Ladycross Infant School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 10 December 2024

Pupils enjoy coming to Ladycross Infant School. They are happy and feel safe. Many pupils model the school's aims of 'learning, making friends and having fun'. The school has raised its expectations of the breadth and depth of pupils' learning. It has made improvements to the quality of education. However, many of these positive changes are recent and require time to become fully embedded. Most pupils follow and understand the school rules of 'ready, respectful, safe'. Pupils get on well together during social times. However, pupils' behaviour in lessons is more variable. At times, the school does not consistently ensure that pupils maintain the highest standards of behaviour. Pupils' learning can be hindered by low-level disruption. Pupils make a meaningful contribution to school life. For instance, some pupils are members of the 'pupil parliament'. Others value their roles as 'friendship ambassadors', ensuring nobody is left out during playtimes. Pupils particularly enjoy looking after the school guinea pigs, Ginger and Little Moon Buddy. These roles help to develop pupils' understanding of responsibility and care. There is a broad range of extra-curricular opportunities on offer to pupils. Assemblies, including talks from guest speakers such as engineers, encourage pupils to be aspirational about their futures.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, the pedagogical choices do not fully support pupils to achieve the intended goals of the ambitious curriculum. In these subjects, pupils do not build a sufficient depth of knowledge or understanding. The school should ensure that suitable pedagogical choices are made so that the clearly sequenced curriculum is delivered effectively.
• The school's checks on pupils' learning in some foundation subjects do not clearly identify what pupils remember. This means that teaching does not always build on what pupils already know. The school should ensure that checks in these subjects accurately identify what pupils know, so that teachers can use this as a starting point for their teaching and plug any gaps in pupils' learning.
• Expectations of pupils' behaviour for learning are not high enough. Staff do not apply the school's new behaviour systems consistently. This leads to some pupils' learning being hindered. The school should ensure that its behaviour systems are followed consistently, helping pupils to develop positive and focused attitudes to learning.
• Although pupils learn about a range of faiths and cultures, they struggle to remember what they have learned. Their knowledge of these is not secure. The school should ensure that pupils' experiences and recall of a range of faiths and cultures are further enhanced, so that pupils are fully prepared for life in modern Britain.

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