Balksbury Infant School

Overview

Balksbury Infant School is described as a “welcoming and nurturing community” where pupils are “happy” and “enthusiastic about their learning.” The report highlights “exceptional” behaviour, with children being “extremely polite and courteous” and playing “harmoniously” across year groups. Leaders maintain high ambitions for achievement, supported by a strong sense of partnership with parents who feel “positive learning is at the heart of the school.”

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate “exceptional” behaviour and “extremely positive attitudes to their learning,” showing they are “highly motivated, eager and independent learners.”
• Reading is prioritised effectively; the phonics programme is delivered “meticulously,” resulting in the “vast majority” of Year 1 pupils reading “very well” with a “love of reading.”
• The school fosters an “inclusive culture” where the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified and met “well and quickly.”
• Leaders provide a “wide range of opportunities” for personal development, including clubs and outdoor learning, ensuring “cost is never a barrier.”
• Governors provide “effective challenge and support,” asking “well-informed questions” to ensure leaders’ actions have the intended impact.

Areas to improve

• Leaders must ensure curriculum information for all subjects, particularly early years, RE, and science, “precisely identifies the essential knowledge” pupils should learn and remember.
• Assessment in a few subjects is not yet consistent; leaders should monitor this to ensure evidence collected is used to help pupils understand “what they need to do next.”

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are “effective,” with staff well trained to recognise signs of harm and concerns reported “promptly” and followed up “diligently.”