Mrs Bland's Infant School

Inspection of Mrs Bland’s Infant School Jordan’s Lane, Burghfield Common, Reading, Berkshire RG7 3LP

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 January 2025

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 28 and 29 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is an exceptionally nurturing, happy and harmonious school. It provides an extremely warm welcome for pupils, visitors, parents and carers alike. Staff care greatly for every child and want the very best for all. Everyone is accepted and celebrated. As one Year 2 pupil said, ‘We all have different families and look different, but we treat everyone with kindness and respect.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils are confident and highly positive learners who relish their learning. This is reflected superbly in their high attendance. The school’s values of perseverance, kindness, respect, good manners and teamwork are the cornerstone of everyday routines. This begins from the moment children enter Nursery, where they learn about the importance of being kind. Consequently, pupils are remarkably courteous and follow instructions with thought and great consideration. They achieve well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave extremely well. They are proud to be trusted with leadership responsibilities. They go about their duties as members of the school council, sports ambassadors, librarians and house captains with utmost joy and confidence. Pupils participate enthusiastically in the extensive range of clubs, such as those for piano, dodgeball, craft and dance.

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

The school has crafted an ambitious and engaging curriculum. It starts in the early years and is designed to be equally accessible to all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has identified what pupils should learn, including the important vocabulary for each subject. For example, in art and design, there is a focus on the specific skills that pupils need to secure so that they are well prepared for the different art styles and genres they will encounter in their next stages of education. Additionally, activities and experiences such as trips to the theatre, museums and the seaside enhance pupils’ learning in different subjects.

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

Staff identify any pupils with SEND quickly and accurately. When appropriate, the school engages with specialist agencies to help ensure that pupils with SEND can access the same curriculum as their peers.

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

Children in the early years make a positive start to their education. Strong, nurturing relationships help children feel safe and secure. In Nursery, the very youngest children learn well through a range of thoughtfully designed activities. Most staff contribute well to the growing knowledge of every child.

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

Staff promote pupils’ love of reading well. The school library and classrooms are stocked with an interesting selection of texts. These encourage pupils to discover and enjoy a diverse range of literature. Older pupils speak with confidence about the importance of reading. Children are enthusiastic about the stories staff share and recommend. They get off to a swift start in learning to read and write as soon as they start in early years. In the 28 and 29 January 2025

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main, teachers identify effectively any pupils who begin to struggle, and work determinedly to help them catch up. Consequently, pupils become fluent and enthusiastic readers.

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Pupils demonstrate highly positive attitudes to school and their learning. Lessons are calm and focused. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to encourage pupils to discuss their ideas about the topics taught. Overall, teachers prepare activities which help pupils to use and apply their learning across the different subjects they study. However, in a few subjects and in early years, sometimes teachers do not check well enough what pupils know and understand. They do not address any key gaps and misconceptions well enough before moving on to new work. Where this happens, some pupils do not learn as well as they could.

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Pupils’ personal development sits at the heart of the school’s work. For instance, pupils raise funds for the causes they support. They participate regularly at events in the village. Pupils plant flowers around school and make the ‘environment look nice’. They grow fruits and vegetables which they use to cook tasty recipes. Pupils discuss maturely their views on topics such as being a refugee and anti-bullying. They understand and respect cultures and religions different to their own. Pupils learn about their wider locality through trips to places of interest, including larger towns and cities such as London and Bristol. Pupils are extremely well prepared for their future lives in British society.

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Governors bring a wealth of knowledge and skills to their roles. They provide the school with effective challenge, as well as guidance and support. School leaders are ambitious for staff and pupils. They know precisely what needs to improve next in the quality of education. Staff value the consideration given to their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Occasionally, including the in the early years and phonics lessons, teachers do not check and address key gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding well enough. Where this happens, some pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that all staff know how to use assessment efficiently to adapt their teaching, or the support they provide, to help all pupils progress effectively through the curriculum. 28 and 29 January 2025

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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.

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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). 28 and 29 January 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Vicky Collins and Kevin Mortimer (Co- Chairs) Headteacher Catherine Rose (Executive Headteacher) Sarah Williams (Head of School) Website www.mrsblandsinfants.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13 March 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of The Burghfield Common Federation of Mrs Bland’s Infant and Nursery and Garland Junior Schools. The federation was formed in October 2023 and the executive headteacher overseas both schools.  Mrs Bland’s Infant School and Garland Junior School are governed by the federation governing board. The co-chairs of governors were appointed to their roles in January 2025.  The school has Nursery provision for two- to four-year-olds.  The school offers before- and after-school wraparound care.  This school does not currently use 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. 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 28 and 29 January 2025

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provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the executive headteacher, the head of school and other leaders in the school.  The lead inspector met with the one of the co-chairs of governors and three governors. An inspector also spoke online with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, art and design and design technology. They spoke with the leaders of these areas of the curriculum. Inspectors also visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and talked with pupils. Inspectors visited the Nursery provision. They

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also reviewed learning in other subjects.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. They also observed pupils’ behaviour during social times.  Throughout the inspection, inspectors met with groups of staff. Inspectors also considered the opinions expressed through the staff survey.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.  An inspector spoke with parents and carers as they dropped their children off at school. The team also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online Ofsted Parent View survey and parents’ free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Shazia Akram, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ian Howie Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 January 2025

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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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