Leyland St Andrew's Church of England Infant School

Overview

Leyland St Andrew’s Church of England Infant School is rated ‘Good’ for overall effectiveness and all other inspection categories. The report describes a school where pupils feel ‘caring, safe and happy’, supported by staff who have forged ‘nurturing relationships’ with families. Leaders maintain high expectations, fostering a culture where pupils are ‘keen to learn’ and strive for recognition through initiatives like the ‘book of brilliance’.

Strengths

• The curriculum is ‘suitably ambitious’ for all pupils, with early years staff providing a ‘calm and well-organised space’ for learning.
• Phonics and early reading are delivered well, ensuring pupils become ‘confident and fluent readers’ by the end of Year 2.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive ‘high-quality support’ through effective identification systems and targeted help.
• Behaviour is managed consistently, keeping learning ‘usually free from disruption’, while pupils develop resilience through activities like ‘military school’.
• Governors provide ‘high levels of support and challenge’ to leaders, who are ‘considerate of the workload and well-being of staff’.

Areas to improve

• In a minority of subjects, leaders have not clearly identified the knowledge pupils should learn, hindering teachers’ ability to design appropriate learning.
• A small number of subject leaders lack sufficient expertise to lead their subjects with confidence, preventing them from providing appropriate guidance to staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are ‘effective’, underpinned by a ‘strong culture of safeguarding’ among staff, leaders, and governors who are appropriately trained and diligent in pursuing support for vulnerable pupils.