Earlswood Infant and Nursery School

Inspection of a good school: Earlswood Infant and Nursery School St John’s Road, Redhill, Surrey RH1 6DZ

p.1

Outcome

Earlswood Infant and Nursery School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils eagerly anticipate coming to this school. Sights are set high for pupils, and they achieve well. They get a great start to their education in the Nursery, where adults skilfully teach the curriculum with children’s interests in mind. Children quickly develop a thirst for learning, fascinated by the captivating lessons and wider experiences their teachers plan for them. They visit art galleries and museums and are inspired to find out more about great artists and scientists.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are taught how to recognise their emotions and ways of staying calm such as listening to music, peer massage or controlling their breathing. They know they can trust adults to help them by talking openly about feelings of anger or sadness. As a result, pupils live up to the school’s high expectations for behaviour and have excellent attitudes to their learning. Right from the Nursery, children sustain long periods of concentration as they explore and practise new concepts. As one parent put it: ‘Earlswood Infant and Nursery School is a wonderful, nurturing environment where children feel welcome and enjoy learning. It encourages them to be more independent and to work well with others.’

p.1

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

The school has a relentless focus on improving incrementally so that pupils can achieve even more highly. Governors support the school to achieve its ambitious vision effectively. Everyone is committed to the plan for pupils’ personal development opportunities and academic attainment. Staff are unanimously proud to be part of this school.

p.1

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

The school has worked hard to develop a broad and interesting curriculum which builds in logical order from the Nursery to Year 2. As a result, all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, learn the same ambitious curriculum and achieve well. In many subjects, such as mathematics and science, the school has identified the precise knowledge pupils need to build securely on what they have learned 12 and 13 March 2024

p.1

2

before. From the Nursery, teachers focus on helping children learn the most important knowledge about mathematics and the world, giving them opportunities to recap and discuss it. Pupils commit their learning to long-term memory and can remember it in detail. For example, they become fluent in mathematical operations and are able to explain their thinking and reasoning about number problems. Teachers adapt activities so they are precisely tailored to pupils’ learning needs. The school is further refining some other subjects so that teachers know the exact knowledge that needs to be taught. In mathematics and science, teachers use assessment systematically to check that pupils understand the most important areas. In some other subjects, pupils do not learn as securely because assessment is not used consistently well to help them with gaps in their learning.

p.2

2

Staff are knowledgeable about how young children develop. Teachers design activities both inside and outdoors which stimulate pupils’ interests as they explore and discuss the curriculum. Pupils independently find the resources they need to paint and make models. They become confident to try out new ideas, building their understanding and resilience as they get older. For example, in Reception, children learn about life cycles by predicting how ducklings will hatch and how long beans will take to sprout. By Year 2, pupils know how to carry out scientific tests as they consider what material would keep them dry in the rain. The school has carefully considered the exact technical vocabulary pupils need to understand. Teachers model new language expertly and pupils use it accurately when talking about their learning.

p.2

2

Phonics is taught consistently well. The school has worked hard to make sure that all staff have the expertise they need to support struggling readers. Children practise listening attentively in the Nursery, so they are ready to learn phonics in Reception. Pupils enjoy reading. They are surrounded by captivating stories and poems which teachers use to bring the curriculum to life.

p.2

2

Pupils’ personal development is a strong aspect of the school. Pupils contribute to the school community by being elected pupil parliamentarians. They know the school’s values and follow adults who lead by example through demonstrating respect and kindness. Pupils learn how to stay safe on the internet, knowing never to share personal information with strangers. Pupils learn that exercise, healthy food and sleep keep them healthy. Pupils enjoy special curriculum events, such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) week. Visiting engineers and physicists inspire pupils, giving them real-life insights into the curriculum and possible future careers.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some areas of the curriculum, the most important knowledge that pupils need to know is not yet fully defined. As a result, pupils’ learning does not always build as 12 and 13 March 2024

p.2

3

securely as it could. The school should continue to refine these areas of the curriculum, so adults focus on the most important learning during teaching, assessment, feedback and retrieval practice.  In some lessons, adults do not always check pupils’ understanding systematically to help them use knowledge fluently and develop their understanding. This means that some pupils have gaps in their learning which are not addressed quickly enough. The school should continue to support adults in using assessment consistently well to inform future teaching so that pupils learn the school’s ambitious curriculum successfully.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 2018.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

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 March 2024

p.3

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 July 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.4

Information about this school

 There has been a new chair of governors and headteacher since the last inspection.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

p.4

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.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher and the senior leadership team.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and science. For each deep dive, they discussed the 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.  In addition, the inspector looked at the school’s art and history curriculums and 12 and 13 March 2024

p.4

5

samples of pupils’ work.  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 reviewed a range of the school’s documents, including self-evaluation reports, minutes of local governing body meetings and behaviour incident logs.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at playtimes. They spoke with pupils about bullying, behaviour and leaders’ expectations of pupils’ behaviour.

p.5

Inspection team

Jo Brinkley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 12 and 13 March 2024

p.5

6

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.

p.6

6

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

6

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

6

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

6

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6