Canvey Island Infant School and Nursery

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Canvey Island Infant School and Nursery Long Road, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 0JG

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 February 2025

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Outcome

Canvey Island Infant School and Nursery has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Canvey Island Infant School and Nursery is a welcoming and friendly school. Pupils are happy, polite and enjoy their learning. They feel safe and cared for by the staff in the school. Pupils have trusted adults they can go to if they are worried.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of what they want pupils to achieve. Pupils live up to these by working hard in their learning. Pupils behave well in lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They work together to discuss ideas and share their learning. They demonstrate positive attitudes to their education. Pupils learn a broad and balanced curriculum. This helps them to achieve well. Pupils are well-prepared for the next stage of their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know, understand and model the schools’ values of ‘respect, responsibility and resilience’. They use these to help them learn and play well together. They show a kind and caring attitude towards each other. For example, ‘smiley face’ ambassadors help pupils on the playground to make friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a range of activities that help them to develop into respectful citizens of the future. They understand about life in modern Britain through the curriculum and wider activities on offer. They enjoy the clubs, visits and visitors that enhance the curriculum and their personal development. 11 and 12 February 2025

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

The school has prioritised developing the curriculum. In all subjects, the school has identified the precise knowledge pupils need to learn. Important vocabulary has been mapped out across each subject as part of the curriculum pupils need to know and remember. However, some pupils do not retain this vocabulary when applying to subjects other than English and mathematics.

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

The school has prioritised early English and mathematics so that pupils get off to a strong start. A consistently delivered, high-quality phonics programme means that pupils learn to read quickly. Phonics outcomes were below national expectations last year. The school has taken effective action to address this. This means that those pupils at the early stages of learning to read have been able to catch up quickly. Teachers regularly check what pupils have learned. They use planned interventions to ensure pupils keep up and develop secure early reading skills. However, while this is the case, some pupils do not learn to read fluently. This is because they are not routinely given the opportunity to rehearse their reading to develop increased fluency and accuracy.

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

Children in the early years have access to an exciting and engaging learning environment. There are a range of themed activities on offer that help children to develop in all areas of learning. Both adult-led and child-led activities enable children to explore and develop their learning. Children are highly engaged and play well together. They help each other in their learning and are kind and caring. The language-rich environment and high-quality adult interactions enable children to achieve well.

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

Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure. They present information in an engaging and concise way. The school has effective systems in place to identify pupils who find learning challenging or for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers routinely check what pupils know and remember. They use this to adapt the learning so that pupils, including those with SEND, can successfully 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?

Attendance is a priority for the school. There are robust systems in place to track absences and support families where attendance is a concern. Pupils attend school regularly. Pupils have positive attitudes to their education and are inquisitive and focused during lessons.

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

The personal development programme is rooted in the school’s values. Social, moral, spiritual and cultural understanding sits at the heart of what they do. Diversity is promoted through assemblies, visits and visitors to the school.

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

Pupils know how to keep safe in school, online and in the wider community. They know how to be healthy, both physically and mentally. Pupils have a range of responsibilities that make them feel proud and excited. Pupils work well together, developing confidence as they move through the school. Pupils treat each other with respect and value the uniqueness of everyone. 11 and 12 February 2025

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Those responsible for governance know the school well. They are an effective and integral part of the school’s improvement process. They are supportive of leaders but hold them fully to account. They fulfil their statutory duty to ensure that pupils are safe and the school is inclusive. Staff appreciate the support leaders provide for their well-being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils are not fluent readers. While they are able to decode most words, they are not developing their speed, accuracy or confidence as readers. The school needs to develop the knowledge and expertise of staff so they can best support pupils to improve their accuracy and fluency so they become more confident readers.  Some pupils do not remember the key vocabulary the school has identified for them to learn in all areas of the curriculum. This means that pupils are unable to draw upon important vocabulary to support their subject specific learning. As a result, pupils develop gaps in what they know and remember. The school should ensure that staff have the knowledge and expertise to routinely check for pupils’ understanding and application of key vocabulary across all areas of the curriculum. This will ensure pupils are able to use the vocabulary well to support them to learn more.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately. 11 and 12 February 2025

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This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2016.

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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). 11 and 12 February 2025

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School details

Type of school Infant school and nursery

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School details

Appropriate authority Chair of governors

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School details

Website www.canveyislandinfantschool.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 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 inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the local authority representative, chair of the governing board, other governors of the board, headteacher, deputy headteacher, finance manager and teachers.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, she spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school. 11 and 12 February 2025

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 The inspector considered the responses to the online parent survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the free-text responses. She also took into consideration Ofsted’s online staff survey.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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.

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Inspection team

Nina Kemp, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 February 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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