Melbourne Infant & Nursery School

Strengths

• Pupils are proud of their welcoming and happy school and feel safe.
• Attendance rates are high and above national averages, with low persistent absence.
• Pupils behave well and playtimes are happy and respectful.
• Bullying and unkindness are rare and dealt with swiftly and effectively.
• Early years provision gives children a positive start and strong transition support.
• Phonics is taught effectively overall and pupils develop fluency in reading, handwriting and number knowledge.
• Disadvantaged pupils are well supported through focused pastoral care and additional funding.
• Pupils with SEND are identified early and generally receive the right support.
• Leaders have redesigned a well-considered curriculum for mixed-age classes.
• Teachers explain new learning clearly and build on pupils' prior knowledge.
• The personal development programme prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.
• High-quality pastoral support and mental health education are distinctive features.
• Pupils benefit from a wide range of memorable opportunities, clubs, trips and arts activities.
• Governors know their responsibilities, visit regularly and provide suitable challenge.
• Staff value the caring culture and professional development opportunities.
• Leaders engage especially well with parents and carers.
• Strong links with the neighbouring junior school support successful transition.

Areas for Improvement

• Leaders' oversight of policy implementation and school work is not sharp enough to resolve inconsistencies quickly.
• Teachers do not always give prompt feedback on spelling, handwriting, letter and number formation errors.
• Some pupils' errors and misconceptions continue over time because feedback is not timely.
• SEND targets and support plans are sometimes imprecise, delaying precise support.
• Leaders do not always clearly communicate to parents the support provided for pupils with SEND.
• Support for pupils with barriers to managing emotions is not consistently applied.
• Lack of clarity in some pupils' behaviour support plans.
• Leaders do not consistently monitor emotional-regulation support closely enough.
• Some curriculum practice activities are not as effective as they could be.
• Adaptations for pupils with imprecise targets are occasionally not well tailored.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools