Hindhayes Infant School in Street has received a glowing endorsement from Ofsted, indicating not only its continued 'Good' status but also showing strong evidence that it could be deemed 'Outstanding' in a graded inspection.

Inspectors visited the school on the 28th and 29th of June 2023 and lauded various aspects, ranging from its robust safeguarding mechanisms to the excellence of its curriculum.

The report highlights the school as an enriching environment for children right from Reception. "Children get off to a great start in Reception," it notes, citing well-equipped and inviting learning spaces that encourage kids to deepen their learning.

Hindhayes' pupils benefit from a "strong focus on foundational knowledge and skills in reading, writing, mathematics and speaking and listening." The inspectors appreciated the school's broad and ambitious curriculum, stating, "They remember subject content well."

On the extracurricular front, the school has been praised for widening pupils' horizons. Activities such as visits to the Fleet Air Museum, performances at local auditoriums, and participation in the 'forest curriculum' have been spotlighted as enriching student experiences.

The school's behavioural environment also received commendation. "Pupils behave well and persevere with their learning. The report mentions " staff champion pupils' well-being," indicating a holistic approach to education beyond academics.

Leadership was another area where the school impressed. The report indicates that "strong leadership at every level enables the curriculum to improve constantly." Subject leaders are experts in their domains, providing ongoing, research-based training to staff, ensuring strong or improving subject knowledge across the board.

Moreover, the curriculum for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) has been designed thoughtfully. The report states, "Leaders support staff to break down learning into manageable chunks. Consequently, pupils with SEND usually learn well."

Addressing the pandemic's educational impact, the report lauds the school's effective adaptation. "Leaders are adept at adapting the curriculum to consider any previous gaps in pupils' learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic," it says. This has resulted in pupils achieving "very well across the curriculum."

Reading is a particular strength at Hindhayes. "Learning to read sits at the heart of the curriculum," the report asserts, adding that the books provided to the children match the sounds they know, thereby boosting their reading skills.

Hindhayes seems to tick all the right boxes from safeguarding to teaching quality. The Ofsted report notes, "The safeguarding team provides exceptionally strong intervention to support the most vulnerable children and families." Staff are trained and swift to refer any concerns to leaders, who then collaborate with external agencies as required.

You can find the full report here.