Howbridge Infant School

Overview

Howbridge Infant School is described as a “happy, inclusive school” where pupils feel safe and are “kind and respectful to each other.” Leaders provide a “rich curriculum” that prepares pupils for their next steps, with particular strength in early years provision and reading. The report notes that while most pupils achieve well, there are inconsistencies in how curriculum content is structured and monitored across all subjects.

Strengths

• Pupils are “safe” and trust adults, with bullying happening “rarely” and being stopped “straight away.”
• The early years curriculum is “well considered,” offering stimulating activities that develop independence and language skills.
• Reading is central to learning; staff teach phonics “effectively,” ensuring most pupils read “fluently” and understand texts.
• Staff are part of a “supportive team” who appreciate leaders’ efforts to involve them in decision-making and manage workloads.
• Lunchtime clubs are attended “enthusiastically,” helping pupils develop interests and confidence.

Areas to improve

• Leaders must ensure curriculum plans in all subjects “set out clearly what knowledge is to be learned” so teachers can check pupils are remembering important knowledge over time.
• Subject leaders need to develop a “more systematic and rigorous approach” to monitor and evaluate the impact of the curriculum on pupils’ learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are “effective,” with a “strong culture” where well-trained staff report concerns “straight away” and leaders work closely with families and external services to keep pupils safe.