Pinewood Infant School

Inspection of Pinewood Infant School Pinewood Park, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 9LE

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 October 2021

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 12 and 13 October 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pinewood Infant School is a special place. The excellent relationships developed between staff and pupils mean that pupils feel well cared for. As a result, they love coming to school. One boy told the lead inspector: ‘Pinewood is a great place to learn.’ This sentiment was echoed by a parent who responded to Ofsted’s Parent View survey, saying: ‘I feel my child has learned a lot and the school curriculum has inspired new interests.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s golden rules are well established. This means that pupils know what is expected of them. Consequently, behaviour is good and pupils have positive attitudes towards learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen advocates of the school and enjoy taking an active role in school life. For example, some pupils become ‘Pinewood Pals’, helping others that need it at playtimes. Others are elected to join the school council, and many have additional responsibilities within their classes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Aiming high is something that is instilled in pupils from the moment they start at Pinewood. One girl demonstrated this by saying that she ‘wanted to make the world a better place’. This ambition is summed up by the school’s mantra: ‘If you try, try, try – you can, can, can.’

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better?

Leaders have invested time and energy into developing an exciting and engaging curriculum. Plenty of training for subject leaders across the school means that they have a good understanding of their subjects. As a result, each subject leader has identified the most important content they want pupils to know. This has led to a well-planned and well-sequenced curriculum that takes account of what pupils need to learn from Reception to Year 2.

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better?

Pupils enjoy a wide range of subjects at the school. They are getting better at each of them because leaders have made careful decisions about the building blocks that pupils need in order to make progress. Pupils learn well because of this careful planning. For example, in mathematics, children in Reception develop a strong understanding of numbers, which helps them as they move into key stage 1.

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better?

Leaders have created a culture in which reading is encouraged and celebrated. Staff have an infectious appetite for reading and this rubs off on pupils. Children’s reading journey starts in Reception, where no time is wasted in teaching children phonics. They get off to a good start. The school’s phonics programme is planned well so that it ensures that pupils can read fluently. Some pupils receive additional support so that they can keep up with the programme.

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better?

The specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is situated in the middle of the school. This reflects these pupils 12 and 13 October 2021

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being at the very heart of Pinewood. As a result of high-quality training, lessons are tailored successfully to meet their needs. Throughout the school, pupils with SEND and those in the specially resourced provision make good progress.

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The personal development of pupils is exceptional. Every opportunity is provided to develop pupils so that they become responsible and respectful citizens. Pupils showed kindness and care for each other and for adults during the inspection. The school’s personal, social and health education programme helps pupils to become confident, resilient and independent. This is supported by committed staff who take the time to find ways to nurture and develop pupils’ individual talents and interests. One parent said: ‘The teachers have always gone above and beyond for my child.’

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Leadership at the school is outstanding. The executive headteacher and the head of school are ambitious for the school community. They have ensured that all staff are trained well. This has led to a significantly improved curriculum and teaching that is rapidly developing. Many staff commented on how well leaders have supported them. Leaders have taken the time to get to know parents and carers well, and those who responded to Ofsted’s Parent View survey spoke highly of the communication between the school and home.

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Governors are fully invested in the school and meet regularly with leaders. They know the school very well because of this. They hold leaders to account and ask challenging questions of them, always keeping pupils at the centre of their discussions. Governors ensure that they have regular contact with staff. This helps them to consider the workload and well-being of staff, which are both taken seriously.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know pupils and their families very well. They know the signs that might indicate that a pupil is at risk or needs help. They act quickly and report concerns. The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) works closely with other professionals to ensure that pupils get the help they need quickly. Leaders are well informed about safeguarding and they make sure that current research is shared with staff.

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Safeguarding

Governors have systems and processes in place to monitor the school’s work around safeguarding. They provide challenge as needed to ensure that leaders are held to account.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There are inconsistencies in how well teachers present subject matter. This sometimes slows the progress that pupils make. Leaders need to ensure that teachers’ pedagogy further develops so that it is securely embedded and 12 and 13 October 2021

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consistently applied across the school. This will help pupils to know and remember more.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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.

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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.

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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. 12 and 13 October 2021

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Headteacher

Denis Foster (Executive Headteacher) Carolyn Burleigh (Head of School) Website www.pinewoodinfants.co.uk

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Date of previous inspection

29 and 30 September 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a formal partnership with Guillemont Junior School. The two schools intend to federate in the future.  The executive headteacher oversees both Guillemont Junior School and Pinewood Infant School. There is a head of school at Pinewood Infant School.  The school has a specially resourced provision for 15 pupils with speech, language and communication needs. Pupils spend time in mainstream classes as well as the specially resourced provision.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation. 12 and 13 October 2021

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 Inspectors did deep dives in reading, mathematics, geography and art. They discussed the curriculum with leaders, staff and pupils, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and listened to pupils read.  Inspectors visited the early years provision.  Inspectors visited the specially resourced provision and spoke to staff.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, staff, pupils and those with responsibility for governance, including the chair of the governing body. They spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs coordinator to discuss the provision for pupils with SEND.  Inspectors considered the 19 responses to the confidential staff survey. They talked to parents and carers before the school day and took account of the 21 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors viewed the school’s

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website and policies, met with the DSL and spoke with pupils and staff. They scrutinised school records of the safeguarding checks carried out on adults working at the school and spoke to governors. Inspectors also scrutinised child protection records.

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Inspection team

Shaun Jarvis, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Christine Bulmer Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 October 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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