William Lilley Infant and Nursery School

Overview

William Lilley Infant and Nursery School continues to be a good school, described as a "happy and welcoming" community where pupils’ well-being is a priority. Leaders and staff share a clear ambition for all pupils to achieve their best, supported by a well-organised curriculum and strong relationships with parents.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe and well supported, behaving in a "calm and orderly way" while demonstrating respect for differences and diversity.
• Reading is taught well and is a "clear priority," with staff using assessment effectively to identify needs and provide extra help.
• Children in the early years get off to a "flying start," benefiting from well-established routines that help them develop independence.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified quickly and "thrive in this school," receiving appropriate support to access the curriculum.
• Governors provide "strong support" for leaders, who are considerate of staff workload and well-being.

Areas to improve

• Leaders need to ensure teaching consistently enables pupils to "know and remember key ideas" rather than just recalling activities, so they can reliably build on prior knowledge.
• Leaders must monitor the implementation of recently introduced curriculum aspects "carefully and rigorously" to confirm their impact on all groups of pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff knowing pupils and their families well and ensuring all adults working in the school undergo required checks.