The Annunciation Catholic Infant School

Overview

The report describes a school where pupils are happy, respectful, and well-behaved, creating a "calm and orderly" environment. Leaders provide strong support for staff and ensure pupils develop secure social and emotional skills, with parents rating the school highly for its friendly and supportive nature.

Strengths

• Pupils are "highly respectful of each other and of adults" and follow school rules well.
• Leaders ensure pupils develop a "strong understanding of most subjects" through well-designed curricula that build on prior knowledge.
• Recent changes to early reading teaching are positive, with staff introducing sounds in a "logical order" and supporting those who fall behind.
• Staff accurately identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), adapting learning so they can access the same curriculum as their peers.
• Governors are "knowledgeable, committed and determined," providing effective challenge and support to leaders.

Areas to improve

• In a few subjects, leaders have not identified the important content pupils should learn, limiting the development of "deeper knowledge."
• The phonics programme is not always followed closely enough, meaning some pupils do not benefit consistently from the school’s new early reading approach.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff well trained to identify vulnerable pupils and working tenaciously with external agencies to ensure timely support.