Kilburn Infant and Nursery School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 October 2022

Relationships are positive at this school. Pupils are well cared for. Leaders' strongly held belief that 'a happy child is a successful child' drives the daily interactions between staff and pupils. One pupil summed up the school when they said: 'Teachers are lovely to us. They help us to learn and get better at things. They look after us really well.' Leaders have high expectations of pupils. Behaviour is positive. Pupils get on well with each other. They are attentive in lessons and play cooperatively at playtimes. They look out for and care for one another. Outside, they use the playground pals and the buddy bus stop to make sure that no one is lonely or left out. They are enjoying learning Makaton to help them communicate more widely. Pupils enjoy helping out around school. They take their roles as school councillors and monitors seriously. They understand the principles of democracy and the importance of treating everyone equally. Bullying is very rare. However, pupils know what it is and what to do should it occur. The three steps of 'stop, tell a friend, tell an adult' are consistently understood and applied. Pupils know that it is important to speak out to stay safe.

What the school should improve

• Pupils in the Reception Year are not taught the school's phonics programme quickly enough when they join the school. This means that they do not begin to read as quickly as they are able or should. Leaders should ensure that pupils are taught phonics from the very beginning of the Reception Year.
• The majority of the school's curriculum is well planned and sequenced. In some places, the curriculum shows skills that pupils are to acquire. However, the underpinning knowledge that pupils need in order to master these skills have not been considered. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum, across all subjects, makes clear the most important things that pupils need to know in order to learn the full range of the curriculum.
• A small group of parents have concerns about aspects of the school's provision. Concerns include provision for pupils with SEND and how the school communicates with its community. These concerns do not match what inspectors found during the inspection. However, leaders should ensure that working in partnership with parents is prioritised and successful, and that the work of the school is communicated more clearly to provide assurance.

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