Henleaze Infant School

Inspection of Henleaze Infant School Park Grove, Henleaze, Bristol BS9 4LG

p.1

Inspection dates: 13 and 14 September 2022

p.1

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 Requires improvement 13 and 14 September 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their time at this nurturing school. Since the previous inspection, leaders, including governors, have successfully raised expectations across the school. There is a strong sense of teamwork that runs through all they do. Parents agree. The vast majority hold the school in high regard.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The ‘ELLI’ characters help pupils develop the skills needed to become effective learners. Pupils know the importance of the ‘teamwork’ bee, ‘curious’ cat and ‘stickability’ tortoise. This helps them build good learning habits right from the start.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and friendly. They try hard to follow the ‘5 Star’ rules when lining up outside and moving through the school. Bullying is very rare. Pupils say that adults expect them to act kindly towards each other, and they do. They know about the difference between bullying and minor friendship issues. Pupils feel safe because the staff care for and look after them well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ personal development is given a high priority at the school. Staff use various strategies to help reduce pupils’ anxieties, such as ‘worry bins’ and ‘well-being’ time. Leaders use carefully selected books and assemblies to celebrate diversity and difference. Pupils are proud to take on responsibilities, for example by becoming school councillors or eco-committee members.

p.2

better?

Leaders give reading a high profile. From the moment children start in Reception, they learn phonics. Staff have expert knowledge. They step in quickly to correct pupils’ misunderstandings. Pupils not keeping up with the pace of the programme receive effective support. This helps make sure that no one is left behind when learning to read. Pupils enjoy reading, including taking part in reading challenges. Leaders work well with parents. They run workshops to give parents the information they need to support their children at home. By the time pupils leave key stage 1, they become increasingly confident readers.

p.2

better?

Leaders have built an engaging curriculum that starts in the early years. Teachers have mapped out the exact knowledge that pupils need to learn in each subject. In religious education, for example, pupils deepen their knowledge and understanding of places of worship through visits to mosques and churches. This help pupils to appreciate different faiths and traditions. In mathematics, leaders have sequenced the content so that pupils can connect and remember their learning over time. Teachers use ‘flashback four’ at the start of lessons to help important knowledge stick. Pupils grasp concepts well because teachers break learning down into small, manageable steps. Nevertheless, in a few subjects, teachers do not adapt the curriculum well enough. When this happens, some groups of pupils struggle to learn new concepts. 13 and 14 September 2022

p.2

3

In many subjects, staff use assessment well. Where it is most effective, leaders use the information about what pupils know and can do to help plan the next steps. This allows pupils to remember more over time. However, systems to assess pupils’ learning in some of the wider curriculum subjects are at an early stage of development. As a result, not all subject leaders know how well different groups of pupils are learning in their subject.

p.3

3

Leaders expect pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to receive the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Staff know the pupils and their individual needs. They identify these early through home visits and links with local nurseries before children start in the Reception Year. Specialist staff, such as the emotional literacy teaching assistants, provide bespoke support to help pupils overcome their challenges. They intervene quickly when pupils need more support. Consequently, classrooms are typically calm places to learn.

p.3

3

Leaders provide pupils with many experiences to support their wider development. Pupils enthuse about trips to museums and castles to enrich the curriculum. For example, they recall why it is important to protect the environment after visiting an arboretum. Pupils enjoy celebrating festivals in school, such as Diwali, Harvest and Hanukkah. This helps broaden their cultural understanding. Pupils say, ‘It doesn’t matter who you play with as long as you are kind’. They are developing into respectful young citizens.

p.3

3

Staff and parents recognise the positive changes since the previous inspection. Morale among staff is high. They speak positively about the professional development they receive from leaders. Staff value how senior leaders and governors take their workload and well-being seriously. They are very proud to work at Henleaze Infant School.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders have effective systems in place to keep pupils safe. Staff know how to spot any signs of concern. Leaders respond swiftly to offer pupils and families the support they need, including the use of external specialists. Staff carry out the required checks to ensure that adults are safe to work with pupils.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils know many ways to keep themselves safe. They understand the rules for safe computer use and how to handle sharp objects safely. Pupils feel confident to seek help from adults if they have any concerns. 13 and 14 September 2022

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some lessons, teachers do not successfully adapt the curriculum well enough to meet different groups of pupils’ precise needs. When this happens, some pupils struggle to acquire new learning. Leaders need to support teachers to adapt the curriculum effectively to ensure that all groups of pupils learn the essential knowledge in lessons.  Leaders’ systems to assess how well pupils are learning in some of the wider curriculum subjects are in their infancy. Consequently, not all subject leaders have a detailed enough understanding of how well pupils are learning the intended curriculum. Leaders should support subject leaders to evaluate the impact the curriculum is having on pupils’ learning.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 13 and 14 September 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10241220 Type of school Infant

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Chairs of governing body Amar Shah and Richard Lukes

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 27 and 28 November 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 There have been significant changes in leadership since the previous inspection. The current headteacher took up post in January 2019. Most of the governing body are new to the role.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

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 school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other school staff, representatives from the local authority and members of the governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design, and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed 13 and 14 September 2022

p.5

6

the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1 and 2 read to an adult.  The lead inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding documentation, including safeguarding checks carried out on staff working at the school. Inspectors talked to governors, staff and pupils about how the school keeps everyone safe.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  Inspectors spoke with a range of staff to discuss how leaders support their workload and well-being.  Inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments, and responses to the pupil and staff survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Dale Burr, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Lisa Dadds Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 September 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7