Excellence at Catherine Infant School

June 25, 2026

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Catherine Infant School is a large infant school serving a vibrant and diverse community in Leicester. An impressive number of pupils arrive with additional languages and over thirty languages are spoken within the school. The leadership team has developed a thoughtful approach to inclusion in response to this context. Inclusion and fostering acceptance and community are at the heart of every decision made. These goals are woven throughout the school.

Individual Support

Staff are passionate about removing barriers to learning and allowing every individual to succeed and access the curriculum equitably. Staff have deep knowledge of every learner and are able to support every child as an individual. The school has developed an admirable understanding of individual and familial needs, backgrounds and personalised strategies required. The school has a strong reputation in the local area for working with and supporting children with additional needs. The school has a Designated Specialist Provision (Rockets) for learners with autism and communication needs, as well as an additional provision called Galaxy. Together these provide a structured and individualised environment, with specialised approaches including Attention Autism, Sensory Stories, TacPac and Dough Disco.

Serving the Community

The school has adapted its curriculum to meet the needs of the community. There is a strong focus on language development and early reading, alongside approaches such as Talk for Writing, Talk for Reading and Read Write Inc. phonics. The school is recognised as a Showcase School for Talk for Writing and Talk for Reading. Reading is prioritised across the school and outcomes are strong.

There is strong communication between parents and staff, and parents particularly appreciated how the school helped to identify and support their child. ClassDojo is used to help families remain involved in the education of their child and overcome barriers to learning. There are opportunities for parent feedback.

Early Learning for All

The level of behaviour across the school is admirable, with strong relationships between pupils and between pupils and staff. Pupils are respectful and engaged. Playtimes are fun and positive, and all learners can access a range of activities, structured and informal. A multi-skills coach organises games and encourages everyone to participate. A cloud-based behaviour system is used across the school to track patterns and make sure that all children are accessing learning and enrichment positively. There are is wonderful and wide range of clubs and opportunities available, including football, cooking, art, dance, and LEGO. Pupils can also get involved in roles such as becoming Library Leaders, Eco Warriors, and School Parliament members. Pupils are obviously very proud and enthusiastic about their participation in these programmes.

We are proud to award Catherine Infant School Centre of Excellence status in recognition of their work.