Lyndhurst Infant School

Inspection of Lyndhurst Infant School Lyndhurst Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 2DG

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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 Good 23 and 24 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their time at school, which is a safe and welcoming environment. Even the youngest children have a clear sense of being part of a community. This extends to families, such as through ‘grandparents day’ tours. Pupils are enthusiastic about learning within and beyond the classroom. Beach school and forest school activities help to enrich and extend their learning. The sensory garden provides a calming environment as well as a place to learn about nature.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff establish clear routines and high expectations. Pupils are praised for acting in line with these, and they largely do so. As a result, pupils behave very well in lessons and in the specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (specially resourced provision) where they are taught by specialist staff. From early years, children learn to be kind and considerate. They follow the school’s value of ‘we can’ and persevere when faced with challenges and unfamiliar situations. Pupils accept pupils’ differences. They support their peers and new arrivals alike.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are clear that bullying is not tolerated. They know that they can talk to staff about worries they might have. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well by caring staff who understand their needs well.

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better?

Leaders have aspirational aims for what pupils will learn, starting from early years. Leaders have carefully planned the curriculum to ensure that pupils, particularly those with SEND, learn well across a range of subjects. This is the case both in mainstream classes and in the specially resourced provision. Staff are knowledgeable about the subjects they teach. They model learning well and help pupils to learn new vocabulary. Teachers provide engaging and enjoyable learning activities. These activities are adapted well to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

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better?

Teachers are skilled at checking what pupils understand. In early years, staff ensure that children form letters and numbers accurately. Assessment is used well, and this helps staff to identify pupils’ needs. Teachers assess what pupils know and use this to work out what they need to learn next. In some subjects, teachers’ delivery of the curriculum varies in its depth. For example, in history, teachers do not always ensure that pupils understand important concepts about the past. Mathematical learning is promoted strongly throughout the school. Early years staff reinforce children’s number learning through prompts in the classroom and outdoor environment.

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better?

Leaders prioritise reading for all pupils. Pupils read, and are read to, on a regular basis. Staff ensure that pupils’ books are matched to sounds that they can read. Weaker readers practise reading frequently, including in breakfast club sessions. 23 and 24 May 2023

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However, some pupils’ reading ability continues to lag behind their peers. They have not yet caught up despite leaders’ actions.

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Pupils’ attendance has improved markedly thanks to the actions of leaders. They are clear about the importance of being in school. Staff work with families to understand and address issues which limit attendance. As a result, persistent absence has declined sharply. Disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND are attending more frequently. This enables them to learn and achieve more as a result.

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Leaders provide a wealth of opportunities for pupils’ personal development. Staff provide suitable pastoral support for pupils who need it. Pupils learn about staying healthy, both physically and mentally. This is supported by activities such as ‘Lyndhurst laps’ to promote pupils’ well-being. All pupils take part in an extensive range of activities and visits. There are workshops and enrichment sessions for every year group. These help pupils to learn and develop their confidence. Leaders ensure that the library showcases diverse role models for pupils. Pupils develop a clear sense of right and wrong. They learn about other faiths and cultures, such as through ‘international day’. Pupils take on responsibilities such as being buddies or ‘Lyndhurst leaders’. They vote for books they want to read. This helps children in early years to begin understanding democracy.

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Leadership is consistently strong throughout the school. Leaders and governors ensure that the school maintains strong relationships with pupils’ families. There is a shared understanding of the challenges that pupils at Lyndhurst face. Guidance and support are offered to parents even before children join in reception. Parents are positive about the school’s work, particularly in support of pupils with SEND. Governors are knowledgeable about the school and their statutory duties. Leaders are considerate of staff’s well-being. They have fostered a supportive ethos among the staff team.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that safeguarding is embedded in the life of the school. Pupils learn about keeping safe, including while online. They also learn about open-water safety. Staff understand the signs that indicate pupils might be at risk. This helps leaders to identify vulnerable pupils. Leaders make sure that pupils and families get help when they need it. External agencies support leaders’ work in school. At times, leaders have been relentless in their interaction with outside agencies. As a result, they have ensured that the right help is in place. Leaders keep detailed records, including all required pre-employment checks.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, pupils’ learning is stronger in some elements than in others. 23 and 24 May 2023

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This means that they do not yet achieve consistently high across the whole curriculum. Leaders should ensure that all aspects of the curriculum are equally effective.  Leaders have not ensured that gaps in reading are addressed effectively for all pupils. As a result, some pupils have not yet caught up with where they need to be. Leaders should ensure that gaps in reading are closed rapidly in order to give all pupils the best foundation for future learning.

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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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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. 23 and 24 May 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 February 2018

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Information about this school

 Lyndhurst Infant School has a specially resourced provision for nine pupils with autism spectrum disorder.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded 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 headteachers and subject leaders. Inspectors spoke with a representative from the local authority, West Sussex.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education and history.  For each deep dive, inspectors 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. Inspectors also spoke to leaders 23 and 24 May 2023

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about the curriculum in some other subjects and looked at records of pupils’ learning.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the school’s single central record and files relating to safeguarding cases and spoke with staff, pupils and governors.

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Inspection team

Daniel Botting, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Liz McIntosh Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 May 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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