Victoria Park Infant School

Overview

Pupils enjoy attending this “welcoming school” where they feel safe and are “kind and care for each other.” Leaders have developed a “broad and ambitious” curriculum that supports high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school fosters a “happy and calm atmosphere” with strong staff morale and effective governance.

Strengths

• Pupils behave well, settle quickly into routines, and feel confident that staff will deal swiftly with any problems.
• Leaders have prioritised reading, ensuring staff are “well trained to deliver the phonics programme effectively,” resulting in most pupils becoming “accurate and fluent readers” by the end of key stage 1.
• Staff accurately identify the needs of pupils with SEND and provide the help required to access the “same ambitious curriculum as their classmates.”
• Pupils benefit from rich opportunities for personal development, learning to “respect diversity” and participate in community events.
• Parents hold the school in “high regard,” appreciating the care and opportunities provided, while staff value leaders’ consideration of their workload.

Areas to improve

• In a small number of subjects, leaders have not defined the order in which key knowledge should be taught or provided sufficient guidance to staff.
• This lack of clarity means some children do not build on earlier learning securely, leading to “uneven” learning and development in these specific areas.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are “effective,” with staff alert to potential harm and reporting concerns timely to ensure pupils receive appropriate support.