Hillshott Infant School and Nursery

Overview

Pupils attend this school happily, feeling secure and included within a "kind, caring community." Leaders are united in striving for continuous improvement, having built a strong team committed to doing their best for pupils. The early years provision is judged Outstanding, with a sharp focus on developing vocabulary and early reading skills.

Strengths

• Early years provision is outstanding, with staff effectively checking what pupils know and providing extra practice to fill gaps in reading.
• Pupils develop confidence and independence quickly, settling into good learning habits and behaving in a "friendly and respectful" manner.
• The curriculum is clear and well-implemented in many subjects, with teachers introducing new ideas clearly and ensuring pupils understand before moving on.
• Pupils have many opportunities to develop character and talents through sports clubs, festivals, and the school council, fostering tolerance and inclusivity.
• Attendance and punctuality are improving due to careful analysis and a personalised approach by the school working with families.

Areas to improve

• Older pupils at the early stages of learning to write do not get sufficient opportunities to apply phonics knowledge in writing, slowing their progress in foundational skills.
• In a few foundation subjects, the school has not established effective checks on curriculum implementation, meaning teaching is not consistently effective in helping pupils secure key knowledge.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.