Devonshire Infant School

Overview

Devonshire Infant School fulfils the expected standard of education, with pupils achieving well in core subjects and feeling safe and valued within a supportive community. While the curriculum is coherent and staff treat pupils with care, the report highlights that teaching consistency and attendance rates require further refinement to ensure all pupils benefit fully from the school’s provision.

Strengths

• Pupils develop reading skills quickly and write with increasing fluency, securing knowledge in mathematics that prepares them for key stage 2.
• The school fosters a "calm and orderly environment" where bullying is rare and staff address behaviour promptly with empathy and respect.
• Leaders have established a "welcoming culture" where every pupil is valued, supported by clear systems for early identification of needs and effective inclusion strategies.
• The early years provide a "positive and successful start," with children engaging happily in learning and making clear progress in foundational skills.
• Pupils develop strong social skills and emotional language, supported by a wide-ranging programme for personal development and wellbeing.

Areas to improve

• Leaders should develop consistency in teaching, assessment, and adaptations across the curriculum to help pupils achieve aspirational expectations.
• Attendance strategies need further work to ensure rates are consistently high, particularly for pupils facing additional challenges where persistent absence remains higher than desired.
• Leaders and governors should refine their analysis of school performance data to provide sharper oversight and inform strategic improvement priorities.

Safeguarding

The safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing an open culture where concerns are actively identified and managed, ensuring pupils are made safer and feel safe.