Warden Hill Infant School

Inspection of Warden Hill Infant School Birdsfoot Lane, Luton, Bedfordshire LU3 2DN

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Good 14 and 15 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to Warden Hill Infant School. They are friendly, with lovely manners. Pupils thrive on the praise they get for behaving well and for showing the monthly values they learn about, such as empathy and integrity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is highly inclusive. Pupils have a strong appreciation of diversity and equality. The many different ethnicities represented in the school community enrich school life. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a wide range of extra-curricular clubs for pupils to choose from. While many of these are sporting clubs, pupils also enjoy playing cards, using construction toys, singing with the choir, or learning to play the ukelele at lunchtime or after school. Some pupils get involved in the running of the school by being school councillors. These opportunities help pupils’ wider development.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. They appreciate the way their teachers make lessons fun, through practical activities or outdoor learning. In some subjects, such as reading, pupils’ achievement is improving. This is not the case for all subjects. Adults’ expectations of what pupils can do are not always high enough. This, along with some weaknesses in the curriculum, means that pupils do not always learn as well as they should.

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better?

Since the last inspection, the school has continued to develop a well-sequenced, coherently planned curriculum. This work has been more fruitful in some subjects than in others. In the well-developed areas of the curriculum, pupils build a body of knowledge and skills. They talk confidently about past learning, and how this helps them understand new ideas. In mathematics, for example, pupils use times tables knowledge when halving numbers. In these subjects, teachers present new learning clearly. They use a range of checks to ensure that pupils are learning well, dealing with misconceptions and adjusting their teaching as needed.

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better?

In other subjects, the school has reviewed the curriculum, but it has not done so with enough rigour. There is a lack of clarity around what the school wants pupils to know and how pupils will learn it. In these areas, including in early years, teachers’ delivery of the curriculum is less effective. They do not check how well pupils are learning. In addition, staff expectations of pupils’ work are not high enough. The quality of pupils’ work can be poor. This makes it harder for pupils to build on their learning.

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better?

Reading is a strength of the school. In early years, a book-based curriculum promotes a love of stories from the moment children join the Reception Year. Every day, teachers read to pupils. Consequently, pupils experience a range of books by different authors. Phonics lessons are delivered by well-trained adults, with great 14 and 15 May 2024

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consistency. Any pupils who struggle with reading get precisely targeted support so that they catch up. As a result, pupils’ achievements in reading are improving rapidly.

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In the early years, stimulating environments support children’s play well. Children get along well with each other and develop strong relationships with the adults. The school’s ambition is for children to become creative learners who are ready for Year 1 by the end of Reception. However, too many children are not ready for Year 1. This is because the curriculum needs further improvement for high-quality learning to take place.

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Most pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers, with the help of adapted tasks or practical resources. Some pupils with SEND have complex needs. They are supported well by caring, skilled adults. Many have an individualised programme of learning.

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Staff have high expectations of pupils’ conduct. Adults model positive behaviours to pupils. Consequently, pupils behave well in lessons and at social times. The school has taken effective action to promote positive attendance and punctuality. This has led to significant improvements. More pupils now attend school more often.

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Pupils know about important topics such as online safety and how to have a healthy lifestyle. Pupils can talk about a range of world religions. Pupils’ understanding of British values such as the rule of law and tolerance is well developed. A programme of wider opportunities, including a trip to the pantomime, inter-school football matches and a whole school ‘Culture day’, enriches school life.

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Governors have a realistic view of the school’s strengths and areas to develop. A recent increase in the number of governors has enabled them to strengthen the support and challenge they provide to leaders. Leaders have worked hard to bring about change since the last inspection. They recognise that there is more work to do. Many staff feel well supported by leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some curriculum areas, including in the early years, pupils are not learning as well as they should. These curriculum areas have not been adjusted and refined as they have in the better parts of the curriculum. Key learning is not always clearly outlined, for instance key vocabulary. This means that staff find it more challenging to pick activities that support learning well. The school must ensure that the same precision and rigour that are present in some areas of the 14 and 15 May 2024

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curriculum, such as mathematics and reading, are mirrored in all areas, so that pupils learn well.  In those areas of the curriculum that are not as well developed, assessment is not used effectively to check how well pupils are learning. This means that gaps in pupils’ learning are not always identified. The school must ensure that the refinements it makes to the curriculum lead to more effective use of assessment. This, in turn, will lead to improved outcomes for pupils.  Adults’ expectations of pupils’ work are not always high enough. The quality of work in pupils’ books is often poor and does not support pupils in embedding their learning. The school must ensure that staff have consistently high expectations of what pupils can do and that the work pupils produce reflects high-quality learning.

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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 May 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 January 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use the services of any alternative provision.

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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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account of their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with a range of leaders, including senior leaders, the special educational needs co-ordinator, and governors, including the chair. The lead inspector met with the school’s improvement partner from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, music and art. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and spoke with some pupils about their learning. Inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ 14 and 15 May 2024

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work. The lead inspector listened to several pupils read to a familiar adult. Inspectors also looked at samples of pupils’ work and curriculum plans in other subject areas.  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.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documentation and policies. These included the school development plan and minutes of governing body meetings.  Inspectors reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s parent and staff questionnaires. They also spoke with pupils, parents and staff to gather their views of the school.

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Inspection team

Caroline Crozier, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Georgina Nutton Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 May 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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