We are very proud of our children and would like to share their fabulous attainment and progress.

Please follow the link to the DfE School Performance website.

The Government announced it would not publish any school or college level educational performance data based on tests, assessments or exams for 2020. Further information on what that means for the way school and college accountability operated for 2020/21 and 2021/22 can be found here.

The school was visited by Ofsted in September 2022 very early on in the school term. Inspectors found the school to be Good in the majority of areas they reviewed- but raised some concerns around early reading and there was some variability in the provision for children with SEND.

Given our continuing improvements in outcomes for all children in Reading, Writing and Maths along with the popularity of the school we are pleased Ofsted have been able to identify the good work we have been doing including during the pandemic.  We know that our community has confidence in our ability to care for and nurture all children; we are currently oversubscribed.  Ofsted reported that there is ‘a strong culture of care at the school’ and ‘arrangements for safeguarding are effective’. We are proud that inspectors noted that children feel safe and are happy in our school. One pupil told inspectors: ‘Staff care for us. They want us to do well and be safe’.

Ofsted acknowledged that School leaders, with the support of the Trust, have bought about recent improvements in the quality of education. The following positive comments were included within the report:

• ‘Leaders have made improvements to the curriculum at Overdale Infant School’ and ‘have developed a strong curriculum in some subjects’.
• Pupils understand complex subject vocabulary.
• ‘Leaders have planned the mathematics curriculum carefully’ such that ‘pupils build their understanding and knowledge securely’. 
• Teachers frequently check pupils learning. They are quick to address misconceptions. Staff provide regular opportunities for pupils to recap their knowledge. 
• Leaders create a calm and orderly environment in the school.
• Pupils are polite and respectful. They know that bullying is not tolerated.
• Pupils generally behave well. They told inspectors that behaviour is good most of the time and that staff deal quickly with any incidents of bullying.
• Pupils have a clear understanding of difference and equality. They know that there is always a member of staff they can speak to if they are worried.
• Relationships are very positive between children and adults in the early years. Staff ensure that the learning environment is very engaging.  Early Years Provision is Good.
• Leaders prioritise pupils’ personal development. They support pupils to understand right from wrong.
• Leaders support pupils to be confident and resilient individuals. They help pupils to develop strength of character. 

The school’s improvement journey has been as rapid as possible in the last three years. Staff are committed to improving all aspects of the school.  However, we acknowledge the areas for improvement identified by Ofsted during the inspection.

They identified that in some subjects key knowledge and content pupils need to learn is not sufficiently well planned or sequenced but ‘leaders have begun to review and plan the curriculum from the early years to the end of key stage 1 in these subjects’. We are already ensuring that all curriculum subjects include further detail on the knowledge pupils should know and by when. This academic year we have introduced an assessment system for all foundation subjects.

The school has embarked on a new Phonics programme that is highly ambitious. The inspection took place at the very beginning of term and whilst staff were fully trained, there were still some inconsistencies in delivery at that point. We fully acknowledge identifying the right books for children within a new scheme can take time, and we have worked rapidly to address this.  Our reading outcomes at the end of key stage 1 for last academic year were above national average. Our results improved despite a national decline. Our scheme requires all children to participate in whole class phonics sessions. However, additional appropriate interventions are in place to support children in Phonics.

At the start of any year, it takes time for staff to build relationships with children in order to skilfully support them in their learning, particularly those with additional needs. However, we acknowledge there was variability in provision for children with SEND during the inspection period. We have moved rapidly to ensure scaffolds and adjustments are in place for all children and staff have received additional training in this area.

Ofsted recognised that leaders and staff are putting in place the right infrastructure for the school to thrive, and we have confidence that all areas of improvement identified will be rapidly addressed before the next inspection in order for the school to be recognised as Good overall.

Please find below our most recent Ofsted reports.