Skegness Infant Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Skegness Infant Academy Cavendish Road, Skegness, Lincolnshire PE25 2QU

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Outcome

Skegness Infant Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The executive principal of this school is Rona Pryme. This school is part of Greenwood Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Wayne Norrie, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Christine Hall.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy school. Pupils enjoy attending and say that it is a fun place to be. Pupils care about one another. They play well with each other at playtime. Pupil play leaders help other pupils who want to learn new games. Pupils behave well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s values of ‘RICHER - resilience, independence, creativity, high aspiration, exceptional, respect’ successfully guide pupils in their actions. The school is keen to ensure pupils have the key skills to be successful for the future. Skills such as problem- solving and communication are woven into the curriculum. The school provides a range of opportunities to raise pupils’ aspirations. Careers days increase pupils’ awareness of different jobs, such as nursing, dentistry and the armed forces.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are several opportunities for pupils to help improve the school. School councillors vote on how to develop an outside space into an eco-friendlier area, creating bug hotels, planting climbing plants and developing a water feature. This gives pupils a sense of pride in their school and of responsibility towards the environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils, including the most disadvantaged and those pupils with a special educational need and/or disability (SEND). Pupils do well here. 20 and 21 May 2025

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

The school ensures that pupils begin to learn to read as soon as they start at this school. It makes sure that all staff have the expertise to teach pupils phonics. The school chooses quality texts that interest pupils. It provides incentives for pupils to read regularly. Information given to parents and carers supports them in helping their child to read at home. This helps the pupils practise the sounds that they have learned in school. Pupils say that they enjoy reading.

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

There is a well-thought-out and structured curriculum in place. The school ensures that teachers have the subject knowledge to teach its curriculum effectively. ‘Reading starters’ in lessons help pupils recall what they have learned previously. Pupils with SEND access the same learning and expectations for these pupils to do well are high. Teachers adapt learning to support these pupils’ needs. In most subjects, teachers create well-designed activities that support pupils’ learning. However, in a few subjects, the curriculum is not designed clearly enough, and there is too much content for pupils to remember. Consequently, some pupils are unclear about what they are learning and develop gaps in their knowledge. The school uses video technology well to find out what pupils know and can do. Work in books is of high quality. Expectations for pupils to do well are high.

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

Children get off to a good start in the nursery. Staff ensure that routines are established quickly. Expectations for the children to behave well are high. Stimulating activities inspire children to want to learn and find out things. For example, children plant vegetables. They explore how to move water with containers to water the plants, learning that plants need water to live. In Reception, well-designed activities enable children to develop resilience and become inquisitive learners. Staff waste no opportunity to explore children’s curiosity. They skilfully question children to challenge their thinking. Activities help children to develop patience and to take turns. Children’s attitudes to their learning are exceptional.

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

The school has a calm yet excited feel to it. Pupils say that behaviour is good in school. If pupils have any concerns, they say that staff will help them. Routines are well established, so pupils understand what is expected of them. Pupils are keen to share what they have been doing with other adults. The school encourages pupils to attend school regularly. Consequently, attendance has increased significantly recently.

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

The school helps to ensure its pupils understand equality and diversity. The curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy. Trips to places like farms and windmills enrich the curriculum and bring learning to life. However, the curriculum does not have enough opportunities for pupils to explore life in multicultural Britain and develop cultural capital. This means that pupils have a limited understanding of different faiths and cultures and do not explore a broad range of cultural experiences.

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

There is a real sense of unity among the staff. They have a clear understanding of the school’s mission and work collaboratively towards that aim. As one member of staff stated, in a comment typical of many: ‘We want to give pupils a sense of purpose, well- 20 and 21 May 2025

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being and to go out into the world and be something.’ Staff say that their workload and well-being is considered by both the school and the trust.

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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, there is too much content for pupils to remember. Consequently, some pupils are unclear about what they are learning and develop gaps in their knowledge. The school should ensure that the curriculum is designed in a way that helps pupils build and retain knowledge over time.  The curriculum does not have enough opportunities for pupils to explore life in multicultural Britain and develop cultural capital. This means that pupils have a limited understanding of different faiths and cultures and do not have a broad range of cultural experiences. The school should expand the range of opportunities on offer to extend pupils’ awareness of different faiths and religions and to further develop their cultural capital.

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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.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in November 2018. 20 and 21 May 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). 20 and 21 May 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 November 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Greenwood Academies Trust.  The school does not make use of 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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, the executive headteacher and the special educational needs coordinator.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 20 and 21 May 2025

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 The inspector met with chair of the board of trustees.  The inspector met with the chief executive officer and the director for education.  The inspector took account of the responses to the Ofsted Parent View, including free- text responses and Ofsted’s survey for school staff. An inspector spoke informally with parents outside the school.  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.  The inspector considered pupils’ behaviour at various times of day, including in lessons, around the school site and at lunchtime. They scrutinised the school’s records for attendance and behaviour.

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Inspection team

Mark Anderson, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 20 and 21 May 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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