Watton Westfield Infant and Nursery School

Overview

Watton Westfield Infant and Nursery School has “taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.” Pupils “relish attending this school,” forming good friendships and demonstrating kindness and politeness. The school has successfully improved teaching in core subjects, ensuring pupils are “achieving well” in English and mathematics.

Strengths

• Pupils are “happy and enjoy playing with friends,” with a strong sense of community that includes support for peers speaking English as an additional language.
• Teaching in English and mathematics is “consistent” with “high expectations,” resulting in pupils who are “motivated by new learning.”
• Early reading instruction is “precise,” helping pupils build skills to become “fluent readers,” with effective support for those finding it harder.
• Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is “effective,” with staff using assessment data well to plan interventions.
• Children in the early years make a “strong start,” benefiting from age-appropriate provision and staff who help widen vocabulary.

Areas to improve

• The school must ensure pupils are taught “correct letter formation” as inconsistent handwriting currently “detracts from the quality of their written work.”
• Staff need better knowledge of how to design activities in subjects beyond English and mathematics to help pupils “learn the knowledge intended.”

Safeguarding

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