Inspectors grade Brighton school as outstanding

A Brighton infant school and nursery has been classed as outstanding by inspectors from Ofsted, the official watchdog.

The inspectors’ report said: “Hertford Infant and Nursery School is an outstanding school.

“Exceptional leadership and strong teamwork among staff have significantly improved pupils’ outcomes.

“Consequently, pupils achieve outstandingly well in response to excellent teaching of a vibrant curriculum and the very strong promotion of their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

“In particular, teachers use new technologies consistently and very imaginatively to inspire learning.

“The school has already identified the need to make sure book-based provision is equally consistently beneficial.”

They added: “Teachers’ infectious enthusiasm and excellent care, guidance and support inspire learning.

“Their skilful questioning challenges pupils and makes them think.”

The inspectors said that the school, in Hertford Road, Hollingdean, had a higher than average proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.

The school also has a higher proportion of disabled pupils and children with special educational needs than the national average.

But it was given an outstanding rating for its overall effectiveness, placing it in the top 5 per cent of infant schools in the country.

The inspectors praised the quality of teaching, the achievement of pupils, the behaviour and safety of pupils and the school’s leadership and management as all outstanding too.

They said: “Children join the school with skills and knowledge that are often well below those expected for their age.

“All groups of pupils achieve exceptionally well and they are particularly well prepared for the next stage of their education.”

This inspection was carried out on Wednesday 30 May and Thursday 31 May with two days’ notice.

The inspectors spent 10 hours observing 11 teachers taking 14 class lessons and a number of smaller teaching groups.

They also held discussions with pupils, parents and carers, teachers and other staff, the head teacher Marcelo Staricoff and the governors.

They analysed the 79 questionnaires returned by parents and carers and those from staff.

The infant and nursery school has 220 children aged from three to seven years old.

When it was last inspected in 2008, Ofsted rated it as good – the second highest grade.