Heather Ridge Infant School

Overview

Pupils “flourish in this caring and nurturing school” where they feel safe and demonstrate “great kindness” to one another. The report highlights a strong culture of respect, with bullying being “very rare” and pupils taking pride in their achievements and community involvement. Staff provide supportive help that encourages pupils to be “inquisitive learners” who are not afraid to make mistakes.

Strengths

• A “love of reading builds swiftly” from Reception, with effective training for staff and targeted help ensuring pupils at risk of falling behind “catch up quickly”.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) “make strong progress” due to teachers knowing them well and adapting the curriculum effectively.
• Consistent routines help pupils “take responsibility for their own learning” and develop strong friendships from an early age.
• Leaders and governors work closely together, with leaders showing “clear purpose and high ambition for all pupils” while considering staff workload.

Areas to improve

• In subjects such as science and geography, leaders have not ordered knowledge in a “sequential way,” leading to gaps in pupils’ understanding.
• Teachers do not consistently check what pupils have learned in these subjects, meaning pupils are “not always learning as much as they could.”

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are “effective,” with leaders ensuring staff receive up-to-date training and that concerns are “quickly raised and acted upon.”