Iver Heath Infant School and Nursery

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 2 February 2023

This is a friendly and welcoming school. Clear routines and warm relationships help children make a positive start, whenever they join the school. Pupils enjoy attending and are enthusiastic about their learning. There are high expectations for all. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. This is a highly inclusive school where staff work hard to meet the individual needs of all. Staff care deeply about the well-being of pupils. Leaders value the personal development of pupils just as much as their academic outcomes. Right from the beginning of Nursery, children are helped to recognise and name their emotions. As pupils go through the school, they develop successful ways of managing emotions. They learn about their rights such as to feel safe and respected. Staff are proud to ensure pupils are equipped with skills to help them throughout life by the time they leave the school. Pupils behave well and bullying is rare. When it does occur, it is dealt with swiftly. Pupils understand and respect the school rules. Older pupils are proud to be role models for their younger peers and are involved in setting and monitoring school rules.

What the school should improve

• Reading books do not always match pupils' phonic knowledge. This means that pupils, including those who are furthest behind, do not always catch up quickly enough. Leaders must ensure that reading books match sounds that the pupils have learned in class, so that they catch up quickly in line with their peers.
• In some foundation subjects, leaders have not yet identified the precise knowledge and skills that pupils will learn. This means that pupils' understanding does not consistently build over time as well as it might. In these subjects, leaders need to ensure that the curriculum specifies the full range of key knowledge and skills that pupils will learn and remember as they move through the school.
• Leaders recognise that persistent absence is too high. As a result, some vulnerable pupils miss valuable learning time. Leaders need to continue the work they are doing to improve attendance for those pupils who are regularly absent.

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