Alexandra Infant School

Inspection of a good school: Alexandra Infant School Kent House Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 1JG

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 September 2023

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Outcome

Alexandra Infant School continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Alison Hills. This school is part of Nexus Education Schools Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Paula Farrow, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ann Golding.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud members of this inclusive, warm and nurturing school. They are happy, feel safe and enjoy learning. Pupils know to talk to an adult if they have any concerns or worries. They behave well in lessons and around the school. This is because of the caring and respectful working relationships between pupils and staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff promote the school’s ambitions consistently so that they inspire pupils and help them to succeed. They have high expectations of what pupils can and do achieve, both academically and personally. This includes all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a variety of opportunities and experiences to broaden their personal development, for instance visitors, events such as dance and history workshops, and the life tent. Staff develop pupils’ cultural understanding well, including through international week and African storytelling. Pupils have many opportunities to be involved in fundraising for charities that are relevant to their local community as well as larger national events. Leaders encourage pupils to learn about the school’s core values, such as being respectful and caring. For example, pupils take part in themed weeks and days such as Anti-Bullying Week and ‘Odd Socks Day’.

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

The school’s curriculum, including for pupils with SEND, is broad and balanced. This has been well thought through, with the key knowledge, skills and vocabulary identified from the early years onwards. Leaders identify what pupils need to learn and the order in which they are going to learn it. In some subjects, the activities that pupils complete do 12 and 13 September 2023

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not focus sharply on the key knowledge and skills they need to learn. This means that pupils remember the activities they have completed rather than important content to support their future learning.

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Teachers give pupils opportunities to revisit and recap prior learning. Staff have secure subject knowledge and present information clearly. Pupils are focused on their learning and know what is expected of them. Routines and expectations are embedded right from the start when pupils join the school.

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Pupils with SEND achieve highly from their starting points, as staff are aspirational for them. Pupils with SEND are fully included and learn alongside their peers successfully. Staff use appropriate adaptations and resources to support pupils with SEND in their learning. Pupils with SEND in the specially resourced provision follow their bespoke pathway to meet clearly defined targets. They also learn life skills so that they are well prepared for the next phase of their education.

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Teaching pupils to read well is a priority. This begins as soon as pupils start school with daily phonics lessons. The teaching of phonics is carefully sequenced. Staff have all been trained, so they teach phonics consistently. They deliver effective sessions that provide pupils with lots of opportunities to practise their reading skills. Pupils who fall behind get the help they need to catch up. Pupils read books that are well matched to the sounds they are learning. This helps them to become confident and fluent readers. A love of reading is promoted widely, including through daily story times and author visits.

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Staff promote pupils’ broader development, including through regular personal, social and health education lessons. They teach pupils to explore feelings and emotions to support their own well-being. Pupils develop an understanding and respect of different types of families. They can describe what a healthy relationship is at an age-appropriate level. Pupils are taught how to keep physically and mentally healthy. They take part in Mental Health Awareness Week and are taught how to keep themselves safe online. Pupils have opportunities to share their opinions as members of the school council or through the ‘pupil voice table’.

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The trust, local committee, leaders and staff have an aligned vision for the pupils at this school. There are clear processes in place that support and develop the education provided. This includes collaborative working with other schools in the trust and a wide range of training for school staff and local committee members. This ensures everyone has the appropriate skills required for their roles. Staff are proud to work here and feel well supported with their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 12 and 13 September 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the activities pupils complete do not ensure that the aims of the intended curriculum are implemented consistently. This means that pupils recall activities they have done rather than important subject-specific content. The school should support subject leaders and teachers so that they support pupils to develop their understanding to be fully ready for future learning in all 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 school to be good in May 2018.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 12 and 13 September 2023

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 9 and 10 May 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Nexus Education Schools Trust.  The school does not make use of any alternative providers.  The school has a specially resourced provision for 18 pupils with autism.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, chief executive officer, chair of trustees, chair of the local committee and other local committee members.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and 12 and 13 September 2023

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looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector also considered staff’s responses to Ofsted’s survey.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in the playground and at lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Julie Wright, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 12 and 13 September 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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