The Gattons Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy in this caring, welcoming school. They know and appreciate the school's 'rights respecting rainbow'. These values and a strong sense of 'family' lie at the heart of the community.

Everyone is included and valued. Relationships are based on mutual respect. Pupils are cheerful and kind towards each other.

At break and lunchtimes pupils interact and play happily together. They enjoy playing a range of games that keeps them active.

Pupils enjoy taking on positions of responsibility such as being a member of the class council or eco council.

They like the clubs and activities that are available, such as trips to the nature reserve, mindfu...lness and multi-skills. Pupils feel safe and well cared for. Bullying is rare.

Pupils know that adults will help them get along if they fall out with their friends or have any worries.

Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils. However, teachers' expectations of pupils' behaviour are not always high enough.

At times, pupils do not engage fully in their learning. Pupils told inspectors that sometimes other pupils' behaviour stops them getting on with their work.

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

Leaders and governors are ambitious for all staff and pupils.

Leaders know the quality of education needs to improve swiftly for all year groups, including early years. They have begun to make the necessary changes.

In some subjects, leaders have identified the important knowledge and skills pupils should learn and remember well.

Teachers make sure that pupils' learning carefully builds on what they already know and can do. However, in other subjects such as science and geography, this is not as effective. This is also the case for the early years curriculum.

As a result, pupils, including children in Reception Year, do not learn well across the curriculum.

Pupils cannot always explain and develop their ideas well enough. This is because they are not taught the necessary vocabulary in different subjects consistently well.

Leaders have not ensured that teachers have the necessary subject expertise in all subjects. Consequently, most pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not achieve as well as they should.

Reading is a high priority.

Staff are well trained and confident in teaching phonics. Children in the Reception Year are taught phonics right from the start, in a sequence which helps them learn to read confidently. Staff provide pupils with suitable and interesting books to read.

This helps them to practise the sounds they are learning. Staff quickly identify any pupil who is falling behind. As a result, all pupils are able to catch up and keep up.

Leaders make sure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified appropriately.Leaders and staff know these pupils' pastoral and wider needs well. While teachers plan work that is matched to the specific needs of these pupils, weaknesses in the curriculum mean they do not achieve as well as they could.

Pupils show genuine care for each other. However, their behaviour is not consistently good enough. Pupils are often too chatty and find it difficult to maintain their attention in lessons.

Too often, teachers do not address these issues. As a result, pupils do not focus on their learning as well as they should.

Pupils' personal development is strong.

Leaders provide a range of opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests such as learning a musical instrument. The themes of kindness, respect and responsibility are explored and celebrated throughout the year. These help pupils to think about others and understand the difference they can make through their choices and actions.

For instance, pupils develop an awareness of the importance of taking care of the local environment.

Staff morale is high. They feel valued and find leaders supportive.

Leaders, including governors, are careful to ensure that teachers' workload is manageable. Staff appreciate this.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders keep a watchful eye on the well-being of pupils. Effective training means that staff have a clear understanding about how to keep children safe. They know what to do if they have concerns about a pupil's welfare.

Leaders deal with any issues swiftly. Where necessary, leaders work well with external agencies to help pupils and their families get the help they need. The curriculum is effective in developing pupils' knowledge of how to keep themselves safe, including when online.

Pupils trust that staff will always listen and help them if they have any worries. Governors regularly check safeguarding procedures.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In subjects such as science and geography leaders have not clearly identified the order in which pupils should be taught knowledge or the subject-specific vocabulary which pupils ought to learn.

This means that pupils are not achieving well overall. Leaders must continue to develop curriculum plans to help all pupils learn more, remember more and be able to explain their ideas clearly. ? The early years curriculum is not coherent and well sequenced across the seven areas of learning.

This holds back children's learning. Leaders should ensure that the development of the curriculum provides a firm foundation on which to build on in Year 1. Staff have variable pedagogical knowledge across the different subjects.

This limits how well all pupils, including those with SEND, develop their knowledge and understanding. Leaders should ensure that teachers are confident and skilled in the content they are delivering. ? Staff expectations of pupils' behaviour are not high enough.

As a result, at times, pupils' attitudes to learning are not always positive enough. Low-level disruption prevents most pupils from learning as well as they should. Leaders must ensure all staff have high expectations and understand how to implement the new behaviour policy consistently.

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