Alwyn Infant School

Overview

This ungraded inspection confirms the school remains ‘good’, though evidence suggests a graded inspection might yield a lower judgement. Pupils are described as ‘safe and happy’ with ‘very positive attitudes to their learning’, benefiting from a ‘highly inclusive culture’. However, inconsistencies in curriculum planning and assessment across some subjects mean pupils ‘do not yet learn as well as they should across the curriculum as a whole’.

Strengths

• Behaviour is a strength, with pupils being ‘enthusiastic and highly motivated’ and ‘low-level disruption’ being rare.
• Phonics and early reading are prioritised effectively, with staff precisely checking learning and providing extra practice for those falling behind.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified quickly and supported well, achieving ‘as well as other pupils’.
• Staff have ‘secure subject knowledge’ in mathematics and science, using ‘carefully planned sequences of lessons’ to build knowledge.
• Governors have ‘very secure knowledge’ of how to support the school, and parents value the ‘close community’ and dedicated staff.

Areas to improve

• The curriculum in some subjects lacks precise knowledge and vocabulary outlines, leading to ‘gaps in pupils’ knowledge’.
• Pupils’ outcomes, particularly in writing, are ‘not high enough’, requiring consistently effective pedagogical approaches and staff subject expertise.
• Assessment in the wider curriculum does not sufficiently identify what pupils know securely, necessitating more ‘consistent, efficient and effective’ checks.

Safeguarding

The report states that ‘the arrangements for safeguarding are effective’.