A SCHOOL with “delightful” pupils who are rewarded with hot chocolates has been hailed during an Ofsted report, despite issues with their reading.

Broomgrove Infant School, off Heath Road, Wivenhoe, was rated Good by the education watchdog after visits at the end of January.

Pupils were praised for supporting one another at the school where staff place a strong emphasis on friendship, the inspector said.

The inspector said those who attend the school are “delightful” and are keen to talk about their learning, of which they find the topic-based learning interesting.

The pupils spoke confidently to the watchdog about their “expertise” in yoga and swimming, with the range of after-school clubs being celebrated and enjoyed by all.

They behaved “politely and kindly”, according to the inspector, and particularly enjoy a #HotChocolateFridays scheme where those who have shown exemplary behaviour or effort get so spend special time with the headteacher.

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Pupils told Ofsted it makes their parents proud when they do the right thing.

Bullying was described repeatedly as unkind behaviour by those at the school, with it “rarely” occurring there. When it does, pupils trust staff to step in and solve the problem.

But the early reading programme was flagged as an issue, with some pupils’ reading becoming “laboured” due to lack of monitoring.

The inspector says how staff are supportive when pupils are stuck on a question, but the support which pupils who find reading hard and those with SEND does not ensure they can catch up quickly.

The Ofsted report stated this is down to leaders not monitoring staff training to check it is having the desired effect.

As a result, staff do not know strategies to teach pupils to help them all learn to read words confidently and fluently.

Furthermore, progress pupils with SEND make is “slow” due to the extra support not always being measurable and timely.

But success has been seen elsewhere in the school leaders’ curriculum development, with teachers supported to plan an effective sequence of learning.

Staff showcase activities which can be replicated with household items to support a child’s learning at home.