A “happy” infant school has been praised for providing children with “a strong sense of community”.

Education watchdog Ofsted gave Garden Suburb Infant School its second-highest ‘good’ rating after an inspection in July this year.

Visiting the school for children aged between 4 and 7 in Hampstead Garden Suburb, inspectors found pupils and adults have “warm and friendly” working relationships.

They added that pupils are “enthusiastic” about their lessons and are “well prepared" for the next stage of their learning.

After the publication of Ofsted’s report, headteacher Sarah Sands said it “feels good” to know that the school is “on the right track”.

Inspectors found much to praise during their visit to the school, located in Childs Way, describing safeguarding as “effective” and stating that pupils “are safe and can always talk to staff about any worries.”

They added that leaders at the school have developed an “ambitious curriculum” and that SEND pupils have effective support.

The report stated: “Pupils appreciate leaders’ ambition that everyone feels special, has hope and a reason to smile.”

But it was not just learning at the school that inspectors commended. They also found that staff have prioritised pupils’ personal development.

Pupils were described as enjoying playtimes, using equipment sensibly, and as knowing the school values “well”.

The report states: “Staff encourage pupils to be resilient and not give up. They recognise the importance of kindness and respecting others. They learn about different religions and beliefs.”

One area inspectors told the school to improve was in planning and sequencing in “a few subjects”, as it prevented pupils from learning the curriculum “deeply”.

They said: “The school should ensure that the curriculum is embedded consistently across the school by supporting subject leaders to strengthen the sequence of learning and review content so that all pupils learn the curriculum in depth.”

Headteacher Sands said: “We are very happy with the report, which we feel reflects our school, and our priorities, well.

“We are particularly pleased that the inspector took a ‘deep dive’ into our teaching of reading and art and found them to be huge areas of strength.”

She added: “It feels good to go into the new school year with clear recognition of our strengths and agreement that we are on the right track as we move forward in our continual process of school improvement.”