Healdswood Infants' and Nursery SchoolOfsted inspection, 31 Jan 2013

Healdswood Infants' and Nursery School Barker Avenue, Skegby, Sutton-in-Ashfield, NG17 3FQ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 There is not enough good teaching to ensure that all pupils make the progress they should.  Standards are not high enough in reading and writing.  Teachers do not always demand enough from pupils, particularly the most able.  Teachers’ checks on what children in Reception age can do without adult support are not consistently accurate.  Information about what pupils know and can do is not used well enough to set work at the right level for different abilities.  Checks made by senior leaders on teaching do not focus enough on the progress and achievement of pupils.  Governors do not have all the information they need to make an accurate judgement about how well the school is doing.  Parents are not well informed about school because there is no website.

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The school has the following strengths

 Children make a good start in the Nursery. They settle well and staff have good relationships with children and their parents and carers.  The teaching of early reading skills is good and pupils make good progress in learning the names of letters and the sounds they make (phonics).  Teachers mark work well so that pupils know what they need to do to improve.  All staff work hard to make sure pupils feel safe in school. Pupils are appreciative of this and say confidently they feel safe and adults will always help them.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 20 lessons, two of which were jointly observed with the headteacher. They also listened to pupils read and analysed work in pupils’ books.  Meetings were held with pupils, two members of the governing body, senior and middle leaders, staff and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at documents relating to pupils’ progress, attainment and attendance, improvement plans, the school’s own monitoring and evaluation documents, records relating to behaviour, and documentation relating to safeguarding.  Account was taken of the nine responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, the nine returns from a parent questionnaire issued by the school, and the 11 questionnaires that were completed by the staff.

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Inspection team

Ann Behan, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Lois Furness Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 In this smaller than the average-sized infant and nursery school, almost all pupils are White British.  An above average proportion of pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium. In this school it provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  No pupils are educated through alternative provision away from the school site.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is above average, but the proportion supported at school action plus or through a statement of special educational needs is broadly average.  There are seven classes; two part-time classes for Nursery children, two for Reception children, one for Year 1 pupils, one for Years 1 and 2 pupils and one for Year 2 pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of good and outstanding teaching so that pupils’ progress is improved especially in reading and writing by:  making sure the information about what children know and can do without adult support at the end of Reception is accurate  ensuring that teachers use assessment information to plan work that matches the different needs and abilities of all pupils  improving teachers’ knowledge of the teaching of writing

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improving the effectiveness of leadership and management by:  fine tuning the school’s self-evaluation by concentrating more precisely on the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning and progress in lessons and in their written work  making sure the information given to governors is accurate so that they are more able to support and challenge the school’s work  providing parents and carers with more information about the school.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Standards in reading and writing are not improving fast enough and remain below average. In mathematics, standards are broadly average. More-able pupils do not always make fast enough progress.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Effective teaching in Year 2 contributes significantly to raising pupils’ attainment and speeding up progress. Nevertheless, achievement is not yet good because there remains too much variation in the pace of learning across classes and between year groups. These variations reflect the inconsistencies in teaching, especially in writing.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children start school in the Nursery with skills and understanding well below the levels expected for their age in all areas of learning. They are given good support, settle quickly and achieve well from their starting points.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The effective teaching of phonics (linking letters and sounds) is making sure that pupils are improving their early reading skills. They enjoy reading and are eager to talk about the stories they have read.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make progress similar to that of other pupils throughout the school. At times, however, they make faster progress when they receive specific well-targeted support.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The gap between pupils who are eligible for pupil premium monies and other pupils is narrowing. This has been achieved by funding additional support for individuals and groups of pupils in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Although there is some good teaching in the school, too much teaching requires improvement. This is because information about what pupils know and can do is not always used well enough to set work at the right level of difficulty for pupils or to adapt teaching as the lesson proceeds.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The tasks for more-able pupils are occasionally too easy, with pupils initially completing the same work as other pupils. Although they then move on to more difficult work, this often does not happen until late into the lesson.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The influence of teaching assistants in classes varies. When they are used effectively to focus support for groups of pupils and individual pupils in lessons and in separate activities pupils make quick gains in their learning. However, in some lessons and in small group work, this support is less effective because adults are not sufficiently guided by teachers.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 There is some good teaching. In a Year 2 mathematics lesson, where pupils were rounding and sorting numbers, they worked enthusiastically testing their ideas in groups and individually. The teacher had high expectations and, through skilful questioning, extended pupils’ thinking. Pupils were provided with good support from two teaching assistants.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teaching of phonics is good. Sessions observed by inspectors showed pupils, grouped together by ability, making good progress, enjoying activities that developed their skills in sounding and blending letters to read unfamiliar words. However, there are not enough opportunities for pupils to read to their teachers individually to boost their confidence in reading on their own.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teaching of writing is regularly planned but it is not always effective in increasing pupils’ confidence in writing at length or by themselves. Writing skills are not developed well enough in other subjects and teachers’ knowledge of the teaching of writing is not strong enough to raise pupils’ achievement.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Books are marked regularly and teachers give clear guidance on what pupils should do to improve their work. They encourage pupils to write comments about their own work so that they understand where they have made mistakes.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Most pupils enjoy their learning and respond enthusiastically when given the opportunity to contribute to lessons. Some, especially boys, start to lose interest and concentration when they are required to sit and listen for too long or are given work that does not meet their needs. They do not disrupt the learning of others but fidget or day-dream instead of paying attention.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Parents, staff and pupils think that behaviour is typically good. Pupils are friendly and polite; they show respect for adults and for one another. They say that they enjoy school and that the behaviour policy is understood by all. However, these good attitudes are not fully capitalised on in lessons. Pupils have limited opportunity to take more responsibility for their learning and to boost their self-confidence.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils feel safe at school. They say bullying happens rarely and that, when it does, it is dealt with swiftly and effectively. Their awareness of safe situations, including internet safety, is good and they are clear about whom to speak to if they need help.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Attendance is broadly average and the majority of pupils are punctual at the start of the school day. The school has rigorous systems in place to monitor attendance and punctuality. Staff work hard to persuade parents and carers that it is important that pupils attend school regularly and that they are on time.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher checks the quality of teachers’ work and pupils’ progress, but not often enough or in sufficient depth. These checks place too much emphasis on what the teachers do rather than the impact their teaching has on pupils’ learning and progress.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher and other leaders have correctly identified the school’s strengths and areas that require further improvement, but the targets and timescales in the plans are too vague to help the school to become good quickly.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Tracking and assessment procedures have improved since the last inspection. However, there is inconsistency in the accuracy of some of this information, and it is not used effectively by all staff to improve pupils’ learning.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school promotes equal opportunities well. Individual pupils have benefited from the additional funding the school receives for those who are known to be eligible for free school meals. These funds have been used well to provide more adult support in class and to give additional one-to-one support for pupils in developing their speaking skills.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is developed well. The school emphasises respect and conveys a strong sense that everyone is important. Pupils work well together, respecting each other’s views and ideas, and showing courtesy towards one another. They take part in a range of religious and cultural experiences, together with numerous enrichment activities through music and celebrations of different cultures.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Parents and carers appreciate the school and their feedback was positive. They are encouraged to support their children with their learning. Homework is set regularly and information is shared through newsletters and e-mail. However, in the absence of a website, information about school policies, the constitution of the governing body and details about the use of pupil premium is not readily available for parents and carers to access.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority recently stepped in to commission additional support for the school. It has helped the school to become linked to a nearby outstanding school in order to strengthen the quality of senior leadership, to improve teaching and raise achievement. The plan for good practice to be shared more with all staff within school and the partner school has not yet been implemented.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  The governing body checks the arrangements for safeguarding pupils well and safeguarding meets requirements. Governors have a good grasp of the school budget, and are aware of how the pupil premium has been spent. They have received good training in improving their expertise in judging teachers’ performance and meet with the headteacher and other leaders regularly to monitor the work of the school. However, they are not always given the accurate and detailed information and data that they need to enable them to fully hold the school to account, especially in terms of quality of teaching and how well pupils make progress compared to similar groups nationally.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 122488 Local authority Nottinghamshire Inspection number 402099

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Infant School category Community Age range of pupils 3–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 185 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jennie Marriott Headteacher Janet Newton Date of previous school inspection 2 December 2009 Telephone number 01623 462449 Fax number 01623 462961 Email address office@healdswood.notts.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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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School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

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School details

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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School details

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 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

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School details

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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