Wootey Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a nurturing school that has high ambition for pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Most pupils achieve well.

Adults take great care of pupils, and this helps pupils to feel safe. They know adults will help to clear their worries away.

Pupils know the school values of happiness, respect and creativity.

They strive to follow these and the 'golden rules'. Children in the Reception Year are well on their way to learning the clear routines that are in place. Those pupils, across the school, who do struggle with their behaviour are very well supported.

Pupils appreciate t...he recognition for their hard work and effort, which is celebrated weekly.

Pupils enthusiastically talk about the opportunities they have to learn different skills during golden time. Gardening, sewing and bookmaking are popular, though cooking wins the first prize.

They enjoy the school trips to a local zoo and the fire station. There are many opportunities for pupils to take on a leadership role. Year 2 lunchtime leaders wear their green aprons with pride while they help children in Reception year.

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

The school is ambitious for every pupil. This starts with reading. Staff are experts in teaching phonics and early reading.

They check regularly to ensure that pupils keep up. Those that are struggling are given the appropriate support through interventions that enable them to catch up. Staff carefully select reading books that match pupils' stage of development.

As pupils become more confident, they gradually move to reading rich-quality texts that focus on comprehension and the skills needed to become a fluent reader. School is working on further developing pupils' love for reading this year. Pupils are read to daily.

The school celebrates World Book Day. The youngest children enjoy walking to the local book shop to spend their book voucher.

The school has developed a broad, balanced and engaging curriculum.

The important knowledge and skills that the school want pupils to know at the end of each unit of learning is clear. This starts in the Reception year and builds progressively as pupils move up the school. The impact of the new mixed classes in key stage 1 is due to be reviewed.

This is to ensure that pupils learning is sequenced, particularly in mathematics, and there are no gaps in learning. Across the curriculum, the school has focused on pupils learning technical vocabulary. This is to extend pupils understanding of language.

As a result, pupils confidently use a range of vocabulary. For example, in science, germination and research can be heard.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge.

They use pupils' curiosity to engage them in their learning. In the Reception Year, children hunted excitedly for patterns hidden in the outdoor area. Teachers ensure that pupils can remember what they have learned.

They do this through skilful questioning. Staff constantly check pupils' learning and provide appropriate support. This effective support helps pupils to listen, concentrate and engage well in their learning in class.

Pupils with barriers to learning are quickly identified and plans are put in place that address their individual needs. The school ensures that staff adapt activities for pupils with SEND so that they engage positively with all areas of the curriculum. The school acknowledges that more work in some subjects does needs further adaptation.

Leaders work well with external agencies and with adults to explore the right provision for vulnerable pupils. Pupils get the right support, at the right time and in the right way, to make sure they are ready to learn.

Pupils' personal development is a central part of the school's work.

The pastoral support for pupils and their families is a strength of the school. Through the school values the pupils learn to understand and respect differences. This starts with the youngest children, who learn how their life is the same and/or different to others in the world.

Governors have high expectations for all groups of pupils. They are committed to the school being fully inclusive. Staff feel well supported.

Leaders show real consideration for the workload and well-being of staff. They recognise and take account of the demands that mixed-age classes bring. The way leaders have tackled this helps staff to be happy, confident and well versed in the curriculum.

This, in turn, leads to pupils who achieve well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

[If the school has judgements that are not outstanding] What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some curriculum subjects, activities are not adapted well enough to support pupils with barriers to their learning and pupils with SEND.

This means that support is not as effective as it could be. Pupils with SEND, and those who are disadvantaged, are not catching up quickly enough. Leaders must make sure that teachers provide tasks and support so all pupils make expected progress.

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