Ingatestone Infant School

Inspection of Ingatestone Infant School Fryerning Lane, Ingatestone, Essex CM4 0DF

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 November 2023

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 12 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection. 14 and 15 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils at Ingatestone Infant School like coming to school. They listen carefully in lessons and rise to the high behaviour expectations. This creates an atmosphere where pupils are ready and able to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a rich range of experiences. They benefit from various visits and presentations about the wider world. Parents as well as teachers share their experiences from other countries. Pupils learn to be culturally aware. They talk confidently about difference, tolerance and respect. For example, pupils in Year 2 enjoyed a visit to the local museum. Here, they learned more about their town’s rich history. They learned the importance of helping others who are less advantaged.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are motivated readers. They enjoy sharing their books with adults. They learn to read from a range of carefully selected books. These books reflect the topics pupils enjoy in lessons. Pupils have cosy places to share the books they choose in addition to their phonics books.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils can represent the school in tournaments. These include sports, bushcraft and the wider athletics tournaments. They have access to a range of clubs, such as chess, dance, and rock bands. These opportunities ensure that children develop their skills and talents.

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better?

The school places a high priority on pupils learning to read. In the Reception classes, children learn to blend increasingly difficult sounds. They learn to use the letter sounds to spell accurately when writing. Older pupils learn to read more complex sounds and words. Teachers match reading books to the sounds pupils are learning. Using precise checks, staff are quick to identify pupils who need extra help. Consequently, pupils read with increased fluency and understanding. This helps them to learn well in other subjects.

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better?

Teachers carefully plan how they will teach mathematical vocabulary in the early years. Adults reinforce this important language well. This helps children to develop a firm understanding of early mathematical concepts. Children who need extra support in mathematics receive it alongside their peers. Extra adults provide effective adapted resources. As a result, many children progress well.

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better?

Teachers use creative ways to motivate pupils. They choose visits to local areas of interest. Adults, including parents, share their experiences in assemblies. Teachers provide workshops about a wide variety of subjects. These activities help to keep pupils motivated and engaged. They could recall the recent history topic about Marconi and communication. Pupils related this to modern communications such as mobile phones and laptops. 14 and 15 November 2023

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Most subjects are planned and sequenced in a logical way. In these subjects, pupils build their knowledge and skills over time. However, in some subjects, the small steps that pupils need to learn are not clear enough. Therefore, teachers cannot plan the precise skills and important knowledge that pupils need next.

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Teachers have good subject knowledge. They explain tasks clearly. However, the systems for checking learning in some subjects are not as developed as they are in reading and mathematics. This means that teachers cannot always check the progress pupils make with sufficient accuracy. Therefore, in some subjects, teachers are unclear about what knowledge and vocabulary pupils have remembered.

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The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils play together well and are ready to learn. Pupils know what they are allowed to do. They say they get along well with each other. There are many adults they can go to for help, should they have any concerns or worries.

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Staff identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) appropriately. Extra adults effectively guide pupils and successfully adapt their learning. Pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers. Consequently, many pupils with SEND achieve well.

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The school prioritises pupils’ broader development. There are a variety of opportunities for pupils to represent the school. These cater for pupils’ talents and interests. Pupils learn about democracy to become school ambassadors. As well as leading, pupils learn to encourage and include each other. They understand rules and fairness.

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Staff appreciate the training opportunities that are made available to them. They benefit from working with other local schools and sharing good practice. Staff say that leaders are mindful of their well-being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some foundation subjects do not break down the sequence of important knowledge sufficiently. It is unclear precisely what pupils need to know and remember as they progress through each of the curriculum units. The school should further develop plans in these subjects to identify what pupils need to know and remember at each stage of learning.  Staff do not carry out checks that identify what pupils know and remember as they progress through some subjects. This means that learning in these subjects is not identified to inform the next steps in teaching. The school should ensure 14 and 15 November 2023

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there are robust systems in place that accurately identify what pupils have learned and remembered, so that it knows what to teach next or rehearse further.

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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 ’ 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). 14 and 15 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 November 2011

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Information about this school

 The interim headteacher took up post in May 2022.  The school does not use the services of any alternative providers.

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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

 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and scrutinised samples of pupils’ work. 14 and 15 November 2023

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 Inspectors examined a range of documents provided by the school, including leaders’ school development plans and policies.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator and phase leader for key stage 1. Subject leaders for art, history, PE, mathematics and reading also met with the inspectors.  The lead inspector spoke with three representatives from the governing body.  Pupils talked to the inspectors about their views on the school. Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktime, lunchtimes and in lessons.  Inspectors reviewed the 66 responses that were submitted by parents to Ofsted’s

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online parent questionnaire, Parent View, and considered the 66 free-text responses from parents.  The 11 responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for school staff were considered. The inspectors also spoke with several groups of staff during the inspection. There were 26 responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for pupils that were considered.

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Inspection team

Pamela Finch, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lucie Calow Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 November 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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