Hickling CofE Infants Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

Pupils of all abilities make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Achievement is particularly strong in mathematics because the school has recently focused successfully on improving it. Teaching is good.

Pupils are given a good range of interesting and enjoyable activities that make learning fun. Pupils behave well and have very positive attitudes to learning. Pupils say they feel safe in school and have good relationships with adults.

The partnership with two other schools has strengthened leadership and management. The executive headteacher provides strong leadership and receives good support from the two senior ...leaders. Leaders and managers have successfully improved teaching and raised pupils' achievement since the previous inspection.

Parents are full of praise for the work of the school. They value the opportunities that they have to visit the school and work with their children. It is not yet an outstanding school because : In some lessons teachers miss opportunities to use pupils' speaking and listening to provide a foundation for their writing.

Not all pupils are confidently using their knowledge of phonics (the sounds that letters make) to help them break down and build up words that they have not met before. The school is still in the early stages of developing an appropriate leadership and management structure as it moves to a formal federation and a shared governing body.

Information about this school

This school is a much smaller than the average-sized infant school.

The school is, at present, in a partnership with two other local schools, Catfield C of E Primary School and Sutton C of E Infant School, which have their own governing bodies although they share the same executive headteacher. In September 2013 these schools are due to federate with the three schools sharing one governing body. There is currently only one class of 21 pupils.

Teachers plan separate work for the children in Reception and use an additional classroom to provide a learning base for the Reception children. All pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average.

No pupils are supported at school action plus or with a statement for of special educational needs. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding for particular groups, including those known to be eligible for free school meals) is below average. The school shares a site with Hickling Hunnies pre-school but this is privately run and subject to separate inspection.