Colman Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils across the school are benefiting from the recent changes to the curriculum and are rising to the high academic expectations staff have for them.

Children in the early years thrive due to the precise way in which learning activities meet their specific needs. Pupils consistently follow clear routines. Staff inspire them to be fascinated by new learning.

The children quickly learn how to collaborate and persevere. They have opportunities to develop their curiosity and explore and use things they learn in different contexts.

Pupils in key stage 1 benefit from tailored support to fill gaps in their learning.

As a result, pupils' achievement is imp...roving. Pupils enjoy the many subjects they are taught and take pride in their work.

Pupils follow the school rules of 'ready, respectful and safe'.

Pupils respond well to positive praise from staff. As a result, pupils have high self-esteem and the confidence to take part in learning and challenge themselves. Pupils know and understand the 'Colman Way'.

This establishes clear expectations and helps make the school a happy place for everyone to be. Pupils have a strong sense of belonging and understand what it means to be a member of the school community.

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

The school and the trust have successfully navigated a period of instability.

The school has ensured an ambitious curriculum is in place to build pupils' knowledge over time in logical steps. Leaders have taken effective action to ensure rapid improvement has taken place.

The school has adopted a new phonics programme in order to address many gaps in pupils' knowledge.

All staff have had training in the new programme. There is a plan in place to ensure pupils close gaps in their phonics knowledge. Pupils who have fallen behind receive effective support.

Teachers match the books pupils read to the sounds they learn. Leaders have invested in refreshing and improving the quality and range of the books that pupils read. Pupils enjoy talking about these books.

They make links with their learning in other areas of the curriculum. In the early years, children enjoy using their phonics knowledge to read and write independently. They are confident and resilient writers and develop habits and skills that prepare them well for future learning.

The curriculum is well ordered. It builds knowledge over time and is ambitious. There is a focus on developing and extending pupils' vocabulary.

Children in the early years use the vocabulary they learn in their independent learning. Leaders have prioritised improvements in English, mathematics and science. They have made adaptations to the curriculum in these subjects to ensure pupils secure the most important knowledge they need.

Staff teach and adapt the curriculum well in these subjects. They check how well pupils are achieving. However, in some subjects, staff are less familiar with how to adapt their teaching and have not yet agreed on what high-quality work in these subjects should look like.

As a result, some pupils do not yet achieve as well as they could in these subjects.The school accurately identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have reviewed and improved provision to ensure that pupils with SEND receive the support they need to achieve well.

Pupils behave well. There is lots to do at playtime and lunchtime. Playground buddies are available to look after their peers if they are unhappy.

Classrooms are calm and productive. Staff consistently apply the school's expectations and use the same language. They publicly praise pupils for demonstrating the school's values.

This motivates pupils to try hard and do their best.

To prepare pupils for the next stage in their education, the school ensures pupils experience a range of wider opportunities to broaden their horizons. This includes a visit to a beach, representing the school and participating in sports events.

There are a range of creative and sports clubs. Pupils attend school more regularly because they do not want to miss out on these opportunities. Pupils know how to stay healthy and the importance of exercise, diet, water and sleep.

Leaders have carefully managed the implementation of their improvements to the school for staff and pupils in their care. Staff have the knowledge, understanding and support to ensure pupils can overcome barriers to learning. Governors and trustees provide effective oversight of school improvement priorities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, teachers' checks on pupils' knowledge are not used effectively to inform the next steps in teaching. This limits how well pupils can achieve.

The school should ensure that teachers use their checks on learning to inform future teaching in all subjects. ? Some foundation subjects are at an earlier stage of implementation than others. In these subjects, some teachers do not have consistently high expectations of what pupils can achieve.

Some teachers do not have a shared understanding of what high-quality work is in these subjects. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could in these subjects. The school should ensure all staff have consistently high expectations of what pupils can achieve and a shared understanding of what constitutes high-quality work in all subjects.

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