East Preston Infant School

Overview

East Preston Infant School is described as a “welcoming learning community” where “warm and positive relationships” foster pupil enthusiasm and safety. The inspection found that leaders have created a “nurturing environment” with high expectations for achievement and behaviour, resulting in pupils who are resilient, independent, and eager to learn.

Strengths

• The curriculum is “well designed” and “carefully sequenced,” providing teachers with precise information on key vocabulary and knowledge.
• Staff deliver phonics with “precision and clarity,” quickly identifying pupils needing extra help and fostering a “love of reading” through events like ‘get caught reading’.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive “bespoke support” enabling them to access the same “ambitious curriculum” as their peers.
• Behaviour is excellent, underpinned by a “rights respecting ethos” and ‘golden rules’ that ensure pupils treat each other with kindness.
• Governors provide “appropriate support and challenge,” while staff well-being and training remain high priorities for leaders.

Areas to improve

• Assessment checks are not always precise, meaning learning activities are not consistently adapted to meet all pupils’ needs, potentially limiting achievement.
• There are inconsistencies in addressing errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar, leading some pupils to repeat mistakes over time without regular practice opportunities.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”