Village Infants' School

Inspection of a good school: Village Infants’ School Ford Road, Dagenham, Essex RM10 9JS

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Outcome

Village Infants’ School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They are enthusiastic about their learning. The school motto states that pupils should become ‘good thinkers and good learners’. Pupils know that their teachers expect them to do well. Pupils said that they know that staff will help them if they get stuck and that it is OK to make mistakes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and happy at this school. Every parent or carer who spoke to me or responded to Parent View agreed that this is a happy school. Pupils said that bullying does not happen. They said that if there is any unkindness, they know that they can turn to staff to help them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a calm feel to it. Pupils behave well and care about each other. Some pupils are given special tasks, for example wearing the ‘Can I help you?’ jumpers. These pupils take their roles very seriously.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Leaders have organised the day so that all pupils have access to the full curriculum. Staff skilfully adapt activities to help pupils. Teaching assistants and teachers make time to support pupils with SEND to remember new knowledge and practise recently acquired skills if needed.

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

Leaders believe in the important part that infant schools play in young pupils’ education. In many subjects they have created a programme of learning which is well organised. Pupils achieve well and are well supported in their learning.

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

Pupils achieve well in reading. Staff ensure that pupils have a good understanding of phonics. Where there are gaps, staff provide pupils with additional support. This support often happens at the very beginning of the school day to minimise the impact on the pupils’ wider learning. Pupils with SEND are well supported in the classroom. Teachers and teaching assistants break down tasks into smaller steps so that pupils can learn. 26–27 February 2020

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Pupils develop a love of reading through well-chosen texts. Pupils discuss their favourite authors and books that they have enjoyed reading. Displays around the school celebrate different authors and types of book. Pupils listen attentively to stories shared in class. Pupils said that they read at home. Reading is supported and enhanced by the high level of parent support through workshops from the early years to Year 2.

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In mathematics, leaders have identified the important aspects of learning. They have broken these down to support both staff and pupils with the teaching and learning of mathematical concepts. Pupils learn more and remember more because each of these concepts is revisited regularly throughout their time in the school. Children quickly learn to apply their skills in a range of situations. Children in Reception were learning about doubling a single-digit number. Children were highly engaged and were able to use their new knowledge and apply it to numbers greater than 10.

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In Nursery, children were learning about shapes. The children engaged in a wide range of activities to show what they had learned. Children also discussed the most appropriate broom for sweeping puddles following a rain shower. Staff guided children to explore the activities provided.

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Approaches to mathematics are shared on the school website, where pupils teach the audience how to use different approaches to mathematics. Parents are further supported through coffee mornings and subject meetings. Subject leaders are eager to apply their subject across the curriculum. An example of this was when pupils used their measuring skills during a physical education session.

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Leaders have developed a well-structured programme of learning in most subjects. They are aware that they also need to have the same level of detail in the planning for other subjects. While there are plans in place for all subjects, leaders recognise the need to develop some further so that there are clear end points for pupils to reach. An example of this could be seen with the geography curriculum.

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Pupils benefit from enrichment activities during the ‘Thrilling Thursdays’ activities. They work together to explore a range of practical tasks, developing language skills and understanding of the world. Pupils also visit museums and galleries to further support their learning. Pupils described a visit to the V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green, where they were able to handle artefacts and explore old and new toys. Pupils are planning to replicate this visit with a museum of their own in school.

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Staff work closely with the nearby junior school. Pupils are well prepared for moving on to their next stage of education. Pupils behave well. While there are occasional low-level disruptions to lessons, teachers deal with these effectively. Pupils were able to tell me how the new behaviour system is used.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 26–27 February 2020

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Leaders have systems in place to ensure that all pre-employment checks are carried out. Systems are robust for logging and monitoring any concerns about pupils. Staff receive training in how to keep pupils safe and how to identify the potential signs of abuse. This training is regularly updated.

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Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe online in an age-appropriate way. They know that they should keep their personal details safe when using the internet.

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Pupils are taught to speak out if they are worried or frightened. This message was reiterated in a recent assembly from the NSPCC.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have developed a well-structured programme of learning in most subjects. While there is planning in place for all subjects, it is not always clear what pupils should learn. Leaders should decide what is the key content that pupils should learn.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 22–23 June 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

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 are the school and you are 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. 26–27 February 2020

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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. 26–27 February 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10121606 Type of school Infant

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22–23 June 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Village Infants’ School is larger than the average-sized infant school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding is above average.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above average. The largest group of pupils are of Black African heritage and the next largest group are of White British heritage.

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Information about this inspection

 I met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and members of staff. I also met with members of the local authority and the governing body.  I did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. For each of these subjects I held discussions with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with staff and pupils and looked at pupils’ work.  I spoke with parents and considered the 12 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View, including the free-text responses from parents. 26–27 February 2020

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 I spoke with pupils and staff about the school’s work to keep pupils safe. I also considered safeguarding records, documentation and the school’s single central record of staff suitability checks.

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Inspection team

Adam Vincent, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 26–27 February 2020

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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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