Thornhill Junior and Infant School

Overview: Thornhill Junior and Infant School provides a positive and inclusive environment where pupils are happy and grow in confidence. They show curiosity in their learning and build their self-esteem in a safe and positive atmosphere. The school maintains a calm and orderly environment, and pupils behave respectfully both in and outside the classroom.

Strengths:

• Pupils are happy and grow in confidence, showing curiosity in their learning.
• The school maintains a calm and orderly environment, with pupils behaving respectfully.
• Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
• The school has improved the teaching of reading, writing, and mathematics significantly.
• The school identifies, assesses, and meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities well.
• Pupils are articulate and use subject-specific vocabulary effectively to share their understanding.
• The school promotes an inclusive environment well, with pupils learning about and respecting different faiths and beliefs.

Areas to improve:

• Staff subject knowledge is stronger in some subjects than others, meaning the work given to pupils does not always support their deeper understanding of key knowledge.
• Pupils in the early stages of writing have not had enough practice to develop fluent, legible handwriting, limiting their ability to express their ideas in writing clearly and confidently.

Safeguarding: The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.