Speedwell Infant School

Overview

Pupils love attending Speedwell Infant School, where they receive strong support to meet high expectations and achieve well from their starting points. The school fosters consistently positive relationships, with staff who know pupils well and help them become independent and curious. Leaders and governors are deeply engaged, creating a proud and supportive environment where staff share high ambitions for all pupils, including those with special educational needs.

Strengths

• The curriculum is well-organised and designed specifically for the pupils, using a ‘hands on’ approach that helps them remember what they have learned.
• Pupils develop a love of reading, supported by a well-organised phonics programme that helps them become fluent and confident readers.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported through detailed understanding of their needs and well-tailored assistance.
• Behaviour is excellent, with pupils commonly understanding and applying the school’s ‘Golden Rules’ to be gentle, kind, and helpful.
• The early years provision is described as an exciting place where children are happy, busy, and enjoy learning songs, nursery rhymes, and stories.

Areas to improve

• In some subjects, the curriculum lacks precision about the key knowledge pupils are expected to acquire, meaning the school cannot be sure knowledge builds securely over time.
• In a small number of areas, the early years curriculum is not fully planned and sequenced, lacking clear milestones for children’s progress.
• Some pupils’ knowledge of fundamental British values and different faiths is inconsistent, with limited awareness of what these differences may be.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.