Highgate Infant School

Inspection of Highgate Infant School Gaywood Road, King's Lynn, Norfolk PE30 2PS

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Inspection dates: 24 to 25 September 2024

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

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The headteacher of this school is Cheryl Kirby. This school is part of Unity Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Glyn Hambling, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Alan Jones. 24 and 25 September 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are successful here. This is because staff are caring and knowledgeable. Staff consider pupils’ needs when making decisions about how and what to teach. They know all the pupils well. As a result, pupils are happy and safe here. They like learning how to read and write and they like finding out about the wider world.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils are expected to be kind and courteous. Pupils learn important routines like how to line up. This makes the day flow smoothly and helps pupils to learn respect for one another and the school environment. Adults model politeness and pupils emulate this behaviour. If a pupil gets it wrong, then staff help them to put it right. Lunchtimes and playtimes give pupils a sense of community and opportunities to make new friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Every year, pupils take part in a nativity play. Pupils also go on a range of trips, for example, to the local church or on the King’s Lynn ferry. The school finds creative ways to introduce pupils to different cultures. For example, through hosting a school food festival to celebrate pupils’ different backgrounds.

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

The school’s curriculum sets out, in a logical order, important knowledge, vocabulary and skills that pupils need to be successful. Teachers and support staff incorporate new vocabulary into teaching and pupil discussions.

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

Teachers use their expert knowledge to help pupils understand new concepts. This is because teachers have received training in how to teach subjects well. Pupils have opportunities to revisit prior knowledge. Teachers aptly spot pupils’ misunderstandings and then help pupils to catch up. As a result, pupils build their confidence in different subjects. However, some pupils do not always have enough opportunities to practise and refine their writing in some subjects. The school is providing ongoing training and support to staff to further improve pupils’ opportunities to learn.

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

Children begin reading lessons as soon as they join the school. Lessons build in a systematic way. The school shares useful information about early reading with parents. Pupils who are behind in reading receive extra support to catch up. As a result, pupils enjoy and do well in their reading lessons.

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

Staff in the Reception Year are experts in child development. They know that children need plenty of opportunities to sing, take part in conversations and listen to stories. Children have opportunities to learn how to be more independent. For example, staff assist children at lunchtime so that they learn how to use a knife and fork. This makes them feel more grown up when eating lunch with their peers.

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

The school works closely with the trust coordinator for special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school includes parents and carers when making decisions about how best to meet their children’s needs. As a result, the school can quickly adapt support 24 and 25 September 2024

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when new pupils with SEND join the school. The school makes sure that all pupils, including pupils with SEND, have access to a full curriculum.

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Staff focus on building warm relationships with pupils. Their clear expectations help pupils to focus in lessons. Staff encourage pupils to behave well. They do this through giving praise and celebrating pupils’ effort and kindness in assemblies. As a result, pupils look up to the adults and want to do their best.

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The school’s nurture group provision has a positive impact on pupils’ social and emotional development. For example, pupils learn how to remain calm and positive if they do not win a game. Pupils learn about relationships, different kinds of families and beliefs.

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Trustees hold leaders to account for the school’s quality of education. The school has pupils’ best interests at heart. Leaders have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. Staff are positive about leaders’ support for their career development and well-being. Parents are positive about their children’s education and experiences in the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils do not always have enough opportunities to practise and refine their writing in some subjects. This means that they do not develop their writing skills as well as they could. The school should continue to provide training and support to staff to further improve pupils’ opportunities to develop and refine their writing across the subjects.

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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.

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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. 24 and 25 September 2024

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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). 24 and 25 September 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26 April 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school runs a before- and after-school childcare provision on the school site.  The school does not use 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. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education provision. 24 and 25 September 2024

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector spoke with the chair of the academy stakeholder committee, two trust directors, the trust’s chief executive officer and a member of the board of trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and support staff, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector heard pupils read to a familiar adult and discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  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

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The lead inspector considered parents’ responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire, including 5 free text responses. Inspectors gathered pupils’ views during the inspection. The lead inspector also considered 10 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and during breaktimes.

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Inspection team

Hannah Stoten, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Rachael Judd Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 September 2024

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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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