Albert Pritchard Infant School

Overview

This is a “happy school” where pupils feel welcome and live the values of “resilience, belonging and hope.” Leaders have designed an “ambitious curriculum” that provides exciting learning opportunities, particularly in mathematics and English, where teaching is precise and effective. The school is described as “very inclusive,” with staff skilfully supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Strengths

• Pupils have “positive attitudes to learning,” behave well, and feel “well cared for” by staff who maintain high expectations.
• Reading is a high priority; consistent phonics teaching and matched books help pupils become “fluent, enthusiastic, and confident readers.”
• The early years provision is “well considered and carefully structured,” with a focus on communication, language, and physical development.
• Staff are “passionate about involving all pupils” in opportunities, including choir performances, growing food, and sporting tournaments.
• Governors and leaders “know the school and pupils very well,” ensuring staff feel “valued and supported.”

Areas to improve

• Leaders must set out “exactly the curriculum content” for a small number of subjects to ensure pupils remember more.
• Leaders need to find “alternative strategies to work with parents” to reduce persistent absence, which causes pupils to miss learning.
• Leaders should analyse why take-up of extra-curricular activities is low and “adapt provision to maximise” participation.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are “effective,” with leaders keeping “meticulous safeguarding records” and staff trained to recognise risk and take prompt action.