Dudley Infant Academy

Inspection of Dudley Infant Academy Harold Road, Hastings, East Sussex TN35 5NJ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement 17–18 September 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers told us that staff are kind, caring and dedicated. We agree. It is clear as soon as you walk into the school that pupils are happy here. Pupils feel safe in school and enjoy their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The principal expects all pupils to succeed and staff work hard to help this to happen. Teachers give good support to any pupil who is in danger of not keeping up with their learning. This helps to make sure that all pupils learn well. By the end of Year 2, pupils are prepared well for their next school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn the importance of being part of a community. They help in school and enjoy raising money to help local charities. Teachers make sure that pupils fully understand that bullying is wrong. Pupils show high levels of respect for each other and to adults, and they go out of their way to help one another. They are determined to work hard and try their best. They keep trying, even when they sometimes find work difficult. Pupils behave exceptionally well. This is a significant strength of the school.

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better?

The principal, supported by other leaders from the trust, has created a school where only the best will do. He makes sure that teachers do not get weighed down by unnecessary paperwork. He gives them time to do their job well. This means that the quality of education continues to get better and better.

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better?

Leaders give reading a high priority in the school day. Expert teaching means that phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) is well taught. Leaders keep a very close eye on how well pupils are doing. Teachers make sure that the books pupils take home help them to practise the letters and sounds they have already learned. Adults give sensitive, thoughtful guidance when listening to pupils read. They encourage them to use their phonics knowledge to tackle words they are not sure of. As a result, all pupils get off to a good start with their early reading.

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better?

Leaders work hard to make sure that other subjects are taught well. The plans for most subjects show teachers what should be taught and when. This works really well in some subjects. For example, in art, pupils learn how to repeat patterns, using different art materials. They use this knowledge to make sculptures after learning about the work of Andy Goldsworthy. Year 2 pupils build on their geographical knowledge to talk about the buildings after going on a walk around their school. However, this logical planning is not fully in place for all subjects, for example computing.

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better?

Teachers usually adapt their subject plans well to take account of what pupils have already learned and make sure that pupils are able to complete activities in lessons. This ensures that most pupils learn well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils. 17–18 September 2019

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However, when this is not the case, some pupils struggle to succeed. More training is needed to make sure that all teachers have the high level of skills needed to teach different subjects well.

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Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They show respect for others and have very positive attitudes. This is because all adults share the same high expectations of behaviour and routines are quickly established in the school. Pupils put a great deal of effort into contributing to the life of their school and local community.

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Pupils benefit from lots of opportunities to develop the skills needed to become confident young citizens. For example, ‘shore academy’ encourages pupils to appreciate the wonders of the beach. They learn about pollution and the importance of charities, such as the lifeboats.

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Reception staff work closely with parents. This helps children to settle smoothly into school. Adults successfully teach them how to make friends. This helps the children to grow in confidence. Children behave very well. They play and learn happily. They learn how to look after themselves, for example tidying up, and they learn how important it is to wash their hands before lunch.

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Adults in the early years know what each child can do and what they understand. They mostly use this information well to make sure that children’s understanding builds progressively. By the end of Reception, children are ready to do well in Year 1.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff take safeguarding very seriously. All staff get up-to-date training. They know how to spot signs that pupils may be at risk. School records show that staff report their concerns to leaders appropriately. Leaders act upon these straight away. Leaders overseeing safeguarding keep in close contact to make sure that nothing gets missed. They work closely with other agencies to help pupils and families get the help they need.

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Safeguarding

Adults teach pupils to share any worries they may have. Adults take the time to listen to them. This helps to keep pupils safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has done much to review and improve the quality of education in reading, writing and mathematics. However, the school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently coherently planned and sequenced in some of the foundation subjects. Leaders need to ensure that the content of all subject plans is carefully ordered so that pupils build securely on what they already know and understand. 17–18 September 2019

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 The curriculum is taught effectively overall. Most teachers make sure that pupils build their knowledge sequentially and securely. Leaders should make sure that all teachers have the subject knowledge needed to ensure that teaching is consistently effective.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 17–18 September 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10088165 Type of school Infant

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School details

Chair of trust Professor Christopher Pole

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14–15 March 2017

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the University of Brighton Academies Trust.  At the time of the last inspection, interim leadership arrangements were in place. The acting principal became the substantive principal in April 2018.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 We met with the principal, the vice-principal, the inclusion leader and the leaders for English and the early years. We also met with representatives of the trust: the chief executive officer, the executive director of school improvement and the executive director of strategy. We had a discussion with the chair of the local governing board.  We particularly considered the following subjects: reading, mathematics, geography and art. This included discussions with leaders of the subjects, scrutiny of subject plans, visits to lessons, discussions with teachers and teaching assistants, looking closely at pupils’ work and discussions with pupils.  As part of our inspection of safeguarding, we had discussions with the designated 17–18 September 2019

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safeguarding lead, the deputy safeguarding lead, representatives from the trust, the chair of the local governing board and staff. We examined a range of safeguarding documentation.  We spoke to parents at the end of the school day. We took account of the 35 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View survey, as well as the 24 free-text responses. We considered the 23 responses to the Ofsted staff survey. We attended an assembly and spoke to pupils at playtime and lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Joanna Toulson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Andrew Hogarth Ofsted Inspector 17–18 September 2019

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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