Nettleton Community Primary School

Nettleton Community Primary School Moortown Road, Nettleton, Market Rasen, LN7 6AA

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics throughout the school.  The lessons seen, the school’s records and the work in pupils’ books show that teaching is typically good. Pupils find lesson activities interesting. This helps them to concentrate and learn well.  Pupils behave well in lessons and at play and lunchtimes. The school is a happy place to learn and for pupils to socialise together.  Procedures to keep pupils safe are very effective. Pupils say they feel very safe and their parents agree.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.  The executive headteacher, head of school and other key leaders provide good leadership in promoting good achievement for pupils and in improving teaching.  Governors are closely involved in helping the school to improve further. They visit regularly and know what is going on.  The school has made good improvement since

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Occasionally, the work given to the more-able pupils does not challenge them, or teachers do not pick up pupils’ misunderstandings quickly enough.  Staff do not always insist on accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling in pupils’ writing.  Marking comments are not always helpful in improving the quality of pupils’ work.  Leaders’ plans for improving the school cover the right priorities but are not sufficiently detailed, so they cannot keep a close check on progress.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector evaluated teaching in all classrooms. Three classrooms were visited with the headteacher. Pupils’ work was scrutinised in all year groups to evaluate teaching over time.  Meetings were conducted with senior and subject leaders and members of staff. In addition, meetings were held with the Vice-Chair of the Governing Body and a representative of local authority.  Pupils were spoken to during lessons and around school. A meeting was held with seven pupils in Years 3 to 6 to find out their views on behaviour, safety and bullying in school.  Information from the scrutiny of a range of documentation was used to help form inspection judgments. These documents included the school’s own evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses and the resulting improvement plans, a record of the management of teachers’ performance, monitoring documentation, assessment information, minutes of meetings and

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Information about this inspection

information relating to safeguarding and attendance.  The views of parents were gathered by analysing questionnaires given out by the school and the 18 parental responses to Parent View (the online questionnaire for parents). An analysis of the eight responses to the staff questionnaire, along with discussions with staff during the inspection, gave inspectors an insight into their views.

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Inspection team

Lois Furness, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. All three classes contain mixed year groups. Class 1: Early Years Foundation Stage, Year 1 and Year 2; Class 2: Years 3 and 4; Class 3: Years 5 and 6.  Most pupils are White British, and all of the current pupils speak English as their first language.  An above-average proportion of pupils are supported by the pupil premium, which is additional support for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those in local authority care.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is well below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum levels for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Information about this school

 A head of school and a newly qualified teacher were appointed in September 2013.  In January 2013, the school formed a collaboration with Market Rasen Church of England Primary School. Each school has its own governing body but they share an executive headteacher. The teachers in charge of English and mathematics at Market Rasen Church of England Primary School also lead these subjects at Nettleton. In July 2014, this collaboration is to be formalised into a federation of both schools, with one governing body.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and raise pupils’ achievement further by:  checking pupils’ work carefully in lessons so misunderstandings are quickly identified and put right  providing work that is consistently challenging, especially for the more-able pupils  insisting on correct use of grammar, punctuation and spelling throughout pupils’ writing  using marking comments effectively to help pupils raise the standard of their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Sharpen the effectiveness of improvement planning by:  identifying precisely the actions to be taken, with measurable success criteria and tight timeframes for when actions will be completed.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The number of pupils in each year group is small, which means standards can fluctuate significantly from year to year. However, it is clear that from their starting points in Reception to when they leave after Year 6 most pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils are well prepared for their secondary school education.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment in reading is improving rapidly, as seen by pupils’ performance at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. In 2013, attainment was well above average by the end of Year 6. Older pupils say they enjoy reading and can speak about favourite authors. Younger pupils have daily reading lessons, and in 2013, the outcomes of the phonics (links between letters and sounds) screening check showed that 82% of pupils were at the expected level. These pupils are then able to use their phonics knowledge to read unfamiliar and trickier words, for example ‘companies’.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The quality of pupils’ writing is improving quickly. By the end of Year 2 they can construct and join sentences confidently in a range of contexts and apply some simple adjectives and adverbs to make the writing more interesting and lively. They make good progress in Years 3 to 6 so that by the end of Year 6 approximately half of the class are working at the higher Level 5 in their writing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In 2013, the number of Year 6 pupils attaining the expected level in the new grammar, punctuation and spelling test was well above average. However, despite this, pupils in all year groups do not consistently use these skills accurately when writing in other subjects. For example, an able writer spelt ‘Wednesday’ as ‘wensday’.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Standards in mathematics were not good enough in the past, and this was identified at the previous inspection. Since then, staff have received training in how to teach mathematics better and this is showing good impact. By the end of Year 2 in 2013, for example, almost all pupils attained above the nationally expected level for their age. In Year 6, all pupils attained the expected Level 4, and approximately two fifths attained the higher Level 5. This year standards are on track to be similar.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make the same good progress as their classmates. They benefit from the good support of teaching assistants. The more-able pupils, although making good progress overall, occasionally ‘mark time’ when the work given to them is too easy.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The very small number of pupils supported by the pupil premium in Year 6 in 2013 means that it is not possible to comment on their attainment without potentially identifying individuals. School records and samples of work show that the progress of this group of pupils across the school is similar to, or better than, that of other pupils in reading, writing and mathematics. This is because of good teaching and effective funded support in small groups.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers make sure that classrooms are happy, safe places for learning. They are attractive, with good quality displays that provide prompts for learning and celebrate good work. Lessons start punctually and positive relationships between pupils and staff are obvious. As a result of good teaching over time, pupils make good progress. Pupils behave well in lessons and enjoy their work. The very few pupils who sometimes find it difficult to manage their behaviour are dealt with sensitively by staff.  The Reception children are well taught and make good gains in their learning. This was seen as children wrote letters about their trip to Treasure Island. Most were able to write a simple sentence using finger spaces, capital letters and full stops. They have good opportunities to explore, investigate and be creative both indoors and in the outdoor environment.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The school’s effective system of assessment gives teachers an accurate understanding about pupils’ progress. They generally use this information to provide work at the right level of difficulty for different ability groups. Occasionally, the more-able pupils in particular are given work that is not sufficiently demanding.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Some outstanding learning was seen in Class 3, when Years 5 and 6 pupils considered carefully the features to include when writing an interesting newspaper article. Skilful questioning reminded pupils of the knowledge they had, and throughout the lesson the teacher checked on learning by asking further searching questions or moving around the room to check pupils’ written work. Sometimes teachers do not check carefully enough that pupils have understood their task. In such cases, time is wasted as pupils make unnecessary mistakes.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants provide valuable support that helps disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs to make good progress. They are particularly effective in one-to-one and small group work. The good opportunities for all pupils to take part in paired and group work support their moral and social development effectively.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers mainly show good subject knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics and make work interesting. The effective teaching of phonics enables pupils to quickly become confident readers. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to write in different ways and for different purposes in different subjects. However, the teaching of grammar, punctuation and spelling is not as effective and they do not always pick up simple errors, especially in subjects other than English.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The marking of pupils’ work has improved considerably since the previous inspection, and it is now carried out regularly. Comments in marked work celebrate pupils’ achievements and sometimes guide pupils in their learning. This is particularly evident in writing, and at times in mathematics, but marking is not yet consistently helpful in all year groups or in all subjects.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. The staff work successfully with Reception-age children in supportive, encouraging ways. The strong focus on promoting personal, social and emotional development makes sure children are happy, eager to learn and enjoy school life.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 This enjoyment continues in Years 1 to 6, as confirmed by pupils’ above-average attendance. Pupils interact well with one another and are willing to discuss and share ideas. In all classes, pupils are eager to answer questions. In the main pupils are attentive. Just occasionally when the work given to them is too easy or too hard, they lose interest and become restless and fidgety.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well in corridors and around school. They listen attentively in assemblies and celebrate warmly each other’s achievements in good work or behaviour. They are friendly with one another and are welcoming to visitors. Teachers and other adults set good examples of how to respect one another and this contributes to the good relationships among pupils and with adults.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say behaviour is ‘very good’. The school’s clear behaviour policy is consistently implemented by all staff and fully understood by pupils. One pupil told the inspector, ‘I never want to be on the black cloud!’  The school's work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils feel very safe in school and leaders have effectively promoted the importance of caring for one another within the school community. Incidents of unkindness are rare and pupils say that although they may fall out, there is no bullying. Pupils support and help each other as a matter of course, and it was noted during the inspection that older pupils looked after younger ones when sharing activities in the playground.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 If bullying did occur, pupils say they are confident that teachers and other adults would deal with it quickly and effectively. They have trusting relationships with adults and feel they are cared for very well. They have a clear understanding of risk, which is strongly reinforced by the school’s focus on personal safety. Pupils know why they should not give out personal information such as their names and addresses to strangers, including when using the internet.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Parental responses to the online survey and to the school's own recent questionnaire indicate that parents overwhelmingly agree with their children’s views about the care and behaviour in school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is very well led by the executive headteacher. He gives clear direction, focus and commitment in order to sustain the school’s continued improvement. This sets the tone for the whole school. Other leaders are effectively developing their leadership and management skills and make the most of an increasing range of opportunities to be accountable for specific aspects of the pupils’ education.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior leaders and governors are realistic about the school’s effectiveness. The priorities in improvement plans, including subject leaders’ plans, correctly focus on ensuring all teaching is good or better. However, the actions to be taken are occasionally too woolly and the lack of sharp, measurable criteria and dates of when actions will be completed makes it difficult for leaders, including governors, to monitor rigorously the school’s progress over time.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders ensure that no pupils, regardless of background or need, are denied access to anything the school has to offer. This is clearly demonstrated in the way that additional funding such as pupil premium is used effectively, resulting in eligible pupils achieving well.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders hold staff accountable for the progress pupils make. Teaching is checked closely and teachers have targets that are based on their performance and the progress pupils make. Pay rises and promotion are linked to these targets.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school provides a broad range of creative and interesting learning opportunities for the pupils. Imaginative approaches make meaningful links between subjects and this supports pupils’ enthusiasm for learning, although pupils’ basic writing skills are not always promoted well enough. Pupils have numerous opportunities to work together, broaden their understanding with visitors to the school, and go on trips and visits. This promotes their learning and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively.

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The leadership and management are good

 Additional funding for physical education is used effectively to improve pupils’ physical well-being. Sports coaches have been employed for example, to extend the range of sporting activities available and to provide specific training for staff. Pupils say how much they enjoy these activities.

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The leadership and management are good

 The staff and parent questionnaire responses show clearly that parents and members of staff think highly of the leadership and management of the school. Staff morale is high and all share the same determination to improve further.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has a clear overview of the school’s performance and is fully aware of the impact of the collaboration between this school and Market Rasen Church of England Primary School. It provides support only as needed to what it sees as a rapidly improving school. Help that has been provided includes validation of self-evaluation judgements, visits to classrooms and scrutinies of work.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors not only support the school well but also ask challenging questions to ensure they have a good understanding of how well it is doing, including how well pupils are performing. They have high expectations and are determined that this school will be outstanding. They ensure the systems to check the performance of teachers are thorough and regularly receive information about the quality of teaching, seeking assurance that salary levels are linked to performance. The governing body uses pupil premium funding effectively in making sure it has a good impact on the achievement of eligible pupils. Its members have a good knowledge of how the additional primary school sports funding is used for the benefit of pupils. The governors have attended a range of useful courses to help improve their effectiveness, and all safeguarding requirements are met. Financial management is good. Governors have been instrumental in

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The leadership and management are good

marketing the school. This has resulted in an increase in pupil numbers, which has assured its financial stability.

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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 120465 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 441938

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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 Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 55 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Simon Carey Headteacher Andrew Smith (Executive Headteacher) Date of previous school inspection 30 January 2013 Telephone number 01472 851455 Fax number 01472 851455 Email address enquiries@nettleton.lincs.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 and 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

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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School details

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

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