Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School

Overview

Leesland Church of England Controlled Infant School continues to be a good school, where pupils are "cared for well by staff" and thrive in a "friendly community." The report highlights an "ambitious and broad" curriculum that effectively builds knowledge, alongside a strong focus on reading and character development through the ‘Leesland Legacy’.

Strengths

• The curriculum is "designed and organised to carefully build pupils’ knowledge," with effective adaptation for early years and pupils with special educational needs.
• Teachers possess "secure subject knowledge" and use well-thought-out activities to support "deeper understanding."
• There is a "sharp focus on developing pupils’ reading," including same-day support for those struggling with phonics.
• Behaviour is "calm and respectful," with pupils demonstrating the school’s values of "Love, Respect and Grace."
• Staff feel "appreciated" and value manageable workloads, contributing to a positive school culture.

Areas to improve

• The school must address the high rate of absence among disadvantaged pupils, as "too many disadvantaged pupils are regularly absent," leading to knowledge gaps.
• Leaders need to "embed and further refine the approach to addressing absence" to robustly secure improved attendance for this group.
• In some cases, teacher questioning does not provide a "clear enough picture of how well pupils understand."

Safeguarding

The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."