North Farnborough Infant School

Inspection of North Farnborough Infant School Rectory Road, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 8AJ

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected 15 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 29 and 30 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Friendly and confident pupils enjoy being together in this nurturing community. They greet each other and adults with a big smile and a wave. Pupils work and play together well. The school’s inclusive ethos means pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), thrive. Everyone is valued and respected.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and happy. They trust staff to look after them. Pupils understand what bullying is and know that it is wrong. Leaders deal with any incidents efficiently. Pupils know about how to look after themselves. One pupil said, ‘Fruit keeps me healthy and milk makes my bones strong.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of behaviour. The school’s rules, ‘be safe, be respectful, be ready’, are well established. This means that pupils know what is expected of them and have positive attitudes towards their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in the early years chat happily with their friends. They flourish in the stimulating environment that leaders have created. Older pupils enjoy their extra responsibilities such as being a ‘playtime pal’ or a member of the school council. These experiences are helping them to build independence and confidence.

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better?

Leaders have designed a high-quality curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND. The essential knowledge that pupils need to know and remember is clearly set out for each subject. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is carefully sequenced so that pupils’ learning builds from the early years through to Year 2. The curriculum is enriched with opportunities which bring pupils’ learning to life. For instance, the school organises trips to the community gardens for pupils to learn about habitats in the local area. Children in Reception Year enjoy the visit from the local fire service.

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better?

Leaders and staff rightly prioritise and promote a love of reading. They want all pupils to be confident and independent readers. While the teaching of phonics is largely effective, some inconsistencies exist. Leaders have identified that some staff require further training to develop their expertise. Children in early years get off to a strong start. Staff give parents helpful advice so that they can support their children’s reading at home. The books used to teach reading and phonics are appropriately matched to the sounds that pupils know. Staff quickly identify pupils who need any extra support with their reading. This helps pupils to catch up quickly.

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better?

Leaders ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified appropriately. Skilled staff understand pupils’ individual needs well. They provide resources and activities that are well matched to the needs of these pupils. Leaders monitor provision closely and make sure that pupils with SEND are fully included in all areas 29 and 30 March 2022

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of school life. Where appropriate, leaders work well with a range of external agencies to ensure that pupils have the support they need.

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Pupils achieve well in mathematics. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to present information clearly. They make sure that pupils use their existing knowledge to learn new ideas and embed the important content into their long-term memory. Children in early years have plenty of opportunities to use and apply their learning in the stimulating and well-resourced environment. Consequently, children are confident in their recognition and ordering of numbers. However, in a small number of subjects, some teachers’ subject knowledge is not as strong. This means that pupils do not achieve as well as they could in these subjects. Leaders are addressing this.

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Pupils are enthusiastic learners. There is a calm, focused and respectful atmosphere in school, where learning is the priority. Those pupils who need support to manage their feelings and emotions get the help they need. In early years, children are curious about their learning. They work independently and are fully engaged in the work they do. They persevere with demanding work because staff provide lots of encouragement.

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Leaders have thought carefully about how they want to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. Pupils talk about different communities and celebrations knowledgeably, for example Diwali and Chinese New Year. They listen to and discuss the views of others sensitively. They have a strong sense of the importance of being fair and kind. Pupils have a range of experiences to develop their talents. They look forward to dance, multi-sports and the ever-popular conker club. Pupils, and children in early years, learn how to look after their community. They regularly make donations to the local food bank and raise funds for the charities they support.

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Leaders and governors make sure that they are mindful of staff’s workload and well-being. Staff agree that leaders are approachable and caring. Governors are well informed about the school and share leaders’ ambitious vision for pupils. They offer effective challenge to leaders about the quality of education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are vigilant. They fully understand that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Staff are well trained. They are alert to any signs that pupils may be at risk of harm. Staff act quickly and take the necessary steps if they have any concerns about pupils’ well-being. Leaders make timely and appropriate referrals to external agencies where necessary. They ensure that pupils and their families get the help they need.

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Safeguarding

Staff use the curriculum to teach pupils how to keep themselves safe. This includes when pupils are working or playing online and when out in the local community. 29 and 30 March 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, there are inconsistencies in how phonics is taught. Leaders should continue providing staff with phonics training to further strengthen staff’s expertise. This will help ensure that all staff are clear how to teach the school’s phonics programme.  Leaders are aware that in a small number of subjects staff have variable subject knowledge. This means that pupils do not achieve as well as they could in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that teachers are confident and skilled in the content they are delivering.

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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. 29 and 30 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211814 Type of school Infant

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Margaret Doubell

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 September 2007

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in April 2018.  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 received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, staff and pupils.  Inspectors met with three governors, including the chair of the governing body. They also met with a representative from Hampshire local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, religious education and design and technology. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke 29 and 30 March 2022

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to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked samples of pupils’ work.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors checked the single central record of recruitment checks and talked to leaders responsible for safeguarding. Inspectors also talked to a range of staff and pupils informally.  Inspectors considered the responses to the confidential staff survey and spoke to a range of staff about their views on the school.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, and the additional free-text responses.  Inspectors considered responses to the pupil survey. They met with a range of pupils to discuss their views about the school and talked to pupils informally during social times and in lessons.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and school development plan, pupil premium and catch-up funding plans.

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Inspection team

Louise Walker, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Laura James Her Majesty’s Inspector 29 and 30 March 2022

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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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