Stoke Hill Infant and Nursery School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 25 February 2025

Pupils are happy and proud to be a part of Stoke Hill. They enjoy coming to school and show positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils move around the school sensibly knowing what is expected of them. Pupils feel well cared for and know that adults will help them if they have any worries. This is because staff take time to build warm relationships with pupils. This starts in the early years where staff help the youngest children settle well. Parents and carers praise the school highly for the care the school has for their children. The school has raised its ambition of what pupils should learn through the design of the curriculum. Pupils have risen to the high expectations staff have of them and typically learn the curriculum well. By the time they leave Year 2, pupils are well prepared for junior school. The wider development of pupils is a strength of the school. Pupils appreciate the many opportunities that enrich the curriculum, such as regular trips and visits. Pupil leadership roles help to develop pupils into responsible citizens. As a result, pupils know that they make a difference to their school. For example, 'wildlife champions' look after the school garden.

What the school should improve

• On occasions, the work given to some pupils does not consistently meet the high ambition of the school's curriculum and at times, is not adapted for pupils' different starting points. As a result, some pupils are not able to deepen their understanding. The school should ensure that all pupils receive appropriate work that closely matches the high ambition of the curriculum based on what they know and remember to build their knowledge securely over time.
• Some pupils, who are at the early stages of learning to write, are given work that is beyond what they know and can do. This is because they have not yet grasped the basic transcription skills of writing, such as handwriting, spelling and punctuation. The school should ensure that it provides pupils with the appropriate support they need to secure transcription knowledge in writing that will help them to complete more complex written tasks with success.
• At times, the school does not help some children in the early years well enough to develop their prime areas of learning, including PSED. This is because adults do not consistently recognise when some children need additional support to deepen their understanding. The school needs to strengthen the expertise of staff to promote consistently high-quality interactions that help children to develop their knowledge in these areas to be better prepared for their next stage

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