Lorraine Infant School Praised for High Standards by Ofsted

We are delighted that Lorraine Infant School has successfully maintained its Good judgment following an Ofsted inspection last month. The school received a positive outcome, indicating effective action has been taken to maintain its high standards.

The inspection highlighted several areas of strength, including a particular focus on core academic areas and personal development for its pupils who are all aged from two to seven years old. Inspectors noted that pupils “ooze enthusiasm” for their school.

The school's values of ‘respect, try your best, succeed’ are central to developing pupils’ positive attitudes and resilience. There is a clear commitment throughout all aspects of the school’s work to treating people fairly and ensuring all pupils have opportunities, regardless of their background. Pupils’ personal development takes centre stage, fostering their understanding of themselves and their place in the world from Nursery onwards.  The school’s determination “to nurture confident, thoughtful, and highly motivated learners” underpins everything that pupils experience. An unrelenting focus on developing pupils’ speaking and listening skills boosts their self-esteem. 

The school has successfully fine-tuned the teaching of early reading over the past year, with strong foundations laid in Nursery, where children engage with stories, songs, and rhymes. Phonics teaching from Reception upwards is described as typically proficient and precise, with targeted extra support for those who need it. Consequently, most pupils acquire the basic reading skills by the end of Year 1 and are keen to share their love for reading. 

The updated mathematics curriculum, introduced last school year, is also having a positive impact. Daily number practice from Reception upwards helps develop pupils’ confidence and recall of important facts. Pupils report enjoying mathematics, and they achieve well, particularly in the younger years.

In its report, Ofsted highlighted that “Classrooms are calm and purposeful. Typically, pupils are attentive and work hard. The well-designed curriculum hooks them in and builds their knowledge and skills over time” 

Beyond the core subjects, pupils benefit from a wide range of activities beyond lessons, including regular ‘showcase’ events where pupils share their learning with family members and visits to Kew Gardens, for example, broaden pupils’ experiences.

Overall, the inspection found that Lorraine Infant School continues to provide a positive and effective learning environment for its pupils, underpinned by strong values and a commitment to academic and personal development. 

Headteacher Karen Ney said: “I’m thrilled that the recent inspection recognised the dedication and hard work across our entire school community. We're especially proud that pupils’ personal development was highlighted as central to our work. The positive feedback reflects the high standards our children and staff consistently achieve. Thank you to everyone, including the GLF School Support team for their continued support and commitment.”