Deansbrook Infant School

Overview

Deansbrook Infant School is described as a place where pupils arrive happy and feel safe, supported by "friendly staff who know them and their families well." Leaders have made "significant improvements" since the previous inspection, resulting in a school where "expectations for all pupils are extremely high" and behaviour is consistently positive. The report highlights a strong sense of community, with pupils feeling their "voice matters" and families highly valuing the holistic development their children receive.

Strengths

• Leaders have "thoroughly enhanced the school’s curriculum," breaking it into small steps to help pupils build knowledge and allowing staff to quickly identify gaps.
• Early reading is a particular strength, with staff delivering phonics teaching with confidence and ensuring pupils who fall behind "catch up quickly."
• Staff expertly adapt the curriculum for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enabling all pupils to "access the full curriculum."
• Personal development is praised, with pupils encouraged to take on responsibilities, such as through the elected school council, and to contribute to the community via charity work and clubs.
• Attendance has "greatly improved" due to rigorous work with families and the introduction of motivating incentives.

Areas to improve

• In some subjects, the identification of subject specificity is not precise, meaning pupils are "unable to articulate important subject content." The school must ensure subject knowledge and skills are clearly identified so pupils can recall key content confidently.

Safeguarding

The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."