Towers Infant School

Towers Infant School

Address: Osborne Road, Hornchurch, Essex, RM11 1HP Unique reference number (URN): 102309

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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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Achievement Strong standard

Leaders are ambitious for pupils and ensure that they achieve highly. As pupils progress through the school, they securely build the core knowledge they need in reading, writing and mathematics. This starts in the early years, where children develop the building blocks of language and communication needed to underpin early reading and writing development. In Year 1, pupils' outcomes in the phonics screening check are consistently above the national average. This shows how well pupils acquire the essential knowledge that they need for accurate reading. In addition, the school’s precise focus on early writing means that pupils’ handwriting quickly becomes fluent. Work in books demonstrates how proud pupils are of their handwriting.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils achieve highly in subjects across the curriculum. They accurately recall what they have learned using subject-specific vocabulary, such as when they talk about continents in geography. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make sustained progress from their starting points. Pupils, including those with SEND and those who are disadvantaged, are very well prepared for the next steps in their education.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders promote high attendance and its importance. They have created a culture where pupils and parents and carers know that every minute of learning counts. Groups of pupils who may be vulnerable to lower attendance rates attend highly at this school. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders have secure systems in place to analyse attendance data. As a result, they spot issues early and put in place support for parents to ensure that attendance remains high.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Embedded routines and warm relationships between staff and pupils create a calm and caring environment. Leaders use the school values to promote positive behaviour. Staff understand and apply the school behaviour policies consistently. As a result, pupils talk confidently about the school's expectations and feel a sense of pride when they are recognised for being respectful and working together. In the classroom, pupils routinely display determination by not giving up if they find learning difficult. Pupils show support for each other when playing independently in the playground. They are clear that unkind behaviour is rare. Pupils use their friendship skills to resolve small issues but are confident to ask staff for help if needed.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have designed an ambitious and engaging curriculum that is well sequenced and supports pupils to build knowledge over time. Leaders consistently review the curriculum. They use rigorous evaluation to check where further refinements are needed. For example, leaders have developed opportunities for the youngest children to engage in music sessions to promote their development. Leaders also ensure that pupils learn a broad range of subjects. They carefully consider how links across subjects help pupils to remember more. For example, pupils in Year 1 make connections to previous learning in science about garden insects to support their learning in French.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders make sure that teachers develop their subject expertise to a high standard. Teachers skilfully check for pupils’ understanding and give precise feedback to ensure pupils make positive progress, including in building secure foundations in reading, writing and mathematics. For example, in early mathematics, teachers routinely check what pupils know. Through this, pupils quickly self-correct any mistakes and practise forming numbers accurately.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The school's focus on language helps pupils to build and extend their vocabulary over time. Staff give pupils a range of opportunities to learn, rehearse and apply new words. Support for pupils with additional needs is thoughtfully planned. For example, prompts and individual support from staff enable pupils to participate successfully alongside their peers in lessons across the curriculum.

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Early years Strong standard

Children achieve highly in the early years because the provision is ambitious, caring and meticulously designed. Staff interactions are of a consistently high quality, making the most of opportunities to develop and extend children’s language and vocabulary. For example, in Reception, staff model accurate mathematical vocabulary, such as 'more', 'less' and 'share', and children use these words when playing and exploring activities in their classrooms.

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Early years Strong standard

Children interact well with each other and with staff. Clear and well-established routines support children well with their daily learning, with even the youngest children settling down quickly at the beginning of the day. They sustain their concentration and maintain focus in the well-resourced and organised environment.

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Early years Strong standard

Leaders prioritise early writing from the earliest stages. Staff give helpful feedback when children write independently, ensuring they learn correctly from the start. Consequently, children develop secure habits for writing from the beginning of their time at the school. Consistent phonics teaching and routines for practising reading ensure that children read with increasing accuracy and build their love of books.

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Early years Strong standard

From before children begin school, leaders develop positive partnerships with parents and carers. Families appreciate the regular communication they have with the school. Leaders give careful thought to adapting the provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, children are fully prepared for moving into Year 1.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Pupils feel supported and valued because of the highly inclusive culture at this school. Leaders’ close work with families helps staff to understand the needs of pupils quickly and precisely. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), those who are disadvantaged and those known (or previously known) to social care. Working with external professionals where necessary, leaders swiftly put effective support in place. Leaders ensure that they address barriers to learning and wellbeing through thoughtful adaptations to wider school life and the curriculum. For example, pupils learn basic signs in British Sign Language so that pupils who are deaf can communicate more easily with their peers. Purposeful professional development for staff equips them well to meet pupils’ specific needs. They draw on a wide range of strategies to support pupils to reinforce their prior learning and to grow in independence. Leaders check pupils’ progress closely and

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Inclusion Strong standard

review the impact of support. The precise refinements they make to the school's provision mean that pupils with SEND access the curriculum fully and make secure progress alongside their peers.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school ensures that its pupil premium strategy is used effectively to enhance disadvantaged pupils’ experiences and outcomes. As a result of leaders’ actions, pupils, including those with SEND and those who are disadvantaged, thrive.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders are ambitious for the school and its community. They strive for continuous improvement. Leaders understand the school’s strengths and pay close attention to what it needs to do to move forward. They are strongly focused on embedding high-quality provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and those who are disadvantaged. The decisions that leaders make are consistently in the best interests of pupils. Consequently, pupils thrive and succeed.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders also make sure that a robust safeguarding culture spreads through every aspect of the school. They ensure that everyone understands the importance of promoting pupils' welfare and of acting promptly if concerns arise. Leaders’ ongoing work with external agencies further enhances the extensive guidance and support that families receive.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Governors provide thorough oversight of the school's work, including safeguarding arrangements. Governors gather a range of meaningful information about the school’s priorities. This helps them to offer rigorous challenge and support and to ensure that improvements are sustained over time. They fulfil their statutory duties well.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff appreciate the open communication they have with leaders and feel well supported with their wellbeing and workload. They also value the professional learning the school provides to enhance their skills and expertise.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Parents and carers are positive about the school and the care and education it provides for their children. This includes the work of leaders to help pupils to make a smooth transition to junior school and be ready for their future learning.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The personal development and wellbeing offer is carefully designed to ensure that it widens pupils’ experiences and prepares them for the future. It is thoughtfully built on the school's values. Pupils understand these values and consistently show them in their learning and how they behave. Staff carefully consider pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development. Pupils learn explicitly about naming and managing their feelings and how to ask for help if needed. Pupils develop their understanding about different faiths and cultures. They often lead assemblies to share the many ways they celebrate festivals with their families. Consequently, pupils develop confidence and resilience and feel a secure sense of belonging.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils know what makes a nutritious diet and enjoy choosing healthy snacks at playtimes. They learn about being respectful and understand the importance of being a good friend. They are clear about how to keep safe, both online and offline. Pupils develop an understanding of British values, such as democracy, through activities such as annual elections to the school parliament. Experiences such as the school’s toy swap event teach pupils about sustainability and waste. Pupils enjoy contributing meaningfully to their education and are proud to be a part of their school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders carefully consider how pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn about themselves and those around them. Staff use a range of strategies to prepare pupils with SEND for personal, social and health education lessons. For example, they use pictures and stories to help pupils understand different social situations. Leaders are committed to ensuring that disadvantaged pupils have full access to wider experiences. The decisions they make about funding mean that these pupils are able to take part in a rich variety of opportunities. A broad range of visits extends what pupils learn at school. For example, pupils in Year 2 recall how a visit to a Victorian school helped them think about what life was like for children long ago. A well-planned offer of before- and after-school clubs gives pupils an extensive choice of activities.

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

Pupils are at the heart of this caring school community. They take great pride in living out the school values that promote respect, working together, independence, a love of learning and determination. They enact these values with determination in their daily lives at school. From the early years classes onwards, pupils are respectful of staff and of each other. They happily share resources and play together. They are polite and welcoming to visitors. Staff build caring and warm relationships with pupils and their families.

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

Pupils feel safe. They know that bullying is very rare and that staff will deal with unkind behaviour quickly. Pupils understand that they have trusted adults in school who listen to them and provide support when needed.

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

Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning and enjoy what the well-considered curriculum provides for them. They achieve highly across subjects. From their arrival in school, pupils are supported to secure the important core skills of reading, writing and mathematics. They continue to succeed in their learning as they progress through each year group. Carefully selected educational visits deepen pupils’ knowledge, such as going to a local zoo to learn more about animals they have found out about in class. A culture of reading fills the school. Pupils delight in visiting the library to choose new books. Pupils flourish in the wider opportunities staff provide for them. A broad range of clubs gives pupils opportunities to enjoy activities such as drama, cheerleading and multi-sports. Voting in the school parliament elections teaches pupils about fairness, rules and responsibilities. Pupils regularly contribute ideas about improving the school and are listened to by staff. For

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

example, pupils raised money for new playground equipment with the support of governors, parents and carers. Pupils feel included, confident and motivated. They are fully prepared for the next stage in their educational journey.

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Next steps

Leaders should sustain the strong performance across all areas of the school's work to ensure that all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, continue to thrive.

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About this inspection

The school is part of a federation called The Towers Federation of Schools.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Peter Sass.

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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, senior leaders and leaders from the federation during the inspection. They also met with members of the federation governing body, as well as a representative from the local authority.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with several pupils, staff, parents and carers. They also considered the responses to Ofsted's surveys.

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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 has been part of The Towers Federation of Schools since September 2016.

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About this inspection

The school uses no alternative provision.

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Team inspectors:

Barry Blakelock, Ofsted Inspector Caroline Stone, 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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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.

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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

2022/23 (3 term) 5.3% 5.9% 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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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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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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