Northern Infant School

Overview

Northern Infant School continues to be a good school where pupils thrive in a friendly and attentive environment. The report highlights a strong ethos of respect, with children who are happy, take pride in their learning, and demonstrate kindness. Leaders and staff work closely with parents to support children, fostering a community described by pupils as ‘a family where everyone helps each other’.

Strengths

• Pupils are ‘happy and take pride in their learning’ within a ‘strong and inclusive school community’.
• The curriculum in core subjects is ‘broad and ambitious’, with deliberately planned approaches supporting pupils to ‘learn and recall this knowledge’.
• Staff ‘nurture pupils so they develop confidence and resilience’, and pupils ‘willingly share any worries with staff’.
• Behaviour is ‘impressive throughout the school’, with clear routines and high expectations established from the start.
• The development of ‘fluent, confident readers is prioritised’, with effective phonics teaching and additional support for those who need it.

Areas to improve

• Assessment in foundation subjects is not yet embedded consistently and does not currently show ‘what pupils’ knowledge gaps are’, hindering learning.
• In some foundation subjects, pupils ‘do not retain the important knowledge they have previously been taught’, reducing understanding over time.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.