Icknield Infant and Nursery School

Overview

Pupils at Icknield Infant and Nursery School value kindness and respect, benefiting from a ‘well-sequenced curriculum’ and strong early years provision. However, inconsistent application of the behaviour policy and variable expectations for work quality mean that too many older pupils disrupt learning and do not achieve as well as they could.

Strengths

• The school has a ‘well-sequenced curriculum’ with staff possessing ‘secure subject knowledge’, providing a strong foundation for learning.
• Early years provision is ‘Good’, with children learning routines quickly and receiving ‘high-quality interactions’ and targeted support.
• Reading is a priority; staff use ‘high-quality texts’ and are ‘quick to identify any gaps’, ensuring pupils achieve well in reading.
• Pupils enjoy ‘memorable opportunities’ such as the school council and ‘Feel Good Friends’, fostering independence and positive relationships.
• Staff are ‘positive about the school’ and feel well supported by leaders who listen to their views.

Areas to improve

• The school must ensure staff have clear information to support pupils with SEND, as current processes for identifying needs are lacking.
• Leaders should provide guidance so all staff maintain ‘equally high expectations’ for the standard of pupils’ work across all subjects.
• The new behaviour policy must be applied consistently to prevent disruption, and strategies to improve pupil attendance need to be more effective.

Safeguarding

The report states that ‘the arrangements for safeguarding are effective’.