Knights Enham Nursery and Infant School

Knights Enham Nursery and Infant School

Address: King Arthurs Way, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 4BS Unique reference number (URN): 116026

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school’s approach to inclusion is highly effective. Staff identify pupils' needs quickly and with precision. When pupils need more help, leaders work with experts and specialists, such as education psychologists and speech and language therapists, to refine and personalise provision. Through carefully planned training, staff develop a deep understanding of how to meet a wide range of pupils' needs successfully. Leaders keep a close check on the progress of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those eligible for pupil premium funding. Routine reviews, learning walks and focused discussions help leaders and staff to evaluate what is working and what needs to be refined.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school uses pupil premium funding to reduce barriers to pupils' learning and wellbeing with notable impact. Gaps in pupils' knowledge and skills, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics, are being addressed effectively. Leaders make sure that funding is used purposefully to ensure that disadvantaged pupils benefit from wider educational opportunities. Disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils are fully included in all aspects of school life. In the early years, staff know children well and identify pupils' SEND needs quickly. Tailored approaches, such as the use of Makaton and carefully adapted learning resources, support pupils to progress well. The school's practice is robust and highly inclusive.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development is highly effective. Pupils are responsible and respectful and cooperate well. Pupils are excited to talk about the school’s values and understand them deeply. Staff teach fundamental British values clearly, helping pupils to connect ideas and develop appropriate understanding. Routines to help pupils develop friendships and resolve conflict positively are consistent and clear. Pupils learn about relationships appropriately. They learn about strategies for staying safe, including when online. They understand the concepts of right and wrong.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, have secure and detailed knowledge across the personal, social, health and relationships curriculum. Pupils can talk about different faiths with clear, age-appropriate understanding and recall key knowledge covered. This promotes pupils' appreciation of cultural diversity. Initiatives such as 'language of the month' strengthen this further by encouraging pupils to think about a range of cultures. Pupils enjoy a wide variety of clubs that help them to pursue their interests and hobbies, such as dancing, singing and sports. Pupils are especially proud of their gardening club. Specialist visitors to the school, such as a vet, help pupils to engage thoughtfully with ethical issues. Pupils are proud of their leadership roles and responsibilities as school councillors and eco councillors. Pupils develop increasing confidence and independence.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils understand how making healthy choices supports their physical and mental wellbeing. They know how to talk to a trusted adult and ask for support if they have any worries. Pupils describe mutual respect for each other, regardless of background, and they celebrate each other's differences. Pupils develop their social skills very well. They are

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Expected standard

encouraged to be active, kind citizens who contribute to their community positively. The school helps them to be prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Achievement Expected standard

Overall, pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education. They develop appropriate knowledge and skills. This includes children in the early years, who mostly secure the necessary accuracy and fluency in their reading, number facts, spelling and handwriting. Pupils' achievement in phonics is in line with their peers nationally. Pupils' progress through the curriculum is typically secure. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, who make progress from their individual starting points.

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Achievement Expected standard

A small proportion of disadvantaged pupils have gaps in their knowledge that are not addressed as quickly as they could be. For example, a small number of pupils are less secure in their handwriting and spelling skills, with errors that persist in letter formation. Where this happens, pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Attendance is improving over time, including the attendance of pupils who have significant barriers or challenges to attending regularly. Leaders work with determination to provide appropriate, targeted support. The school uses thoughtful and personalised initiatives to help to promote a sense of belonging in pupils and improvement in attendance, such as looking after the school animals. Attendance is broadly in line with national averages and, over time, is improving steadily. Although the importance of high attendance is promoted consistently by leaders, these actions do not result in high attendance or rapid improvement for a small proportion of disadvantaged pupils.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have established a calm, orderly environment that promotes positive behaviour effectively, underpinned by positive relationships. There are clear policies in place that staff and pupils understand thoroughly. Staff have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils act as role models for each other. They follow the school's well-established routines. Staff make reasonable adjustments to behaviour strategies for pupils who need them. This supports pupils to behave well. Classrooms are calm and purposeful. On the playground, pupils are excited to share social times together and manage these times respectfully and cooperatively. Bullying and discrimination are very rare. Pupils are assured that staff would act swiftly should they occur.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders understand the quality of the curriculum and are very clear about the strengths and areas for development. The curriculum is ambitious and well planned across subjects and year groups. From the Nursery Year to the end of Year 2, leaders have organised learning sequentially to enable pupils to build on their prior knowledge. Key knowledge, language and vocabulary in mathematics, phonics and reading are taught well. Pupils learn to read confidently and fluently. Children in early years and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive thoughtful adaptations where needed. Leaders ensure that staff have the subject knowledge that they need to deliver learning effectively across subjects. Typically, pupils learn well across the curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Generally, teachers give appropriate feedback to help pupils learn from their mistakes and address misconceptions. However, this is not routine practice across all lessons. Sometimes, approaches do not identify gaps in pupils' essential knowledge or address these issues quickly. For example, pupils' handwriting and spelling are sometimes not at the standard that leaders expect and feedback does not address the issues effectively.

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Early years Expected standard

Throughout the early years, staff and child interactions are high quality. Staff draw from their subject knowledge well and use learning time effectively to strengthen children’s knowledge and understanding. There is a clear focus on vocabulary building, ensuring children’s language and communication skills develop securely. The curriculum is appropriate, and staff have high expectations for what children can achieve. Staff review lessons routinely and adapt the curriculum, environment and provisions to address areas where children need further help. Staff work in partnership with parents and carers effectively, from the very beginning of each child's education journey at the school.

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Early years Expected standard

Reading is prioritised, including teaching phonics systematically. Staff typically deliver learning clearly and accurately, ensuring that children access the phonics programme successfully and build their knowledge over time. Overall, the curriculum is taught well across all areas of learning. However, in some areas of practice, checks on children’s learning are not consistently helping a small number of children to build their knowledge as effectively as they could. Provision for 2- and 3-year-olds is appropriate and helps children to be ready for their next stage effectively. Generally, by the end of the Reception Year, children learn the knowledge and skills that they need to transition successfully into Year 1.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders know the school’s strengths and areas to develop clearly. They have accurately prioritised improving pupils’ achievement in phonics with clear success. Leaders and governors focus on actions to improve the school based on the pupils’ best interests, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Governors have secure knowledge of their duties. They use appropriate strategies to check and assure themselves about the effectiveness of leaders' actions.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders implement professional learning to drive progress against school priorities, and they evaluate its impact robustly. Staff benefit from training that is thorough and deliberate, linking closely to school improvement priorities. Leaders use expertise within and beyond the school to monitor the impact of their work. They use this information to refine and strengthen practice.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff value the support that they receive regarding their workload and wellbeing. The school has undergone significant changes since the previous inspection, including in leadership and the curriculum. Leaders are role models who have high expectations and model caring, professional approaches to school life. Staff morale is high. Parents and carers are very happy with the school and appreciate the staff's dedication. Leaders develop constructive relationships with the wider community.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are very happy at this caring school. Positive relationships are a clear focus for children and staff. This helps pupils to feel safe and know who to turn to if they have any worries or concerns. Pupils have a thorough understanding of 'The Knights' Way', which sets out the school's values of respect, collaboration, independence, nurture and resilience. They learn how to celebrate and recognise these together.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Generally, pupils achieve well and are prepared for their next stage of education. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the curriculum successfully because staff identify their needs quickly and adapt lessons effectively, including in the school’s dedicated area for SEND, ‘The Fort'. However, although the delivery of learning is clear, staff do not routinely check pupils' understanding or address errors and misconceptions in pupils' work quickly. As a result, a small proportion of pupils carry gaps in their understanding, so they do not build their knowledge across the curriculum as effectively as they could.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are proud of their school. Disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND are included in all aspects of school life and benefit from rich opportunities to take on additional responsibilities, such as looking after the school chickens and ducks and visiting the seaside, a farm and a castle. There is a tangible sense of joy across the school day. Pupils attend school regularly and know that attendance and punctuality are important. Pupils say that they feel safe and know how to keep themselves safe. From the Nursery Year onwards, pupils play cooperatively and with respect for each other. Pupils' behaviour is very positive, showing care and consideration towards each other. Staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Bullying is not a part of school life, but staff are equipped with the knowledge and expertise that they need to resolve any incidents if they occur.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that staff use checks on pupils’ understanding to address errors and misconceptions in pupils' work quickly and effectively. Leaders should ensure that pupils strengthen their basic knowledge and skills in handwriting and spelling to enable them to achieve as well as they could.

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Team inspectors:

Shazia Akram, His Majesty's Inspector James Munt, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other school leaders and staff. Inspectors also spoke with a representative from the local authority and governors, including the chair of governors.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school is part of The Knights Enham Federation, which comprises Knights Enham Junior School and Knights Enham Infant School.

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About this inspection

The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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About this inspection

Since the last inspection, the infant school has federated with the junior school and the overall leadership structure has changed. The school appointed a new headteacher in March 2024.

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About this inspection

The school's nursery provision is registered to admit 2-year-olds. It has 12 places for 2-year- olds and provision for 60 children.

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About this inspection

The school runs breakfast and after-school clubs.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support. National average: 3.5%

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 4.7% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.5% 5.5% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 11.0% 13.3% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 13.4% 14.6% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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