Airedale Infant Academy

Overview

Airedale Infant Academy has “taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.” The school provides a positive environment where pupils behave well, feel safe, and benefit from strong relationships with staff and families.

Strengths

• Pupils become “confident, fluent and enthusiastic readers” through consistent phonics teaching and additional support for those needing it.
• Children in the early years “get off to a flying start,” with staff quickly identifying needs and focusing on language development.
• The curriculum is “well established,” helping pupils recall knowledge and fostering tolerance through learning about diverse cultures and religions.
• The school offers a “strong personal development offer,” including trips and clubs that bring learning to life and help pupils remember what they learn.
• Staff feel supported by leaders, with “workload and well-being” considered, resulting in a happy workforce.

Areas to improve

• The school must ensure work to address absence leads to “consistently improved attendance for all pupils,” as some still miss vital learning.
• Leaders should continue to evaluate recent changes to the writing curriculum to ensure pupils achieve as highly as they should in “writing and transcription skills.”

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”