Toton Banks Road Infant and Nursery School

Overview

Toton Banks Road Infant and Nursery School is described as a “welcoming and inclusive” environment where pupils are “happy and excited to learn.” The report highlights a strong culture underpinned by the values ‘Be Kind, Be Brave, Be Curious’, with staff taking great care to know each pupil and their family.

Strengths

• Reading is prioritised, with effective phonics teaching ensuring most pupils read with “accuracy and fluency” by the end of key stage 1.
• The mathematics curriculum is “carefully sequenced” to build on prior knowledge, supported by regular recall activities.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are “very well supported” with skilful adaptations, enabling them to achieve well.
• Staff feel supported regarding workload and well-being, while governors provide “strong oversight” of the school.
• Parents are “overwhelmingly positive,” praising teachers for helping children develop into “lovely human beings.”

Areas to improve

• The curriculum in some subjects lacks clarity on “essential knowledge,” leading to inconsistent pupil recall; leaders must refine this to specify what pupils should learn.
• Assessment is not used consistently well across all subjects, meaning gaps in learning are not always identified and resolved quickly.
• In the early years, staff do not always use information about children’s prior learning effectively to shape activities, limiting potential progress.

Safeguarding

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