Eastfield Infants and Nursery Academy

Inspection of Eastfield Infants and Nursery Academy Lacey Gardens, Louth, Lincolnshire LN11 8DQ

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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 Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 6–7 June 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone is proud to be a part of ‘LaceyField’ as the school is known locally. Pupils say that their school has got better and better. They are rarely disturbed in class. Adults are always there to help. They want everyone, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to be ready for the next stage of their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in early years settle quickly into routines. Staff get to know them and their families exceptionally well. Children enjoy sharing special moments with others during snack time. They get off to the best possible start in nursery and reception. Pupils work and play together happily. They say everyone is kind. Playtimes are lively and enjoyable. Pupils explain that the new climbing frames are fun to explore with their friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school day begins with a nurture breakfast for all. Pupils say that they have learned that ‘a good start means a good day’. Extra support is readily available for pupils who need more help to start the day well. Parents and carers appreciate this support and say that staff always make the time to talk. However, too many pupils do not attend school on every day that they could. This is beginning to improve.

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better?

This is a school where everyone is valued. Leaders want adults and children to become ‘the best version of themselves’. Staff feel that they have been well supported through a time of change. Governors, staff and leaders from the trust share an ‘academy dream’ of creating the right environment where all pupils make the best possible progress.

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better?

Adults explain clearly to pupils how to behave. The ‘Bee Values’ are displayed everywhere. Pupils remember them well. They say ‘you have to follow the bees’ to know how to behave. They know that they have to ‘bee in charge of themselves’, for example. Pupils listen carefully in class and follow instructions straight away.

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better?

All children learn how to ‘be brave’ in their learning. They become completely absorbed in it. Adults make sure that children get plenty of chances to practise what they are learning outside. They choose activities skilfully to rapidly build children’s knowledge of how to move, for example. Adults know exactly how to make these activities more challenging as children learn to control their bodies better.

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better?

All staff know that learning to read is crucial. The youngest children get off to a swift start. Leaders have rightly prioritised phonics for pupils in key stage 1 as well. There are extra lessons for all during the school day. The books that pupils read precisely match the sounds they know. More pupils are now able to read them well. 6–7 June 2023

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Teachers know exactly what to teach next in mathematics. Pupils learn to use the right vocabulary. This means that they can explain their thinking clearly. Teachers ask questions that help the youngest children to think deeply. Children in the early years are proud of what they have learned. For example, during an activity, children knew straight away that they had used a total of 12 counters to vote with.

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In a few subjects, the curriculum has been enhanced recently. Teachers welcome these changes. However, some of these newer curriculums are not yet implemented as well as others. Activities in science, for example, do not always help pupils to secure and deepen the really important knowledge that teachers want them to remember.

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Leaders want this to be a school for everyone. Pupils with additional physical needs get the help that they need. Pupils who need help to communicate get this support straight away. Leaders work with teachers and parents to organise plans to help pupils with SEND. Occasionally, these plans do not identify with precision exactly what pupils need to learn next.

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Pupils revel in their opportunities to help others. The ‘Happiness Ambassadors’ say they are ‘spreaders of joy’ on the playground. They use the ‘Happy High Five’ cards to help pupils become friends again. Librarians enjoy the responsibility of making sure that the library is tidy. Pupils learn about a range of faiths. They can recall some of what they have learned. Leaders are working to deepen pupils’ knowledge of faith and cultures.

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Leaders act quickly when a pupil does not turn up to school. They make their expectations of good attendance clear to all. Despite this, many pupils’ attendance is too low. Staff work closely with parents to help them to bring their child to school every day. These strategies are beginning to make a difference.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders rightly prioritise this work. They make sure that all concerns are taken seriously so that ‘no one falls through the net’. They work closely with external agencies, but also challenge decisions when they feel that these are not in the best interests of children. Governors are assiduous in checking that leaders are managing difficult situations correctly as well as supporting families where necessary.

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Safeguarding

Staff know precisely what risks their pupils may face. They make sure that they teach pupils how to manage these risks. For example, pupils learn about the potential dangers in online gaming. 6–7 June 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum in a few subjects is at an early stage of implementation and staff subject knowledge is developing in these areas. Sometimes, activities do not enable pupils to build knowledge as well as they might. Leaders should make sure that teachers have the subject knowledge to identify exactly what pupils need to learn so that activities always enable pupils to know more and remember more.  Occasionally, targets for pupils with SEND are not as precise as they could be. This means that teachers do not always focus well enough on precisely what some pupils need to know to be able to make the best possible progress. Leaders should ensure that plans for pupils accurately identify the most important next steps that will make the biggest difference to the pupil’s progress. Leaders should make sure that these plans are checked, updated and shared with all who are supporting the pupil.  Too many pupils do not attend school every day that they could. This means that

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

some pupils, particularly those with SEND, do not get all the opportunities that they need to build their knowledge. Leaders should continue to check that the strategies that they are putting in place are making a difference.

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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. 6–7 June 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10254745 Type of school Infant

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School details

Acting Executive Principal Charlotte Briggs

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School details

Website www.laceyfieldlouth.co.uk/about-us/

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Eastfield Infants and Nursery Academy and Lacey Gardens Junior Academy work closely together. Together, they are known as LaceyField. These two schools share a site, a senior leadership team and governing body.  No alternative provision is used by the school.  There is a before- and after-school club at the school which is managed by the governing body.  Eastfields Infants and Nursery Academy converted to become an academy school in November 2018. When its predecessor school, Louth Eastfields Infants’ and Nursery School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to require improvement overall.  The substantive executive principal was on leave at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 6–7 June 2023

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 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 this into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors carried out five deep dives during this inspection. These were in: art and design, early reading, history, mathematics and science. This involved meeting subject leaders, visiting lessons, speaking with pupils and scrutinising work. The lead inspector listened to pupils read to a familiar adult. Inspectors also considered curriculum information about geography and religious education.  During the inspection, the lead inspector met with the acting executive principal and other members of the school leadership team. She met with representatives of the trust and the governing body. Inspectors met with the coordinators for SEND and curriculum leaders.  The lead inspector met with the local governing body and leaders of the trust,

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including the chief executive officer.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for safeguarding. They reviewed records and documentation, including the single central register. They spoke with pupils and staff.  Inspectors spoke with parents at the beginning and end of the day. They took account of the opinions expressed through the Ofsted Parent View survey.  Groups of staff met inspectors. Inspectors took account of the pupil and staff surveys.  Inspectors observed playtimes and lunchtimes. They visited breakfast club and assembly times. They spoke with groups of pupils, both formally and informally, during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Hazel Henson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Heidi Bastock Ofsted Inspector 6–7 June 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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