Abbey CofE Infant School

Overview

Abbey C of E Infant School is described as a "nurturing and welcoming" environment where pupils are "happy" and "flourish" under the motto ‘Love, Laugh, Learn’. The inspection found that the school maintains high ambitions and expectations, resulting in pupils who "achieve well" and behave in a "calm and orderly" manner.

Strengths

• Early years provision is judged "Outstanding", with staff skilfully developing language and basic skills in the two-year-olds’ room.
• Pupils develop "warm relationships with adults" and learn to "share, take turns and cooperate" during engaging playtimes.
• Phonics is taught "effectively" from the early years, enabling pupils to develop "confidence and fluency in reading".
• The school successfully identifies and provides for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), allowing them to learn an "ambitious curriculum alongside their peers".
• Staff are a "happy, well-trained team" who feel supported, while governors demonstrate a "determination that every pupil achieves their best".

Areas to improve

• Teaching approaches in some wider curriculum subjects do not fully support pupils to "remember the essential knowledge and vocabulary", leading to gaps in learning.
• The school lacks a "clear picture" of achievement in some subjects because newer subject leaders are still developing their expertise and understanding of how well pupils are learning.

Safeguarding

The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."