Netherhall St James CofE (VC) Infant and Nursery School

Overview

Leaders have established an inclusive culture where pupils feel safe and are supported to grow as individuals. The school provides a high-quality education, with early years provision rated as outstanding and strong emphasis placed on reading and vocabulary development.

Strengths

• Early years provision is outstanding, with an "ambitious curriculum" that supports children exceptionally well and prepares them for the next stage of education.
• Reading is a priority, with consistent phonics teaching ensuring pupils develop fluency, accuracy, and a "love of books" from an early age.
• Staff consistently promote vocabulary development through effective questioning, helping pupils build an "ever-increasing bank of new words."
• Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength, with leaders breaking down barriers to learning and using clear strategies.
• Pupils are polite and friendly, benefiting from respectful relationships with staff and a clear approach to behaviour that prevents bullying.

Areas to improve

• In some subjects, such as history and computing, leaders have not clearly defined the "small steps of knowledge" pupils need to learn, resulting in a lack of clarity for teachers and limited depth of knowledge for pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff receiving regular training and remaining vigilant to potential signs of abuse.