King's Ford Infant School and Nursery

Inspection of King’s Ford Infant School and Nursery Gloucester Avenue, Shrub End, Colchester, Essex CO2 9AZ

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 1 and 2 October 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Children are happy to attend school. They enjoy playing with their friends at playtimes. They trust adults to keep them safe and to listen to any worries that they may have.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils build strong relationships with each other and with staff. Pupils’ behaviour is positive throughout the school. They play well together, making sure that everyone is included. Pupils are cheerful, sensible and demonstrate good manners. Children in the early years learn to try hard and take great pleasure in working together.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school sets high expectations for pupils’ achievement, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils respond positively to their work and most achieve well in a range of subjects. Pupils are well prepared for their next stages of learning.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a wide range of opportunities and experiences that enrich the curriculum. These include donating food at Harvest Festival for the local food bank and raising funds for charities. Pupils also benefit from educational trips and visits, including to local historical sites, the zoo and a local farm. These experiences contribute strongly to their broader development.

p.2

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

This is a school where ambition is high for all pupils. There is a drive for everyone to succeed. The curriculum builds coherently from early years through to the end of key stage 1. The curriculum is mostly well designed so that pupils learn skills and knowledge when they are ready to do so. However, in a small number of subjects the school has not identified exactly what pupils need to know with the same precision. This means that sometimes teachers find it difficult to design learning that helps pupils to learn and remember more. On occasion, this leads to gaps in pupils’ learning.

p.2

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

Children in the early years achieve well from their individual starting points. Routines are quickly established to help children feel safe and secure. Children have many opportunities to learn how to share and take turns. Staff are skilful in creating meaningful learning opportunities for children. These spark curiosity. Children show tenacity and perseverance in their learning, for example when comparing the weight of pumpkins and other autumnal items.

p.2

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

Pupils develop a love of reading from an early age. They are encouraged to read widely and often, with the vast majority obtaining awards for reading regularly at home. The school has invested in high-quality and engaging books that pupils love to read. Pupils enjoy choosing books from the well-stocked library and class reading areas. Children in the school look forward to the special time each day when adults read to them. Children learn phonics as soon as they start in the Nursery class. Staff have received training so that they implement the early reading programme effectively. Pupils read from books that match their current phonics knowledge. This helps them to develop into confident readers. 1 and 2 October 2024

p.2

3

Pupils with SEND make strong progress through the curriculum. The school identifies pupils’ needs quickly and puts appropriate, effective support in place. When needed, the school seeks advice from external specialists. A range of adaptations are in place to help pupils with SEND to achieve extremely well. The school ensures that these pupils are fully included in all aspects of school life.

p.3

3

Pupils behave well in and out of the school building. They care about one another. Staff teach pupils to understand how their actions affect others. Pupils trust that staff will help them to sort out any problems such as falling out with friends. Pupils understand what bullying is but say that it is very rare.

p.3

3

The school provides a broad programme to support pupils’ personal development. This helps pupils to develop into well-rounded citizens. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and how to keep themselves healthy. They embrace various leadership opportunities, such as being members of the school council. Pupils welcome everyone into school, as they understand the importance of treating people equally and respectfully. They understand and demonstrate the school’s ‘SCARF’ values of safety, caring, achievement, resilience and friendship in all that they do.

p.3

3

Staff feel well supported to be able to carry out their jobs effectively. They know that the school listens carefully to their views. Workload is considered when changes to policies are implemented. The school ensures that professional development is prioritised so that staff feel appreciated.

p.3

3

Governors know the school well. They work closely with the staff to support and challenge their work effectively.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the exact knowledge that the school would like pupils to learn lacks clarity and teachers do not plan activities that build on what pupils need to learn. As a result, gaps in pupils’ learning are not addressed as quickly as they could be and pupils do not build their foundational knowledge as successfully as they should. The school should ensure that it provides teachers with greater clarity on the exact knowledge that pupils should learn, enabling pupils to learn more and remember more. 1 and 2 October 2024

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.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 1 and 2 October 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 29 January 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school has mixed-age classes in Years 1 and 2.  The school has a Nursery class for three-year-old children.  The school provides before- and after-school provision.  The school does not currently make use of any alternative provision.  The headteacher has been appointed since the previous inspection.

p.5

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. 1 and 2 October 2024

p.5

6

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders and other members of staff throughout the inspection.  An inspector met with members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and science. For each deep dive, the inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspectors also considered other curriculum areas.

p.6

6

 An inspector observed pupils read to a trusted adult.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during playtimes and in lessons.  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 considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys. An inspector met with parents to gather their views and opinions about the school.

p.6

Inspection team

Joseph Figg, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Marc White Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 October 2024

p.6

7

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.7

7

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.7

7

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.7

7

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

p.7

7

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

p.7