Letchworth: Read full Ofsted report for 'friendly' school

Northfields Infants and Nursery School has been rated as 'requires improvement' by Ofsted, following the education watchdog's latest inspection. 

Headteacher Rob Dell said: "I am deeply committed to addressing the areas identified for improvement, and I have the full support of the governing body."

Read the full Ofsted report below.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Northfields welcome visitors with smiles and are keen to tell you about their school. They are enthusiastic learners, answering and asking questions often. Pupils and staff have friendly and respectful relationships. This means pupils feel able to speak to staff if they have any worries.

Pupils live up to teachers’ expectations of them in terms of behaviour. Most listen well to others in the classroom. They are kind to each other and have safe and happy playtimes.

Pupils learn to read well because the reading curriculum has improved. However, some pupils are not making as much progress in other subjects because teachers’ expectations of what pupils can do are not high enough.

Pupils can be elected to important school groups, such as the school council and the eco-committee. This helps them learn about and practice democracy.

Pupils have many opportunities to learn about diversity. For instance, in history, they learn about women of colour from the past who have achieved highly in science and mathematics. They know that all people are different and that this should be celebrated.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Since the previous inspection, the school has developed its curriculum. Some subjects have been well structured, while others are still in the early stages of development. In well-structured subjects, teachers show secure subject knowledge. They explain tasks clearly to pupils and adapt some learning tasks. This means that pupils can complete the learning activities confidently. As a result, pupils’ knowledge of these subjects is developing well. However, a number of other subjects require further development. The school does not rigorously check how well pupils learn the planned curriculum. Teachers do not always address misconceptions. This means some pupils make less progress than others.

In the early years, a well-structured curriculum is in place for all areas of learning. Staff focus sharply on developing children’s communication and language skills. This prepares children securely for their future learning in Key Stage 1 and beyond. However, in some subjects, the school does not always securely build on this positive start.

Pupils enjoy books and reading. The school has made it a priority to teach pupils to read. Children in Nursery learn beginning letter sounds. They also share and enjoy stories and books. This helps children to enjoy reading. In phonics sessions, pupils learn to form letters and spell words. Pupils who fall behind have targeted support to improve their knowledge. Most pupils achieve well in reading.

In some subjects, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective, targeted support. In nursery, some pupils have speech and language and communication needs. The school uses successful strategies to improve children’s language and communication. This helps them when they are learning to read and write. The school also has some pupils who have more complex SEND needs. These pupils learn a bespoke curriculum, which matches their identified needs. However, in some subjects, some pupils with SEND do not have effective adapted learning tasks. This means that they are not able to complete work independently and need to wait for guidance. This causes a loss of learning time where pupils are not developing their knowledge.

Pupils behave well. The school has a compassionate approach to helping pupils manage their feelings. Pupils learn to understand why they feel a certain way. Staff then help them manage these with sensible strategies. This helps pupils take responsibility for their actions. This begins in Nursery and Reception. Where the children get along well with each other, they also share and focus on tasks well.

The school has ensured that pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. Pupils understand that everyone is unique. This includes knowing about and understanding different disabilities. Pupils are clear about staying safe, including having trusted adults who they can ask for help and guidance.

Governors carry out all statutory duties. They ensure staff well-being is a high priority, and staff appreciate this. Currently, in some subjects across Key Stage 1, pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Some areas that were identified at the last inspection have not been addressed effectively. Occasionally, the school relies on others to provide direction. This means that sometimes leaders do not make positive changes until guided or supported. Governors are not currently holding leaders accountable either quickly or precisely enough for some issues identified at the previous inspection, particularly areas that refer to some core subjects. This impacts negatively on pupils’ outcomes and their readiness for the next stage of their learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

There are inconsistencies in the teaching in some subjects across Key Stage 1, including writing. Pedagogical practices do not always support, and a lack of formative assessment does not ensure that misconceptions are addressed quickly enough to improve outcomes. This means that pupils’ knowledge does not develop as quickly as it could. The school needs to ensure that teachers are using the school’s intended teaching approaches and assessment procedures.

In some subjects, pupils with SEND do not have access to appropriate adaptations. For example, some are not able to record their thinking independently. This means they must wait for support, and they lose time when they could be developing and consolidating their knowledge. The school needs to ensure that pupils with SEND can record their learning effectively and help to build their independence.

The school has not acted swiftly enough to ensure that all the recommendations made at the last inspection have been implemented, particularly regarding the teaching of some aspects of some core subjects, particularly making sure teachers have high expectations in terms of the quality of work produced by pupils and the progress they make. The school needs to ensure that improvement actions address these areas quickly and effectively.