Hillborough Infant and Nursery School

Overview

Hillborough Infant and Nursery School continues to be a good school, described as a welcoming environment where pupils feel like part of a family. Leaders have created an ambitious, well-organised curriculum that ensures pupils progress well from their starting points, supported by teachers with strong subject knowledge.

Strengths

• Pupils are "enthusiastic about their learning" and work together extremely well, displaying kindness and care towards one another.
• The curriculum is "ambitious" and "well-organised," with "well-ordered steps of learning" that help pupils learn in depth from Nursery to Year 2.
• Staff are "experts in teaching the rigorous phonics programme," enabling pupils to quickly decode words and develop fluency in reading.
• The school supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively, adjusting activities so they can access the full curriculum.
• Children make a "strong start in the early years," developing positive attitudes to learning through purposeful activities.

Areas to improve

• Leaders should monitor curriculum delivery to ensure learning steps are taught sequentially, as teachers occasionally set tasks that are too hard for pupils lacking necessary skills.
• Leaders should ensure all staff fully understand and confidently apply the new behaviour policy consistently, as some are not yet fully confident in doing so.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with leaders having established a strong culture where staff are vigilant for signs of harm and report concerns effectively.