Green Lane Infant School

Inspection of a good school: Green Lane Infant School Spinney Hill Road, Leicester, Leicestershire LE5 3GG

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Outcome

Green Lane Infant School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very happy at Green Lane Infant School. They enjoy their learning and are greeted every day with a kind and caring ‘good morning’ from staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe at the school. They learn about bullying and they know there is always an adult who will help if they have any worries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know the school’s values. They know what to do to demonstrate these values. This understanding means that pupils always try their best. Low-level disruption is very rare.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have good attitudes to learning. They know it is important. Pupils enjoy learning in subjects such as mathematics. They say ‘it makes me think hard’. Pupils can take part in a wide range of opportunities and clubs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations for every pupil to do well. Many pupils are new to learning to speak English. Staff are determined to ensure that pupils are ready for their next stage of education when they leave this school.

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

The vast majority of pupils who attend Green Lane Infant School speak English as an additional language. When needed, many pupils demonstrate maturity as they translate questions from parents to staff. Leaders have developed a teaching approach to help all pupils learn the English language quickly. Staff model how pupils should respond to their questions. They encourage pupils to respond in full sentences, and correct any errors that pupils make. However, not all staff use this approach consistently.

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

The teaching of phonics is a high priority in the school. Leaders have high expectations. They check often what pupils have learned and can remember. Staff provide useful additional support for pupils who need it in small groups or individually. The mantra, ‘Look at the letters, make the sounds and blend the sounds together’, is known and used 25 and 26 April 2023

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by all. Pupils are given books to read that contain the letter sounds they have learned. This helps them to practise their sounds and read successfully.

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The curriculum drivers of ‘communication, local and global community and opportunities and aspirations’ are central to the curriculum. Most subjects are well planned. Where this is the case, leaders have identified what pupils should learn. Important words that pupils should know are also identified. Pupils remember what they have been taught. For example, they know about different religious celebrations. Pupils remember how to find fractions of shapes. Staff check, through carefully planned tasks, what pupils can recall. However, not all subjects are as well developed. In these few subjects, pupils do not build their knowledge as progressively as they should.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Leaders identify these pupils’ next steps in learning accurately. They ensure that pupils receive the extra help they need. In class, teaching is adapted effectively. This helps to ensure that all pupils can learn the intended curriculum. Some pupils who need additional support may be taught in the ‘Robin Room’.

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Children happily enjoy their learning in the early years. They enjoy the large area available to them for playing and learning. There is always lots to do. Wiggle bikes, water play, tunnels and climbing help to develop children’s knowledge and skills. Leaders use assessment information effectively in the early years. They identify which children are beginning to fall behind in their learning, and provide extra learning opportunities to help them catch up. The curriculum is broad and ambitious. Children are taught the knowledge that will help them to be ready to start in Year 1.

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Pupils value the many opportunities leaders provide to support their wider development. They enjoy opportunities such as reading, sewing and football clubs. ‘Student governors’ meet with leaders. They share ideas to help make the school better. Pupils learn about the modern world in which they live.

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Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they know how to stay safe online and when outside of school. Pupils learn about bullying. They know they must report it to an adult.

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Staff feel that their workload is manageable. They say that they are well supported by leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a strong safeguarding culture at the school. Local concerns are well known by all staff. They know that they must be vigilant. Staff know the signs to look out for that may indicate a pupil needs support.

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Safeguarding

Leaders meet regularly to share and review information. They make sure that pupils and families get the support they need. 25 and 26 April 2023

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Safeguarding records are detailed. Actions taken by the school to support pupils are swift.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have identified an effective approach to teaching that helps pupils become more proficient in English. However, not all staff are using the approach well enough. As a result, important vocabulary and language learning are sometimes missed. Leaders need to ensure the agreed approach is used by all staff in all subjects.  Leaders have identified the key knowledge pupils need to learn in most subjects, but not all. As a result, pupils’ prior learning is sometimes not appropriately built upon. Leaders must identify the key knowledge that pupils will learn across all the 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 an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school to be good in January 2016.

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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.

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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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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. 25 and 26 April 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10268423 Type of school Infant

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Green Lane Infant School converted to become an academy school in April 2019. When the predecessor school, also called Green Lane Infant School, was last inspected, it was judged to be good overall.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders, the early years leader and the SEND coordinator. Members of the governing body and representatives from Attenborough Learning Trust were also spoken to.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed 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. The inspector heard pupils read. 25 and 26 April 2023

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 The inspector reviewed curriculum documentation in other subjects.  The inspector reviewed the responses received on Ofsted Parent View and considered the results of Ofsted’s questionnaire for staff and pupils.  To judge the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector read the school’s relevant policies, scrutinised the single central record, checked the school’s procedures for safe recruitment and met with the safeguarding team. The inspector also spoke with staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Andy Lakatos, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 April 2023

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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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