Horndean Infant School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 6 July 2022

Pupils get off to a good start at this school because they are helped to develop personally as well as academically. This is especially true in the early years where children benefit from an exceptional and well-considered range of opportunities to develop their social skills and learn new things. They like their teachers and know that they can trust them if they have a worry or if they need some extra support. Pupils say that this is a school where you can make friends easily and people are kind to each other. Bullying is almost unheard of at the school. Some pupils talk about unkindness or boisterous behaviour in the playground, but adults in school deal with this quickly and then it stops. Pupils are aware that some of their peers need additional support with their behaviour, but this rarely distracts them from their learning. Pupils are mature in the way they think about this and are pleased to see other pupils getting extra help when they need it. Parents rate the school highly and feel lucky to have it in their local community. Every parent who responded to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire during the inspection told us that they would recommend the school. One parent summed up the views of many by saying, 'This is a friendly school where teachers are supportive and genuinely care for the children and their well-being.'

What the school should improve

• Support for pupils in Years 1 and 2 who struggle to read is not consistently effective. Staff do not routinely match the resources they use with the sounds that pupils already know. This prevents some pupils from catching up quickly with their peers. Leaders should ensure that staff are confident and trained in delivering the new phonics programme to ensure that all pupils make quicker progress, particularly those who are struggling.
• Although the school provides some opportunities for pupils to develop their talents, engagement with these activities is mixed. In particular, only a small proportion of pupils with SEND choose to attend extra-curricular clubs. Leaders recognise that the range of activities on offer is narrow and focused primarily on sports. They should consider how they broaden the appeal and inclusivity of their offer so that as many pupils as possible are given opportunities to pursue their interests.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)