Millom Infant School, Millom

What it's like to be a pupil at Millom Infant School

Monitoring inspection : 14 July 2026 Children in the early years now benefit from accessing a more ambitious and progressive curriculum. Staff teach children about key concepts and skills. This has led to children making more positive gains in their learning since the full inspection and being better prepared for Year 1. Pupils do not achieve well across the curriculum. They do not gain the basic knowledge that they need to build secure foundations for later learning. Pupils' needs and barriers to learning continue not to be addressed well enough. As a result, gaps in pupils' knowledge, especially in mathematics, do not reduce quickly enough over time. Full inspection : 3 February 2026 The school has faced considerable disruption in recent years. Changes in leadership and shifting approaches to the design and delivery of the curriculum have created uncertainty. During this period, staff have continued make pupils' wellbeing and safety a priority. This means that pupils enjoy coming to school. However, leaders' progress in tackling the weaknesses in the curriculum and teaching have been too slow. As a result, children in the early years and pupils across the rest of the school do not achieve well. They do not gain the basic knowledge that they need to build secure foundations for later learning. Pupils' needs and barriers to learning are not identified well enough. As a result, gaps in pupils' knowledge, especially in writing and mathematics, do not reduce quickly enough over time. Classrooms are generally calm. There are clear routines that help pupils settle quickly. Pupils enjoy learning new vocabulary in science and engaging with story books. They play kindly and support their friends if they become upset. However, this positive climate is not consistent across classes. Some lessons become unsettled, particularly when pupils are asked to complete work that is either too easy or presents too much challenge. Leaders have built positive links with families and the community. Many families spoke highly of the school. Leaders promote the value of attending school regularly. Pupils enjoy the attendance race and want their class to win. Even so, some pupils miss school through absence. Pupils speak warmly of the relationships that they hold with staff and their peers. They are proud to belong to a small, caring community. They feel safe and have confidence in staff to resolve any concerns, including bullying. Pupils enjoy clubs, trips and special events. They learn how to stay safe and treat others with respect. Pupils feel included in school life and take part in wider experiences that extend their learning and knowledge of the world. This ensures that they are ready for life in modern Britain.

What Ofsted says the school should do next

• Governors must ensure that leadership capacity increases. This is so leaders can identify weaknesses in the school's provision and then take action that leads to sustainable improvement over time.
• Governors must ensure that they maintain an accurate oversight of the school so that they can offer well-informed support and challenge to leaders.
• Leaders should ensure that the newly designed curriculum is taught consistently well, and assessment systems are used purposefully, so that pupils gain secure knowledge, especially in writing and mathematics, which enables them to achieve well.
• Leaders should ensure that the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and other pupils with barriers to learning, are identified accurately. They should also ensure that additional support has an impact so that barriers reduce over time.
• Leaders should support staff to further develop their expertise in delivering the early years curriculum through purposeful interactions with children, so that children build on their knowledge and quickly close any gaps in their learning.
• Leaders should continue to develop their approach to improving pupils' attendance so that more pupils are in school regularly.
• Leaders should address the causes of the occasional incidents of disruptive behaviour so that pupils' learning is not interrupted.

Millom Infant School places genuine care and priority on keeping pupils safe and supporting their wellbeing. Staff build warm relationships with children and families, and pupils enjoy a well-organised personal development programme that teaches them about online safety, healthy choices, and kindness. The school's teaching of early reading through phonics is secure, and many pupils are now reading confidently and fluently.

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils feel safe.

School council, outdoor activities (making s'mores, building dens), visits to care homes, community events, school trips, breakfast club, career talks from police officers and nurses

Train Stations

Bus Stops