Herringthorpe Infant School

Inspection of Herringthorpe Infant School Chatterton Drive, Herringthorpe, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S65 2JW

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding 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 January 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 17 and 18 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are incredibly proud of their school. They thrive in the welcoming and caring environment. This is built on positive relationships between staff and pupils, which start from the beginning of their time in the early years. Pupils are excited to start their learning each day.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high ambitions for pupils, including pupils across school with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils realise these high expectations. At the end of Year 2, pupils leave the school with a rich and well-rounded body of knowledge and the wider skills they need for their next steps.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The behaviour of pupils at the school is impressive. The school promotes an ambitious level of responsibility and independence which pupils rise to. From the very start, the youngest children walk around school in a calm and considerate manner. Where the school identifies pupils who need further support to manage their emotions or behaviour, this is carried out exceptionally well by staff. The ‘kindness crew’ made up of pupils, help other pupils to make the right choices if needed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school promotes pupils’ personal development exceptionally well. Pupils learn in depth about diversity, tolerance and inclusivity. They are respectful to each other and those who visit the school.

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

Leaders have transformed the school’s provision for children in the early years. Children quickly develop a love and curiosity for learning. Children’s personal and social development is given high priority. Their engagement in the tasks they undertake, demonstrates the resilience and persistence they have learned. Staff design opportunities that help children to learn the curriculum well across all areas of learning.

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

The school has thought carefully about the content of the curriculum for pupils, including those with SEND. It has prioritised the key concepts that are the most important for pupils’ development and future learning. The curriculum is highly ambitious and broad for all. Across all subjects, staff have considered carefully what pupils learn and in what order. For example, in art, children in Nursery start to independently mix colours when painting. By Year 2 pupils confidently mix different shades with paint when creating their own pieces of work.

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

Typically, teachers check pupils’ understanding carefully. They identify gaps and misconceptions and address them swiftly. However, in some subjects, for a small group of pupils, teaching does not build as securely on what pupils already know and can do. As a result, some pupils’ ability to practise and apply what they know is not as secure.

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

Leaders have made reading a top priority. In the early years, children develop language and listening skills very well through songs, rhymes and stories. Pupils across the school 17 and 18 June 2025

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learn the sounds they need to read simple words through the school’s phonics programme. Phonics is taught consistently well. Pupils who may need additional support with phonics receive this in a timely manner. This helps them to quickly become fluent readers. Pupils enjoy reading. Children in Reception stay focused and engaged when sharing stories together.

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The provision for pupils with SEND is a strength of the school. The school is diligent in its identification of any additional need that pupils may have. The school has developed its own approach to ensure that all pupils’ needs are met. This is based on three different pathways of support. It includes the education and care of pupils with complex needs. This is exceptionally well thought through and delivered. Pupils with SEND across the school, work and play successfully alongside peers in their classes.

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The school’s expectations for pupils’ behaviour are clear. These are applied consistently well by staff. The school has created a calm and orderly environment in which pupils flourish. From their time in the early years, pupils learn routines quickly. Playtimes are structured well. There are a wealth of opportunities for pupils to play different games together.

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The school instils good habits for attendance from the early years. Its work with parents and carers has had a considerable impact on improving the attendance of all pupils.

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Through the school’s personal development offer, pupils learn to speak confidently about the risks both online and in the environment. They know what to do to keep themselves and others safe. Work to develop pupils’ local and global awareness provides further enrichment opportunities for them. These link purposefully to pupils’ learning across the curriculum. Pupils are prepared very well to be responsible, active citizens of the future.

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Leaders are relentless in their work to deliver high-quality learning and a rich set of wider experiences for pupils. Staff feel well supported. They receive carefully planned, high- quality professional development. Governors have a secure understanding of their statutory responsibilities. However, sometimes they over-rely on the school to inform them on aspects of their work. As a result, on occasion, they challenge and hold the school to account less effectively than they could.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, for a small group of pupils, teaching does not build securely on what pupils already know and can do. As a result, pupils’ ability to practise and apply what 17 and 18 June 2025

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they know is not as secure. The school should ensure that pupils are provided with every opportunity to access learning that meets their needs, and which matches the ambition of the school’s curriculum.  Governors do not have a strategic overview of some aspects of the school’s work. Reliance is on the school to provide this information. This means that, sometimes governors do not make their own accurate assessment of the actions the school has put in place. The school should ensure that governors develop their practice to effectively hold the school to account and therefore help to drive improvements.

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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). 17 and 18 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Theresa Cartlidge

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School details

Website www.herringthorpeinfantschool.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 January 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any providers of alternative provision.  The headteacher took up her substantive post in 2022.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 17 and 18 June 2025

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 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 met with the headteacher and other members of the senior leadership team, including the deputy headteacher, special educational needs coordinator and leader for early years. The lead inspector met with the chair and vice-chair of governors, as well as a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, science, geography and art and design. For each deep dive, 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 discussed the curriculum and provision for pupils with SEND and

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sampled work from other areas of the curriculum.  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.  Inspectors considered the responses and free-text comments submitted by parents to, Ofsted Parent View. They also gathered parents’ views by speaking to parents at the beginning and the end of the school day. Inspectors met with staff and considered the responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey.

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Inspection team

Sarah Gordon, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Richard Beadnall His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kate Hall His Majesty’s Inspector 17 and 18 June 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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