Lymington Church of England Infant School

Inspection of Lymington Church of England Infant School Avenue Road, Lymington, Hampshire SO41 9GP

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since March 2011. 19 and 20 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils receive the best possible start to their education at Lymington Infant school. The values of love, courage and respect permeate through the school. Because of this, children are exceptionally inclusive and welcoming to all. The school is ambitious for all pupils, including the small number of those who are disadvantaged. Pupils benefit from an excellent curriculum offer, and love learning and achieve well as a result.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is first rate. Pupils focus attentively in lessons and are always ready to learn. They say this is a kind school where everyone is well looked after. This is demonstrated through their friendly and respectful interactions with each other and with adults. Attendance is high and pupils want to be in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from an enriched curriculum offer. The school is at the heart of the local community. Pupils appreciate many opportunities to be involved in projects such as visiting the local hospice or litter picking in the neighbouring streets. They relish the opportunity to perform songs at the church or at the school community tea. Music is an important feature of the school’s wider offer, and it broadens pupils’ love of the performing arts. Pupils develop a deep sense of pride in their school.

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better?

Children in early years receive the best possible start to their educational journey. They benefit from an expertly crafted curriculum which often exceeds the national expectations. Learning activities are constructed with care and attention and children are supported to become independent learners. Rich opportunities to read and count encourage children to focus intently. Highly trained staff support and extend learning effectively so that children are extremely well prepared for Year 1.

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better?

Pupils in Year 1 and 2 also benefit from a highly ambitious curriculum. The school has precisely mapped out the essential knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils will learn. Pupils are supported to routinely revisit key learning through well-planned recall activities. This allows pupils to gradually remember more of the curriculum over time and to achieve highly. Staff accurately check pupils’ understanding and identify misconceptions quickly. They use this information to plan future lessons and to close any gaps in learning. Pupils’ retention of knowledge is impressive. For example, they recall with confidence what they have learned about the Titanic and its links to local people who worked on board. They are skilled at making links between events in history and comparing them with life today.

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better?

Staff support pupils who need extra help extremely well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit highly from the same ambitious curriculum. They are well supported by expert staff who make skilful adaptions to lessons so all pupils can access the learning. Teachers accurately identify any pupil in need of support, including those who are disadvantaged. They ensure that effective catch-up opportunities are provided. The school is ambitious for all pupils 19 and 20 March 2024

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to achieve their best outcomes. Staff provide the right support at the right time to ensure that all pupils are highly successful.

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The teaching of reading is a top priority. This starts in early years, where children start to learn sounds, enjoy many stories and increase their vocabulary quickly. Younger children love to act out stories. Staff teach phonics with precision. As a result, pupils learn to read with fluency and accuracy by time they move on to the junior school. Routine checks enable staff to identify and then support pupils at risk of falling behind to help them keep up.

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The school has the highest expectations for pupils’ behaviour and attendance. All staff consistently model these expectations to pupils. As a result, pupils are extremely polite and considerate to each other and to the adults in school.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is exceptional. The school values are deeply rooted in the ethos of the school. Pupils are supported to develop a strong understanding of respect. Pupils value the many leadership roles they can apply for, especially those that involve looking after nature areas in the school or in the community. They benefit from a range of exciting clubs which nurture their interests and talents. Staff ensure that everyone can access this provision, including pupils who are disadvantaged.

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Leaders at all levels are highly ambitious for the pupils in their school. Governors provide strong challenge to ensure that the school maintains its high standards of education. Staff feel very well supported. They benefit from a range of training which supports them to understand how to best support pupils’ learning. The school is not complacent. Everyone focuses on ensuring that the curriculum is constantly refined to best meet the needs of all pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 19 and 20 March 2024

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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). 19 and 20 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Veronica Crowley

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 2 and 3 March 2011

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Information about this school

 The school is a church of England school in the Diocese of Winchester. Its last section 48 inspection took place in January 2024.  The school does not currently use any alternative provisions.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  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. An inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, history and science. For each deep dive, the inspectors held discussions about the curriculum 19 and 20 March 2024

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visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and subject leaders.  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 has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors reviewed a wide range of documents provided by the school and observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and in lessons.  The inspectors evaluated evidence from a range of other curriculum areas, including English, design technology, computing and physical education.  An inspector met with members of the governing board, and a representative from the Diocese of Winchester.  The inspectors considered the views of parents and carers shared through Ofsted

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Parent View.  The views of staff were gathered through surveys and discussions conducted throughout the inspection.  The inspectors gathered pupils’ views throughout the inspection, including during classroom visits and at playtimes and lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Simon Woodbridge, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Fiona Henderson Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 March 2024

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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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