Old Basing Infant School

Overview

Old Basing Infant School is judged ‘Good’ across all inspection categories, maintaining high standards since its previous ‘Outstanding’ rating. Pupils are described as “full of enthusiasm for learning” and “proud to belong,” benefiting from “warm and nurturing” relationships with staff. The school provides a strong foundation for future education, with leaders fostering a “love of learning for life.”

Strengths

• Pupils behave “sensibly” and are “respectful of each other and their teachers,” feeling safe and supported.
• The curriculum is “ambitious and interesting,” with a “comprehensive phonics and wider reading programme” that helps pupils start reading early.
• Teachers are “adept at helping pupils to understand and remember new ideas” and regularly revisit content to build on previous learning.
• Strong systems identify pupils with additional needs, with teachers who “skilfully adapt activities” to support those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Governors are “highly skilled, experienced and effective,” providing close oversight and challenging leaders to maintain high standards.

Areas to improve

• Leaders must ensure curriculum planning in foundation subjects is “precise enough” so staff are clear about essential knowledge and its logical sequence.
• Staff need to consistently check for and address “misconceptions in pupils’ understanding” to avoid moving on to new learning too quickly.
• Leaders must tighten safeguarding record-keeping to ensure actions taken when “additional information has come to light” are clearly documented.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff trained and alert to concerns, though leaders must improve the clarity and tightness of their record-keeping regarding safeguarding actions.