East Ruston Infant School & Nursery

Overview

Pupils are described as happy and hardworking in this small community school, where staff share a strong ambition for high achievement. The report highlights a curriculum that places significant value on outdoor learning in nature and a strong focus on early reading development. Overall, the school is judged to be providing a good quality of education with effective safeguarding arrangements.

Strengths

• Pupils make a "strong start to school" in the Nursery and Reception classes, quickly learning to "love learning" and rising to challenges.
• The curriculum is logically organised, with staff skilled at introducing "high-quality and subject-specific vocabulary" to support understanding.
• Reading is "at the centre of the curriculum," with books matched to pupils' phonics knowledge and effective support provided for those finding it difficult.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are carefully identified and supported with "appropriately chosen resources" to access the curriculum.
• The school fosters respect and personal development through a "‘life-skills’ curriculum" and visits from diverse faiths and cultures.

Areas to improve

• The school must ensure it checks "with precision how well the curriculum is taught across all subjects" to better understand where improvements are needed.
• Systems for securing positive attendance require refinement to reduce the number of pupils who are "persistently absent from school."

Safeguarding

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