John T Rice Infant and Nursery School

Overview

John T Rice Infant and Nursery School continues to be a good school, where pupils "thrive" and are "well looked after by the caring team of committed staff." The report highlights an "ambitious" curriculum and strong support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), noting that children settle quickly and behave exceptionally well.

Strengths

• Pupils are "happy to attend school" and demonstrate "exceptional" behaviour, being "always kind and respectful."
• The school identifies and meets children’s needs "very well" from their first days in Nursery, with staff making "suitable adaptations" for SEND pupils.
• Reading is a "high priority," with a new phonics programme delivered well and books "appropriately matched" to sounds pupils are learning.
• The personal development curriculum is "strong," ensuring pupils understand safety, relationships, and well-being, with a clear belief that "Everyone should be treated the same."
• Staff feel "valued" and appreciate the "careful consideration given to their workload and well-being."

Areas to improve

• Teachers’ checking of pupils’ understanding is "not as effective as it could be" across subjects, including mathematics, leading to struggles with recalling key content.
• The school should ensure staff "emphasise the most important knowledge and skills" and help pupils "integrate new knowledge into larger ideas."

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.