Wincobank Nursery and Infant Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Wincobank Nursery and Infant School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this school. They are polite and well mannered.

They enjoy learning. Leaders have created a welcoming and calm atmosphere. Parents say that staff 'genuinely want pupils to succeed', knowing each of them as individuals.

They value the family feel of the school.

Leaders have placed talk at the centre of the curriculum. They want pupils to learn 'through talk' and 'to talk'.

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. This focus begins from the first days in the 'Ducklings' two-year-old provision. Pupils are articulate and c...onfident to talk about learning.

Leaders have focused on improving the curriculum. In subjects, such as reading and mathematics, teachers plan lessons which enable all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to challenge themselves and be successful. In these subjects, leaders have ensured that learning begins from the early years and builds over time in the school.

Leaders are currently reviewing and improving other subjects in the curriculum. They aim to ensure that pupils are well prepared for future learning.

Behaviour in lessons is excellent.

Pupils focus well on the interesting and exciting learning that teachers plan for them. Pupils also behave well when moving around school or playing outside. They say that bullying does not happen in this school and any unkindness is dealt with quickly by adults.

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

Leaders have high expectations for pupils. They have planned to 'inspire an enthusiasm for learning'. In some subjects, they have linked learning from the early years to the end of Year 2, to ensure that pupils build knowledge over time.

This learning is organised into exciting topics such as 'enchanted woodlands', where pupils visit local woods to make artwork. Similarly engaging is the topic 'amazing astronauts', where pupils learn about the life of Sheffield astronaut Helen Sharman. In other subjects, there is further work to do to identify the key knowledge that leaders want pupils to learn and to ensure that learning builds over time.

Leaders focus on developing pupils' confidence to speak and listen. This starts from children's earliest days at Wincobank. Children in the provision for two-year-olds learn through exploration and play, with the support of skilled adults.

Stories and talk form a big part of each session. This learning is built on in the Nursery, where staff teach children to hear sounds in words, retell stories and play co-operatively. The environment is bright and welcoming.

It is used effectively to develop independence and to support focused learning.

Leaders see learning to read as the top priority for pupils. Leaders have a well-embedded approach to teaching phonics, having organised learning to ensure that all pupils can achieve.

Pupils read books which are well matched to their ability and enable them to practise regularly to improve their fluency. Pupils who are finding reading difficult are well supported by skilled adults. They have extra lessons in order to make rapid improvements.

Leaders want to develop a love of reading. This can be seen in the recently opened, inviting library.

Adults know the individual needs of all the pupils well, including those with SEND.

They identify further support if it is needed and work well with external partners to understand how to help all pupils to succeed. Leaders have recently introduced new systems to ensure that support plans, for pupils with SEND, are more focused.

In the past, pupils have had many interesting opportunities to develop their interests and experiences of the wider world.

They baked bread, performed dances and attended arts and sports clubs. Leaders are aware that there is an urgency to begin these activities again following the COVID-19 pandemic. There is also more to do to promote pupils' understanding of fundamental British values.

Pupils do have some understanding of tolerance and respect; however, this understanding is not building over time.

Leaders have made pupils' attendance a priority. They have worked to support parents and have implemented systems to manage absence.

However, there are still too many pupils not attending school regularly.

Trustees work supportively with the school. They are committed to ensuring that the school continues to improve.

They hold leaders to account and look for ways to support staff's well-being and workload through collaborative approaches with other trust schools and the use of external support.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders are experienced and knowledgeable about safeguarding.

They have a secure understanding of the risks that pupils face in their local area. Staff have been trained to identify and report any concerns. Leaders work hard to build relationships and trust with families.

They offer support when needed and work well with a range of external agencies. Pupils are well cared for in the school.

Pupils are taught about how to keep safe online.

They can explain the risks with online 'friends' and how to report any concerns to adults.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some curriculum plans do not have sufficient detail of the specific subject knowledge that leaders want pupils to know and remember. This means that, in some subjects, teachers do not plan lessons which are sequenced progressively across year groups or build on prior learning.

Leaders should prioritise the completion of all plans to ensure teachers are clear about what to teach and in what sequence. ? Opportunities for pupils' wider development are not planned for sufficiently. This means that some pupils do not have meaningful opportunities to learn about fundamental British values and diversity, or to discover their wider talents or interests.

Leaders should ensure that the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum is developed further so that pupils have opportunities to learn more about themselves and are fully prepared for life in modern Britain. ? Attendance for some pupils needs to improve. Leaders work hard to ensure that pupils want to attend school regularly.

However, too many pupils do not attend regularly, and their learning is impacted because of this. Leaders must continue to support families to understand the importance of attending school regularly and punctually.

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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2017.