Royd Nursery and Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Royd Nursery and Infants school is a welcoming and happy place.

Relationships across the school are warm and respectful, reflecting the school's positive culture. Leaders demonstrate a clear vision and provide a high-quality education for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils achieve well at the school.

Pupil behaviour is extremely positive in lessons and around the school. Pupils show excellent manners. At breaktimes, pupils are caring and play well together.

They trust that staff will help them with any worries or concerns. Pupils are valued and feel safe at the school. High expectations are communicat...ed clearly by adults.

Pupils meet these consistently.

The school is committed to offering pupils numerous opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Leaders successfully target disadvantaged pupils to participate in these opportunities.

This includes a range of extra-curricular activities that foster a love for sport and music.

Pupils gain important insights into different faiths and can identify similarities and differences in an age-appropriate way. Pupils explore nature and carry out enterprise projects, which provide practical opportunities for them to build resilience and problem-solving skills.

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

The curriculum is broad, ambitious and well structured. Leaders have prioritised reading. The structured approach to teaching phonics ensures pupils quickly begin to read.

Pupils practise by reading books that reinforce the sounds they have been taught. This helps them to develop into fluent readers. There is strong parental engagement in supporting reading, further reinforcing pupils' understanding.

Leaders regularly check pupils' understanding to identify any gaps. Leaders use this information to carefully revisit learning and successfully address misconceptions.

Pupils' behaviour and attitudes in lessons are exemplary.

Pupils consistently show respect and care for one another. A notable example includes their use of non-verbal sign language to thank each other, ensuring that learning environments remain calm and undisturbed.

The curriculum is well considered and ensures clear progression from the early years through to Year 2.

Lessons are well structured and engaging. Teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge. This ensures that staff can confidently and accurately articulate new learning.

This is evident in physical education(PE), where pupils quickly grasp new skills and knowledge. Teachers skilfully scaffold learning and use physical resources to effectively support pupils with SEND. Teachers use ongoing assessments to check pupils' understanding before introducing new learning.

This supports pupils to build on their understanding over time in PE. However, in some subjects, such as mathematics, pupils are moved on to more complex tasks before they are ready. When this happens, pupils are less able to engage in new learning.

The early years provision at this school is exemplary, offering a highly effective and nurturing environment. Leaders demonstrate a thorough understanding of child development, ensuring smooth progression from Nursery to Reception, and from Reception into Year 1. Staff interactions with children are of exceptionally high quality.

Adults engage children in meaningful conversations that extend children's vocabulary. This deepens children's understanding of the world. The school carefully considers the learning activities that children complete.

These are highly engaging and allow children to rehearse and embed new learning.

The school provides well considered and purposeful opportunities to enhance pupils' wider personal development. Staff equip pupils with a deep understanding of personal growth and character development.

The school teaches pupils about how to treat one another with kindness and respect.

Pupils are taught about important concepts, such as right and wrong and the importance of voting to avoid disputes. Pupils are taught how to stay safe online and offline.

This contributes to pupils having a clear understanding of what they can do to protect themselves.

Leaders work collaboratively with staff, including early career teachers. Staff are well supported through coaching and training.

There is a strong focus on developing new leaders. The school is committed to ensuring that all pupils and staff reach their full potential. Leaders have a sharp focus on improving how frequently pupils attend school.

The school has successfully improved attendance rates through meticulous monitoring systems and proactive engagement with parents.

Governors provide strong support and challenge. They are knowledgeable about the school, particularly in key areas such as SEND, safeguarding, and attendance.

They have a clear understanding of their roles. This knowledge helps them effectively drive improvement.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In subjects such as mathematics, some pupils are not taught foundational knowledge securely before moving on to more complex tasks. As a result, some pupils are not able to build on their understanding well enough. The school should ensure that pupils' learn the foundational knowledge that they need in order to build their knowledge securely.