences of learning do not set out clearly enough how pupils will build knowledge. When this happens, teachers' pedagogical choices do not always match the planned curriculum. Leaders must continue to focus upon this to ensure all sequences of learning carefully match the ambition in each subject, including the development of disciplinary knowledge.

• Assessment expectations across the foundation subjects are not consistently understood by teachers. As a result, sometimes it is unclear what knowledge pupils have retained. Leaders need to ensure teachers can confidently use the assessment processes to adapt learning, so pupils know and remember more across the curriculum.