Beddington Infants' School

Inspection of Beddington Infants’ School Croydon Road, Wallington, Surrey SM6 7LF

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 18 and 19 July 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive here. School staff form nurturing, professional relationships with pupils. Many pupils said they can speak to adult in school if they are worried about anything. Leaders make sure that pupils are safe. Leaders, parents and carers work collaboratively to support pupils’ welfare and well-being.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy working together and helping each other. For example, pupils in Year 2 take pleasure in helping children in the Reception Year to use knives and forks at lunchtime. Many pupils in Year 2 said how much they love supporting the younger children with reading. Pupils behave responsibly and considerately. If any incidents of bullying occur, leaders deal with these effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have ambition for pupils. Pupils’ personal and social development is given high priority. Leaders make sure that pupils have opportunities to explore nature. Pupils have time in the day to take part in reflective ‘mindful moments’. They have opportunities to share ideas about learning and submit their suggestions for weekly ‘challenge’ activities, which leaders include in the curriculum. Many pupils said they feel proud when their suggested activity is selected.

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better?

Leaders foster a love of reading. Pupils have many opportunities to read and enjoy books. Children in the Nursery stay focused and engaged in stories for extended periods of time. This is because teaching staff make story time fun and engaging. Phonics teaching starts in the early years. Leaders and teaching staff check children’s starting points in phonics. Teaching and reading books are matched to the letter sounds pupils know. Pupils who fall behind receive additional phonics and reading time. This is to address gaps and to help them catch up. Pupils become confident, fluent readers swiftly.

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better?

The school curriculum meets the ambition of the national curriculum and the early years foundation stage profile. Generally, leaders have strong expertise and knowledge. Typically, leaders identify the most important knowledge for pupils to know and remember from the early years onwards. Leaders and teaching staff provide many opportunities for pupils to recall and apply this knowledge in different ways. For example, in Year 1 pupils are taught to use words such as ‘mechanism’, ‘stronger’ and ‘stiffer’ to pinpoint improvements to their designs of ‘pop-up cards’. Pupils in Year 2 use the same vocabulary and more to describe ways to improve designs for castles.

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better?

Pupils develop strong knowledge of mathematics. This is because leaders make sure that teaching builds on what pupils learned before. Teachers check for any gaps in pupils’ knowledge and make sure that these are addressed. As a result, pupils connect new learning to previous knowledge confidently. For example, in the early years, children have many opportunities to count and understand number in 18 and 19 July 2023

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different ways. As a result, pupils in Year 2 count in multiples of 10 and use this knowledge to help them solve number problems confidently.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective help and support. Teaching staff receive effective training. This includes training from a range of external experts and professionals. Teachers identify pupils with SEND swiftly and make appropriate adaptations to teaching and resources. As a result, pupils with SEND learn the intended curriculum alongside their peers.

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A few subjects are at an earlier stage of development than others. Leaders have not identified and sequenced important knowledge in Years 1 and 2 as fully in these subjects as in others to help pupils to remember it. Where this is the case, pupils struggle to recall some important information.

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Pupils are enthusiastic and motivated to learn. Pupils and teachers agree collaboratively on the behaviour that is expected. Expectations are clear and pupils are highly engaged in learning, including in the early years.

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Leaders provide rich opportunities for pupils’ personal development throughout the curriculum. For example, teachers encourage children in the early years to be independent and persevere when sandwich-making for a ‘teddy bears picnic’. Pupils are taught important information about respecting others’ viewpoints, religions and traditions. One pupil typically said: ‘I like learning how we’re all different but the same.’ All pupils access a wide range of clubs. These include art, yoga, sculpture and French knitting.

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The governing body is knowledgeable. Members provide appropriate support and challenge for leaders. Leaders and the governing body consult staff on issues that may impact workload and well-being. Many staff commented how much they enjoy working at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide appropriate safeguarding training for staff. As a result, school staff know the signs that may indicate a pupil needs help or support. If concerns arise, leaders follow these up swiftly and robustly. Leaders collaborate with a range of external safeguarding partners appropriately. This is to make sure that pupils and families get the help they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught age-appropriate information about healthy relationships. They are taught how to stay safe, including online. Pupils are taught when to speak up and seek help. 18 and 19 July 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the school has not identified and sequenced important knowledge in Year 1 and Year 2 fully. Where this is the case, pupils struggle to remember some important information. Leaders must ensure that important knowledge is identified and sequenced effectively in all subjects.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents 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. 18 and 19 July 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 24 April 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Sutton Education Trust with seven other schools.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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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 held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders. Inspectors also met with representatives of the governing body and spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, design technology and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the 18 and 19 July 2023

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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 other subjects.  Inspectors spoke with leaders, staff and pupils about safeguarding. Inspectors scrutinised safeguarding records and looked at how concerns are followed up.  Inspectors visited the playground and dining hall at breaktimes.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys from staff, pupils and parents. Inspectors also spoke with some parents before school.

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Inspection team

Andrea Bedeau, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Rekha Bhakoo Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 July 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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