St Michael's Church of England Controlled Infant School

Inspection of St Michael’s Church of England Controlled Infant School Park Road, Aldershot, Hampshire GU11 3PU

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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 Outstanding

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since March 2015. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 18 and 19 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a warm and welcoming community. Pupils feel safe and happy because of the positive relationships they enjoy with adults and each other. If they have any worries, they know staff will help them. Pupils understand how the school’s values inspire them. For example, perseverance is important to them when their work gets hard. They are excited to be invited to the headteacher’s ‘golden tea parties’ that acknowledge when they have shown the values in action.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning and keen to share what they are doing. They enjoy working together and discussing their ideas. Pupils want to do well, and teachers help them when they need it. As a result, pupils’ achievement is improving, particularly in reading.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are respectful and kind. They celebrate difference and know the importance of learning about the views of others. Pupils respond well to high expectations for behaviour. They listen carefully in lessons. Pupils are proud to walk calmly around the school with their heads held high.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are encouraged to stay physically healthy. They learn how to use movement to boost their mental health and well-being. Adults lead different activities during lunch breaks.

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

The school’s curriculum is broad and interesting. It promotes a love of learning so that pupils achieve their best throughout life. In Reception Year, pupils develop a secure understanding of number. For example, they use bean bags and buckets confidently to show how they can split whole numbers. In Years 1 and 2, they practise and extend these skills so that they confidently tackle number sentences. The school has identified the knowledge they want pupils to learn across the wider curriculum. However, sometimes, the activities that teachers choose do not help pupils to remember the key information that they need to recall.

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

The school prioritises reading. This ensures that pupils develop a love of stories and rhymes. Pupils begin to learn to read as soon as they start school. Staff teach the reading curriculum well. From the Reception Year, teachers introduce new sounds in a consistent way. This familiar routine helps most pupils learn how to sound out unfamiliar words. The school’s work to ensure that staff are adept at identifying when pupils need extra teaching is proving effective. These pupils are catching up with their peers. Older pupils build on their reading knowledge successfully over time. As a result, most pupils by the end of Year 2 read accurately, fluently and with understanding.

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

Teachers develop expertise to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They successfully adapt their teaching to meet the needs of these pupils. Bespoke teaching supports those pupils with education, health and care plans to make progress from their starting points. On the whole, teachers use questioning 18 and 19 March 2025

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effectively. This means they know what pupils can do. However, on occasion, staff do not adapt sequences of work as necessary. For example, a minority of pupils do not have sufficient practice of their newly acquired writing skills. As a result, a minority of pupils develop gaps in their learning.

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The school has carefully considered how to support pupils to be ready to learn and participate in lessons. Staff establish clear and purposeful routines that help pupils to concentrate on their learning. Pupils are eager to earn ‘listening tokens’ for showing attention and focus in lessons. In the Reception Year, children learn to share their toys and games kindly. Around the school, pupils line up sensibly. Adults sensitively help pupils to manage their own feelings if needed, so they calm down quickly. The school makes sure it monitors attendance carefully. Personalised support for individual pupils and families has resulted in pupils’ attendance improving.

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The school provides a wide range of opportunities so that pupils become responsible and respectful citizens. Pupils feel safe and included in their class ‘teams’. In Reception Year, children learn about the democratic process as they vote for the story of the day. Older pupils are proud to hold positions of responsibility in school. The ‘health and safety team’ lead assemblies on internet safety.

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Governors have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and priorities for development. They have the necessary expertise to do this well. They provide effective support and challenge for leaders. Staff enjoy working at the school. They value the efforts the school makes to manage their workload and support their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, teachers do not check carefully enough what pupils know and can do. At times, teaching does not provide pupils with sufficient opportunities to practise new skills. This leads to gaps in pupils’ learning. The school should ensure that teachers accurately check the knowledge that pupils have in all subjects and use this to plan sequences of learning that allow for sufficient practise, particularly in writing.  In some subjects, activity choices do not match well to the intended learning outcomes. This means that pupils do not recall some key information over time. The school should ensure that staff are supported to design appropriate activities in these subject areas so that pupils learn and remember the essential knowledge that they need to know. 18 and 19 March 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). 18 and 19 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.st-michaels-inf.hants.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 5 and 6 March 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a Church of England infant school in the Diocese of Guildford. The school had an inspection of its religious character, under section 48 of the Education Act 2005, in March 2020.  The headteacher joined the school in September 2021.  The school runs a before-school club.  The 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 provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 18 and 19 March 2025

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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.  The lead inspector spoke with members of the governing body. The lead inspector also spoke with representatives of the local authority and the Diocese.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, science and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors also considered the curriculum in some other subjects.  The inspectors also spoke to the headteacher and other leaders.

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 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 responses to the online parent survey, Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free-text comments. They also spoke with parents at the beginning of the school day.  The inspectors considered responses to the confidential online staff survey. Inspectors spoke to groups of staff and pupils to gather their views of the school.

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Inspection team

Lizzie Jeanes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Kate Magliocco Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 March 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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