Samuel White's Infant School

Inspection of Samuel White’s Infant School Abbots Avenue, Hanham, Bristol, South Gloucestershire BS15 3PN

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 Good 6 and 7 December 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Samuel White’s Infant School is a welcoming and caring place to learn. Pupils understand the importance of the school rules ‘ready, respect and safe.’ The rules are an integral part of school life that pupils follow day to day. As a result, pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They listen carefully and try their best. Pupils are keen to do well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know pupils well. Relationships between adults and pupils are positive. Pupils are safe and feel safe. Parents appreciate the nurturing environment that staff create.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils accurately understand what bullying is. They say that it is rare. They are confident that adults would quickly resolve any problems if they arose. During social times, adults support pupils to play a range of different games and use a wide variety of playground equipment. Pupils show kindness and cooperate well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a range of experiences to support their wider development. These include writing letters to the elderly in a local residential home. Pupils enjoy a range of extra-curricular clubs, including judo and gymnastics.

p.2

better?

Leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to succeed and thrive as individuals. Leaders maintain a strong focus on mathematics and reading. From the Reception Year, learning builds on what pupils already know. Adults provide appropriate support that helps pupils with SEND to learn the same curriculum as their peers. Pupils remember important learning in reading and mathematics. Teachers revisit previous learning to check pupils’ understanding. For example, pupils rehearse and practise the recall of number bonds. This helps them to confidently reason and solve mathematical problems.

p.2

better?

Leaders have prioritised reading. They ensure that staff have the training required to teach reading well. As a result, there is a consistent approach to the teaching of reading. As soon as children start school, teachers immerse them in a range of interesting and diverse stories. Pupils enjoy listening to adults read aloud. This happens daily. An effective phonics programme supports the youngest pupils to learn to read well. Parents say they find information about the teaching of reading helpful. They know how they can support it at home. The books pupils read match the sounds they are learning. This helps them to read fluently. Teachers use assessment information to check the progress that pupils make. Therefore, those who are at risk of falling behind receive the support they need to catch up.

p.2

better?

Leaders are developing a coherent and well-sequenced curriculum. In most subjects, leaders have identified the content and knowledge they want pupils to learn. However, in some wider curriculum subjects, they have not yet clarified precisely 6 and 7 December 2022

p.2

3

what they want pupils to know and remember. Consequently, in history, for example, pupils do not have a secure understanding of chronology and time.

p.3

3

Pupils are thoughtful and inclusive. They appreciate difference and have a strong awareness of equality and respect for others. Pupils know how to stay healthy. Children in the Reception Year know that fruit and milk are healthy choices. However, some aspects of pupils’ personal development are not fully developed. There are too few opportunities for pupils to make a positive contribution to their school community.

p.3

3

Leaders set high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils understand and happily abide by them. This means that lessons flow without interruption and pupils focus on their learning. In the Reception Year, children move between the inside and outdoor environment in an orderly and considered way. They build dens together and listen to each other’s ideas. Children are confident to take risks when climbing and jumping because adults support them to feel safe.

p.3

3

Governors share the ambitions of school leaders. They provide a balance of support and challenge. Governors meet with leaders, including subject leaders, to understand how the school is developing. Staff value the support they receive from leaders. They appreciate the consideration given to managing their workload.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that adults in school are well trained to recognise when a pupil may be at risk of harm. Staff refer and record concerns using the school’s agreed approach. Leaders seek support from other agencies when families need their help. Parents are confident that pupils are safe.

p.3

Safeguarding

Thorough recruitment checks ensure that adults who work with children are suitable. Leaders record this information accurately on the single central record.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to stay safe, including when using the internet. They learn about fire safety and the importance of leaving the school building sensibly when the fire bell rings.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some wider curriculum subjects, leaders have not identified the important knowledge they want pupils to learn and remember. This means that there are gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Leaders need to more precisely identify the key knowledge they want pupils to learn so that pupils know and remember more. 6 and 7 December 2022

p.3

4

 Opportunities for pupils to contribute to their school community are limited. Pupils do not gain a full understanding of what it means to be a responsible citizen. Leaders should build opportunities for pupils to develop this knowledge so that pupils can contribute to and influence the school community.

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. 6 and 7 December 2022

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 5 February 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Samuel White’s Infant School is part of the Hanham Primary Federation, along with Hanham Abbots Junior school. The schools share the same governing body.  There have been several changes to the senior leadership since the previous inspection. The headteacher is the executive headteacher across the infant and junior schools. She was appointed in September 2021.  There is a breakfast club for pupils who attend the school.  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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 6 and 7 December 2022

p.5

6

 The inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons jointly with leaders, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspectors also spoke to leaders about curriculum planning in other subjects. The lead inspector listened to pupils read to a trusted adult.  The lead inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding records and checked the school’s single central record. They discussed safeguarding arrangements with the designated safeguarding leads. The inspectors also spoke to pupils and adults about safety.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at various times of the day, including breaktime and lunchtime.  Inspectors spoke to pupils, staff and parents to gather their views of the school.

p.6

6

They reviewed responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, along with additional free-text comments. Inspectors considered responses to the staff survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Wendy D’Arcy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Jonathan Gower Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 December 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