Sladefield Infant School

Overview

Sladefield Infant School is a happy place where pupils are greeted warmly and feel safe, supported by staff who maintain high expectations. The school delivers an ambitious curriculum that helps pupils achieve well, with particular strength in reading and personal development. However, inconsistent curriculum links in some subjects and persistent absence hinder the progress of certain pupils.

Strengths

• Pupils are "keen to learn" and achieve well within a "carefully planned and organised curriculum".
• Reading is a clear priority, with staff providing effective phonics instruction and "daily opportunities to practise reading skills".
• Behaviour is "exemplary", with pupils understanding equality and inclusion, led by initiatives like the ‘Rights Knights’.
• Leaders quickly identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), ensuring they receive suitable adaptations to "join in lessons and make good progress".
• Staff morale is high, and governors provide effective support, holding leaders to account to "continually improve the school".

Areas to improve

• Leaders must ensure the curriculum in foundation subjects is "embedded and linked from the early years through to Year 2" so pupils build securely on prior knowledge.
• Leaders should continue work to improve attendance, as "too many pupils are persistently absent", missing learning opportunities.
• Leaders need to teach pupils strategies to become "more independent learners" rather than waiting for adult instruction when stuck.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with a "strong culture of safeguarding" where staff promptly report concerns and confidently challenge external agencies if responses are inadequate.