The Carlton Infant Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 12 May 2026

Pupils skip into school at The Carlton Infant Academy. Pupils are valued, respected and known well by staff and leaders. This leads to a high sense of belonging, where pupils are happy and attend well. Pupils thrive in a culture underpinned by the school’s values. They live out the value of ‘grow with us’ and want to succeed. Pupils show high levels of respect and care for one another. They take the time to look after each other. Although the pupils are young, they love to support others through their leadership roles. The play leaders understand they have an important role, and they enjoy wearing their high-visibility jackets and lanyards. The pupil plumbers, electricians and site manager all take their roles seriously. These roles help them to prepare to be a positive member of the community. Pupils fully engage in the wider enrichment opportunities. Leaders and staff have consistently high expectations of behaviour. Consequently, pupils behave very well. Bullying is rare. Pupils understand what bullying is but say that it does not happen. As a result, pupils feel safe in school. They have warm and positive relationships with staff. Children in early years, from the age of 2, get off to a positive start. They play, explore and become curious learners. Pupils, of all ages, engage enthusiastically with an ambitious curriculum that has been carefully planned out. They enjoy their learning. Most teachers make sure that pupils understand what they are learning. Most pupils are well prepared for the next stage of education. Staff swiftly identify barriers to learning for pupils and provide the best possible support for them. They want all pupils to achieve well. Staff provide effective, tailored support. As a result, pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, those who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve well.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is taught consistently well in all subjects and year groups so that pupils secure the knowledge and skills they need for their next steps.
• Leaders should ensure that the checks made on pupils' learning are used by staff to improve and address any misconceptions pupils have, particularly in their handwriting and spelling.
• In the early years, leaders should ensure the consistent use of high-quality interactions from staff to extend children’s vocabulary and deepen their understanding of important knowledge.

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