Galleywood Infant School

Inspection of Galleywood Infant School Barnard Road, Galleywood, Galleywood Infant School, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 8RR

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 November 2023

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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 Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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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. The school received an ungraded inspection under section 8 of the Act on 17 October 2017. 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. 28 and 29 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

At Galleywood Infant a culture of mutual respect flows through the school. This creates a warm and welcoming environment. Pupils eagerly rise to the high expectations adults have of them. The school mantra of ‘we look after everyone at our school’ guides pupils to care for each other. They enjoy playing with each other and are extremely polite and friendly. Pupils are happy, safe and successful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bullying is rare. Pupils know it is right to speak up if they have a problem, and they know that adults will help them. Pupils know they are all different and that everyone should be treated as an individual. These differences are shared and celebrated in school, in assemblies and through key themes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a wide range of opportunities to play an active role in the life of the school and the local community. The school council, for example, meets regularly. Its proud members work together and, as was described by pupils, ‘make decisions just like the government’ to improve the school. Pupils can earn star learner awards for showing such skills as working together in a team. The pupils proudly hang the awards they have earned on their book bags.

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better?

The school has a relentless approach to providing pupils with a high-quality education. Staff build a comprehensive picture of each child, ensuring that the correct provision is in place from day one. Parents typically say that staff ‘know each child very well and take the time to get to know families and interests’. This in turn ensures that effective learning starts immediately for all children as they arrive in the Reception class.

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better?

Books and reading permeate every aspect of the school’s curriculum. Determined staff ensure that pupils learn to read well and with great enthusiasm. The teaching of the new phonics scheme is precise and accurate. This includes for children in the early years. If any pupils struggle to read with fluency, staff waste no time in giving them highly effective extra support in a variety of ways. This enables most pupils to catch up rapidly when needed. Teachers make sure that the books pupils read are well matched to their reading ability. Whole-class reading is a cherished part of each day.

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better?

The school has constructed the curriculum for each subject carefully, prioritising English, mathematics, and science. These areas of the curriculum outline the precise knowledge, skills, and vocabulary for pupils to learn. The teaching of these subjects is strong. During lessons, teachers check what pupils have learned meticulously. They use this information to prepare for or alter future lessons. Pupils remember and build on prior learning effectively. They eagerly talk about what they have learned. 28 and 29 November 2023

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Some other areas of the curriculum are at various stages of development. In these subjects, the school has not identified as precisely as it could the key skills, knowledge and vocabulary pupils need to learn. As a result, teachers are not as secure in their teaching and checking of pupils’ work. Pupils, therefore, do not achieve quite as well in some subjects.

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Pupils’ attitudes to work are superb. Adults’ very effective care and support of a small minority of pupils who find it harder to control their behaviour helps pupils to make long-term improvements. Bespoke adaptations to provision are made for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. These adaptations ensure they are ready and able to learn. Pupils demonstrate a desire to achieve and celebrate their learning skills.

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Attendance and punctuality of pupils are strong. This is because leaders have continued to prioritise regular attendance, the impact of which has been positive on all pupils.

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The programme for personal development is excellent. The school’s current theme of ‘one world many colours’ demonstrates its work on equality, diversity, and acceptance of others’ needs and backgrounds. Pupils build a deep, age-appropriate understanding of how to keep themselves healthy and safe. As part of the curriculum offer, pupils develop their experience of life inside and outside of the school through various trips and visitors. Almost all pupils take advantage of extra- curricular clubs. Pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds benefit greatly from the decision of leaders to fund their participation in these activities.

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The school exudes teamwork. Everyone knows the part that they play. Leaders ensure that all staff, including those new to teaching, receive well-considered and appropriate opportunities to further their careers. This develops a genuine drive to raise achievement even further.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, leaders have not precisely identified the important knowledge and skills they want pupils to learn. Pupils do not develop as detailed a knowledge as they could in subjects like art and history. The school should ensure it clearly identifies the important knowledge and skills so that pupils learn well across the whole curriculum. 28 and 29 November 2023

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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). 28 and 29 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website http://www.galleywood.essex.sch.uk/

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 October 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative providers.  Since the previous inspection, there is a new chair of the governing body, who took on the position in September 2018.

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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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils 28 and 29 November 2023

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about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to pupils from Years 1 and 2 read to a known adult.  Inspectors spoke with leaders and pupils about several other areas of the curriculum.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, who also holds the role of English lead, the early years leader, leaders of history and art and the special educational needs coordinator. The lead inspector met with members of the governing body. The lead inspector also held separate telephone calls with the representative of the local authority and with a parent.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: 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.  Inspectors considered 36 responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for parents, Ofsted

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Parent View, including 37 free-text responses. Inspectors also considered 24 responses to the staff questionnaire and 39 responses to the pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Ruth Brock, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

John Crane Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 November 2023

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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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