Southglade Primary and Nursery School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 13–14 March 2012 Inspection number 381291 Southglade Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 131005 Local authority Nottingham Inspection number 381291 Inspection dates 13–14 March 2012 Lead inspector Jane Melbourne HMI

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 387 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Brian Grocock Headteacher Linda Harrison Date of previous school inspection 24 September 2008 School address Beckhampton Road Bestwood Park Nottingham NG5 5NE Telephone number 0115 9155763 Fax number 0115 9155764 Email address headteacher@southglade.nottingham.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Inspectors observed 16 teachers, visited 24 lessons and eight sessions of phonics (sounds that letters make). They heard a sample of children read and visited the breakfast club. They held meetings with the Chair of the Governing Body, an associate adviser from the local authority, the headteacher, staff and groups of pupils. Inspectors spoke to parents and carers in the playground. The work of the school was observed, including the school’s self-evaluation, assessment information, lesson plans, pupils’ work, school safety procedures and information logs, and responses to questionnaires from 53 parents and carers, 147 pupils, and 29 members of staff. The inspectors also took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View).

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Information about the school

Southglade is a larger than average-sized primary school with a Nursery. The school, which was an amalgamation of a former infant and junior school, was opened in September 2007. Pupils are taken mainly from the immediate Bestwood housing estate. The majority of pupils are White British, with a small number from minority ethnic backgrounds and a few who are at the early stages of learning English. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well-above average, with an average proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. The number of pupils with a statement for their special educational needs is lower than average. The school provides a breakfast and a lunch club for Nursery children. The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress. The school was last inspected in September 2008.

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Information about the school

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 This is a good school. It has made considerable improvement since the last inspection. It is not yet outstanding because teaching is good rather than outstanding and there are some inconsistencies in provision in Key Stage 1. Punctuality remains an issue.

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Key findings

 Achievement is good. By the time pupils left Year 6 in 2011, attainment was above average in all areas. This year’s Year 6 pupils are on track to achieve similarly. In the past, there was significant variation in the progress of different groups of pupils. Successful strengthening of provision for these pupils early on in their schooling has ensured that they now progress at a similarly good rate to all pupils.

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Key findings

 The teaching has improved significantly in the past three years and is now consistently good, with some outstanding teaching, mostly at the upper end of the school. There remain a small number of satisfactory lessons; teaching is less vibrant in foundation subjects in Key Stage 1 and, across the school, teachers do not develop consistently good writing practice in all curriculum areas.

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Key findings

 Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are good overall and pupils say they feel safe. Attendance has improved sharply in the past year and is now in line with national expectations.

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Key findings

 Leadership and management are good. The senior management team have demonstrated their ability to drive school improvement and actions taken have been successful, specifically in raising attainment, the progress of all groups of pupils, the quality of teaching, and pupils’ behaviour and levels of attendance. There is, however, a lack of rigour to some of the governing body’s monitoring. The good provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage inside the school is not matched by the quality of the outdoor provision. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 By January 2013, ensure that all of the teaching is as good as the best in the school by: - providing sharply focused coaching for individual staff where necessary - developing consistency in marking pupils’ work with regular reference to the pupils’ personal targets and with specific guidance to aid their improvement - providing sufficient opportunities for pupils to use and apply their writing and mathematical skills across the curriculum - improving the quality of the outdoor learning opportunities for those children in the Early Years Foundation Stage - ensuring that the governing body has a role in monitoring the quality of teaching across the school, including in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  By the beginning of the academic year 2012-2013, ensure that the learning outside of discrete English and mathematics lessons is as vibrant in Key Stage 1 as it is in Key Stage 2 by: - adapting learning in all lessons to meet the specific needs of pupils, as is

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

already the case in literacy and numeracy - providing sufficient challenge in the activities for learners of all ability levels - raising expectations for the presentation of pupils’ work, including handwriting and accurate punctuation.  By the end of the academic year 2011-2012, improve the punctuality of pupils who are consistently late by: - applying similar strategies to those which have been successful in raising attendance - helping all parents to understand the importance of punctuality.

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Achievement of pupils

Although pupils join the Nursery at levels which are well below what is expected nationally, they progress well and transfer to the Reception class with knowledge and skills which are nearer to the levels expected for their stage. Good teaching in the Reception Year ensures that by the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage, children are very close to what is expected for their age in all areas of learning. Through current careful tracking and applying early interventions, this year’s cohort is mostly on track to reach the expected levels by the end of the Reception Year.

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Achievement of pupils

Attainment in Key Stage 1 is improving and, in 2011, was just above average, with reading being the strongest area of achievement. Staff have a much stronger grasp on the analysis and use of data, which has served to increase levels of pupil progress and achievement. In 2011, pupils, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, or who were eligible for free school meals, made good progress in reading and mathematics and satisfactory progress in writing. The increased Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Achievement of pupils

progress in mathematics over the year was the most significant, with the vast majority of pupils exceeding their targets. Girls achieved slightly less well than boys in mathematics.

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Achievement of pupils

Attainment for all pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 was high in relation to national figures in 2011 and has risen considerably since 2010. A particularly high number gained the higher levels in reading and mathematics. The current cohort of Year 6 pupils are on track to do similarly well, due to a high concentration of good to outstanding teaching. All pupils made at least the expected progress from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2 in both English and mathematics. For some pupils, including those from the potentially most-vulnerable groups, this represented outstanding progress overall. Though it remains in writing, overall there is a significant closing of the attainment gap for these groups compared to other pupils at the end of Year 6.

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Achievement of pupils

In the lessons observed, the inspection team found achievement to be good overall, but with some pockets of inconsistency, especially in Years 1 and 2. Pupils achieve less well in the foundation subjects in Key Stage 1 and they do not yet use and apply their writing and mathematical skills effectively. Inspectors agree with parents and carers that pupils are achieving well overall.

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Quality of teaching

Good teaching is a consistent feature of the very large majority of lessons. This is underpinned by a stimulating and well-considered curriculum. Parents and carers responding to questionnaires or who spoke with inspectors also believed the teaching to be good, which was also confirmed by the pupils. Those pupils spoken to in Key Stage 2 were particularly enthusiastic about their lessons and confirmed their exceptional enjoyment of what they were learning. Teachers are highly successful in creating a positive climate for learning which fosters pupils’ natural curiosity and eagerness to work things out for themselves. Pupils have the belief they will succeed and are, therefore, not afraid to have a try. Staff plan trips out of the classroom to extend pupils’ life experiences and to stimulate their learning and a desire to write. For example, the Year 5 pupils had a recent trip out to the local sewage works and

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Quality of teaching

Year 4 musicians had the opportunity to participate in a concert at a city centre concert hall, which also enhanced their cultural development.

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Quality of teaching

Pupils are mutually supportive, particularly so further up the school. This is because the teachers have high expectations of pupils taking responsibility and cooperating together and stress these as important tools for pupils’ social and moral development and for their preparation for working life. Assessment information is used well to plan for and meet all pupils’ needs. Additional support for those pupils who need it is worked out carefully. Staffing ratios allow for good levels of individual support, or targeted support in small groups. The teaching of phonics is thorough, although sessions are sometimes disrupted by latecomers at the bottom end of the school. Some pupils who are late frequently miss out on these sessions altogether, which significantly impedes their learning and progress. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Quality of teaching

Teaching is sometimes more mundane in Key Stage 1 and activities are less well- adapted for the whole range of learners’ needs in topic work. Expectations for handwriting and presentation are not always made clear in these lessons. Pupils at the lower end of the school are not sufficiently applying their knowledge and skills in all areas of the curriculum. Work is often marked thoroughly and with some helpful pointers for improvement. However, this is not yet consistent across the whole school. Sometimes advice given does not link sufficiently with pupils’ individual targets. Too little time is allowed for them to make corrections before moving on.

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Quality of teaching

The good quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage ensures that children have valuable experiences in all six areas of learning. Children’s speaking and listening skills are promoted well. Children’s learning in the outdoor area is more limited. The scheduling of specific, time-limited sessions in the outdoor area interrupts children’s learning and means that, sometimes, they are unable to complete an activity to their satisfaction. It also means that some of the more-active learners who prefer the outdoor learning environment are not progressing as well as they could potentially.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Behaviour in lessons and around the school is consistently good. Most parents and carers agree with this, although some parents and carers believed that behaviour was not as good in the playground. The school has already identified the priority to work continually on friendships in the lower part of the school and to promote being kind to each other. Senior management have a presence in the play areas to reinforce this and to monitor the consistency of managing pupils’ behaviour. Consequently, there is a reducing number of incidents and exclusions. Good relationships are evident across the school, between pupils and between adults and pupils. The atmosphere of mutual respect works well and is taught from the outset, as even the youngest children are encouraged to listen while others are speaking and to share the playthings and equipment.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

There is generally a safe environment for working. Nearly all parents and carers say they believe their children are safe and pupils confirm this. A few parents and carers did not agree that bullying was dealt with effectively. Inspectors found procedures to combat bullying to be increasingly effective and for incidents to be reducing as pupils covered important social and emotional aspects of learning in their lessons.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The school has worked very successfully to raise attendance. Pupils are very keen to be part of the class with the best attendance. The family support worker and the area attendance officer make a significant contribution to supporting children who have found regular attendance challenging. The breakfast club provides a crucial service for some pupils. Time in these sessions is put to good use. Pupils communicate eagerly and enjoy being heard read after they have shared a breakfast meal. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Leadership and management

In the last three years, a newly formed energetic and ambitious senior management team have strengthened procedures for checking the work of the school. They have effectively addressed the points for improvement from the previous inspection. The system for tracking pupils’ progress is now robust and staff analyse the data and plan the targeted support effectively. The school has improved the consistency of teaching. Much good practice has been shared as a whole-staff team. The school recognises the importance of using the expertise that already exists to lift the quality of teaching further. The curriculum has been expanded more widely to meet pupils’ needs more effectively and to broaden pupils’ horizons of life outside of the immediate area. It promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, and social development well and their cultural development satisfactorily. It offers a range of extra-curricular opportunities. There has been an equally good take up of these by some of the

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Leadership and management

pupils in school who are considered to be potentially the most vulnerable. All this demonstrates the school’s good capacity for improvement.

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Leadership and management

The governing body ensures that it fulfils its statutory duties to safeguard pupils, tackle any discrimination and to ensure equality of opportunity. The school’s self- evaluation is accurate and there are appropriately prioritised areas for improvement. However, there are too few focused visits by the governing body, for example, to enable them to get an independent view of teaching or of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Leadership and management

A small minority of parents and carers did not agree that the school responded well to their concerns or kept them well-informed. The school is committed to its partnership with parents and carers and has demonstrated this in its employment of a family support worker, who operates very effectively to support families through her extensive knowledge and strong community links.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Southglade Primary School, Nottingham, NG5 5NE

Thank you for the help that you gave to us when we visited your school recently. It is pleasing to know that the vast majority of you enjoy coming to school. We also spoke with school staff and used the feedback from the inspection questionnaires, including those completed by your parents or carers. Everyone’s views are very important to us. Some of you and some of your parents and carers thought that not all pupils were as well-behaved as they should be and believed that there was evidence of bullying in school. Inspectors agree that, at the lower end of the school, not everyone is always well-behaved in the playground, but that, overall, behaviour is good, particularly in lessons. A few parents and carers thought there were a small number of bullying incidents or minor accidents that the school was not dealing with sufficiently well. The inspection team investigated bullying and the safety of pupils.

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Inspection of Southglade Primary School, Nottingham, NG5 5NE

We were satisfied that the school is continuing to work at raising your awareness of bullying and satisfactorily resolve any incidents that arise.

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Inspection of Southglade Primary School, Nottingham, NG5 5NE

You go to a good school. By the end of Year 6, most of you are doing better in English and mathematics than pupils in other schools and you make good progress from when you enter the school.  You, clearly, enjoy most of year lessons, particularly those of you who are in Years 5 and 6. We have asked your teachers to make sure that all of the lessons are as good as these.  You are not always writing as well in your topic work as you do in your literacy lessons; we want your teachers to expect more of you when you write at all times. You can help by presenting your work more neatly and remembering your writing targets.  Some of you are not as challenged in Key Stage 1 in your afternoon lessons, so we have asked teachers to plan harder and more interesting things for you to do.  Children in the Nursery enjoy more exciting activities indoors than they do out, so we have asked the Early Years staff to make sure there are more

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Inspection of Southglade Primary School, Nottingham, NG5 5NE

equal opportunities inside and out.  We noticed that some of you often get to school late. This means that you miss out on important learning, particularly in your phonics lessons at the lower end of the school. We want you to try really hard at getting here on time. We wish each and every one of you success at Southglade and in the future.

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Inspection of Southglade Primary School, Nottingham, NG5 5NE

Yours sincerely Jane Melbourne Her Majesty's Inspector (on behalf of the inspection team) procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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