Springfield Infant School and Nursery

Inspection of a good school: Springfield Infant School and Nursery 11 Wesley Way, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 4PP

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 September 2021

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Outcome

Springfield Infant School and Nursery continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a very welcoming school. Pupils are friendly and polite. They listen well and respond to the high expectations that staff have of their learning and behaviour. Pupils learn a rich and varied curriculum that enables them to explore new things and understand the world around them. Pupils achieve well and are well prepared for their next school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. Classrooms are calm and purposeful places in which to learn. Pupils develop the attitudes and behaviours they need to be successful in school. From an early age, pupils develop their independence, resilience and determination. They show teamwork and cooperation in their work and at play.

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What is it like to attend this school?

When pupils feel anxious or upset, they know that staff are there to help them. Pupils learn strategies that will help them overcome difficulties in school and in the wider world. Pupils know what to do to keep themselves safe. They are happy to talk to an adult if they have worries or concerns. Bullying is rare. Pupils are confident that adults act promptly to help them resolve any issues they may have in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are positive in their feedback. They appreciate the commitment of staff who create the caring community in which their children are happy and feel safe.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum that enables pupils to learn well. Pupils often revisit themes and build on what they have learned before. This is because leaders have carefully thought about what it is that they want pupils to know by the time they leave at the end of Key Stage 1.

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

Leaders have carefully considered what pupils should learn in each subject as they progress through the school. This starts with the knowledge and experiences pupils gain in the early years foundation stage. Teachers review and adapt their plans to ensure that 21 and 22 September 2021

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pupils have a breadth of experience across a wide range of subjects. Pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education.

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The provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength. Pupils’ needs are identified at an early stage. Teachers adapt the curriculum so that pupils with SEND achieve well alongside their peers. Staff have the guidance and training they need to support pupils with additional needs and help them be successful.

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Leaders recognise the importance of reading to enable pupils to become successful learners. At the heart of the reading curriculum is the school’s chosen systematic phonics programme. Leaders give all staff the training and guidance they need to teach phonics and early reading to pupils very well. In Nursery, children develop the listening and speaking skills they need to help them become ready to learn to read. Children in Reception learn to read from the start. All pupils access appropriate books that help them practise the sounds they are learning. Less fluent readers are supported well and catch up quickly.

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Leaders have designed a curriculum which helps pupils develop a love of reading. Pupils enjoy adults reading to them in regular story times. These sessions help pupils deepen their understanding and experience. Pupils eagerly discuss the choices writers make in telling the story, how characters feel and what might happen next.

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Pupils are gaining the knowledge they need to help them build their mathematical understanding. Through their daily lessons, pupils develop their sense of number and apply their understanding successfully. Pupils are taught to use correct mathematical terminology. They explain their understanding well. Children in the early years develop their mathematical understanding through effective use of songs, games and practical experiences.

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Leaders want all pupils to be able to explain their learning. They are starting to build this into their curriculum design across all subjects. For example, in art, pupils can easily explain about mixing colours using appropriate vocabulary. Pupils go on to demonstrate their understanding by accurately mixing colours in their artwork. However, leaders have not yet considered how they teach pupils to explore ideas further across all foundation subjects. Leaders recognise that pupils are not gaining the depth of understanding in these subjects as well as they could. This is because staff have not yet developed the subject knowledge and expertise in all areas of the curriculum.

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The curriculum supports pupils’ wider development well. Pupils take part in sport and music. They particularly enjoy swimming lessons. Pupils benefit from regular educational visits and visitors, such as paramedics and archaeologists.

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Governors and trustees are clear about their roles and responsibilities. They know the school well and visit regularly. Governors make sure that leaders are doing the right things to continue to improve the quality of education for all pupils. 21 and 22 September 2021

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The procedures for identifying and reporting safeguarding concerns are understood by all staff. Staff are well informed about their role in keeping children safe because training is focused, regular and up to date. Staff are vigilant. Leaders act promptly. Families receive the support they need in a timely way. Policies have been updated with the most recent statutory guidance.

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Safeguarding

Pre-employment checks are carried out for all staff before they are appointed to work at the school. The safeguarding governor visits the school regularly and carries out appropriate checks to assure themselves that safeguarding practices are rigorous.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Where staff are confident in their subject knowledge, they develop pupils’ depth of understanding. This is the case in reading and mathematics. This is not as well developed across the foundation subjects. Pupils are not gaining the depth of understanding in these subjects as well as they could. Leaders should ensure they provide thorough training and support for staff to develop their subject expertise and confidence across all the areas they teach so pupils can achieve exceptionally well in the foundation subjects.

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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 outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a good school could now be better than good, or that standards may be declining, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Springfield Infant School and Nursery, to be good on 24 January 2017.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection. 21 and 22 September 2021

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

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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.

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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. 21 and 22 September 2021

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School details

Chair of trust Fr. Paul Carter (Interim chair of trust)

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Springfield Infant School and Nursery converted to an academy in April 2017.  The school is part of the Orwell Multi-Academy Trust.  The school has a nursery class for children who can join from three years of age.  There is an on-site breakfast club which is run by the governing body.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and members of the senior leadership team. She also met with the special educational needs coordinator and the family support worker.  The inspector did deep dives in early reading, mathematics and art. She held discussions with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited lessons with subject leaders, spoke with pupils and looked at their books. The inspector met with teachers and observed pupils reading. 21 and 22 September 2021

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 The inspector spoke with pupils during playtime and observed their behaviour around the school.  The inspector looked at the records that the school keeps in relation to safeguarding. She looked at the single central record of pre-employment checks. The inspector met with the headteacher in her role as designated safeguarding lead. She looked at records of training and met with the office manager.  The inspector considered 21 responses that were submitted as part of the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including 10 free-text responses. She considered 24 responses to the staff survey. The inspector spoke with pupils to gain their views of the school.

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Inspection team

Katherine Douglas, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 21 and 22 September 2021

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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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