St Alphege Church of England Infant and Nursery School

Overview

St Alphege’s is described as a ‘harmonious and welcoming school community’ where pupils feel ‘happy and safe’. Leaders have secured ‘significant improvements’ since the previous inspection, resulting in high-quality education and outstanding behaviour.

Strengths

• Relationships are ‘exceptionally strong’, with pupils describing the school as ‘caring’ and a ‘place of trust’.
• The curriculum is ‘ambitious’, with teachers adept at breaking down learning into ‘manageable steps’.
• Pupils’ behaviour is ‘impeccable’, with classrooms described as ‘calm and productive’.
• There is a ‘strong reading culture’, with staff delivering phonics ‘expertly and consistently’.
• Personal development is ‘excellent’, with pupils showing respect for different faiths and cultures.

Areas to improve

• The school’s approach to teaching writing is ‘not fully embedded’, meaning some pupils do not secure early transcription skills such as pencil grip and letter formation.

Safeguarding

The report states that ‘the arrangements for safeguarding are effective’.