Bracebridge Infant and Nursery School

Overview

Bracebridge Infant and Nursery School is rated ‘Good’ for overall effectiveness, with all key judgement areas also rated ‘Good’. The report highlights a positive school culture driven by the motto ‘being the best that we can be’, where pupils are enthusiastic, polite, and feel safe. Leaders have successfully addressed previous concerns, establishing a well-structured curriculum and effective safeguarding arrangements.

Strengths

• The curriculum is a strength, with leaders having ‘thought carefully about what they want pupils to know and when they need to learn it’.
• Pupils achieve well in reading, supported by staff who are ‘experts in how to teach the school’s phonics programme’ and provide immediate support when needed.
• Classrooms are described as ‘calm, nurturing environments’ where pupils behave well and are ‘polite and respectful’.
• Staff provide ‘precise support that is closely matched to their individual needs’ for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Leaders prioritise staff well-being, ensuring they are ‘well supported’ and given time for subject leadership responsibilities.

Areas to improve

• In the early years, some staff do not consistently ‘extend children’s understanding and build their vocabulary through free choice activities or imaginative play’.
• In some foundation subjects, teachers do not systematically help pupils recall key knowledge, meaning pupils sometimes ‘remember activities rather than the knowledge they need to retain’.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are ‘effective’, with staff well trained to recognise signs of unmet needs and leaders being ‘persistent’ in ensuring pupils receive necessary support.