Southbroom Infants' School

Overview

This is a “warm and welcoming school” where pupils feel “happy and safe” and enjoy their education. The report highlights an “exciting and engaging curriculum” that fosters curiosity, with pupils achieving well and being well-prepared for their next stage of education. Leadership and personal development are rated as outstanding, reflecting strong support for staff and pupils alike.

Strengths

• The curriculum is “highly effective,” helping pupils build knowledge in a “logical order” from the Nursery Year.
• Early years provision is “exceptional,” with staff skilfully supporting children to develop strong communication and language skills.
• Pupils benefit from “exceptional personal development opportunities,” including leadership roles and visits that raise aspirations.
• Reading is “at the heart of the curriculum,” with vibrant reading areas and effective support ensuring pupils become “confident readers.”
• Staff feel “very well supported” by the trust, benefiting from “highly effective development opportunities” and collaborative working.

Areas to improve

• In some subjects, teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to develop language skills, meaning they struggle to use “subject-specific vocabulary” or talk about their knowledge.
• The trust should ensure pupils can engage in “high-quality dialogue” to deepen their understanding across all curriculum subjects.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”