Clowne Infant and Nursery School

Clowne Infant and Nursery School Ringer Lane, Clowne, Chesterfield, S43 4DB

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Leaders and staff are determined that each pupil receives the best possible start to their education. As a result, children make excellent progress during their time in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Pupils make rapid and sustained progress in Key Stage 1. By the end of Year 2, attainment has been above and often well above average in writing and mathematics since the last inspection.  Despite weaker but strongly improving standards in the Year 1 national checks on linking letters and sounds, pupils make outstanding progress in reading from their starting points.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make rapid progress because they are given excellent support.  Teachers use their knowledge of pupils’ interests and needs to plan learning experiences which are purposeful and fun. Consequently, pupils show an appetite for learning and they undertake their tasks

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

enthusiastically.  Behaviour and safety are excellent. Pupils say they feel safe and happy in school and that they are well cared for.  Pupils respond positively to the wide range of opportunities to extend their learning through visits and visitors to school as well as by attending after-school clubs. As a result, pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted exceptionally well.  The headteacher is totally committed to ensuring that pupils receive a first-class education. Regular checks by senior leaders have ensured that the quality of teaching has remained outstanding since the last inspection.  Senior leaders and teachers keep a close eye on the progress of individual pupils. Any pupil who is not on track to reach their target is provided with additional support to help them to catch up quickly.  Governors have high ambitions for the school; they have a very accurate picture of the

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

school’s performance and are clear about what they have to do next to raise achievement even further.  Pupils’ attendance has improved markedly this academic year. However, governors are aware that attendance is not as high as they would like. Clear plans are in place to ensure that attendance improves further.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 18 lessons or part lessons taught by 11 teachers. In addition, they listened to pupils reading, observed assembly and breakfast club and looked at a range of samples of pupils’ work.  Meetings were held with members of the governing body, senior leaders, leaders of English and mathematics, leaders of the Early Years Foundation Stage, the special educational needs co- ordinator, groups of pupils and a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors looked at a range of documentary evidence including: the school’s plan for improvement; the data held by the school in relation to pupils’ achievement; the school’s monitoring of the quality of teaching; and the school’s documentation relating to attendance and safeguarding of pupils.  The inspectors took into account the 74 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) as well as talking to parents about their view of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors analysed questionnaires completed by 27 members of staff.

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Inspection team

David Carter, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Mary Maybank Additional Inspector Malcolm Johnstone Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is a larger-than-average sized infant school.  Almost all pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils supported through pupil premium funding is similar to that which is found nationally. This is additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those in the care of the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is similar to the national average. The proportion supported through school action is above the national average.  The school runs its own breakfast club.  The school is used by the local authority to showcase effective provision to other schools within Derbyshire.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 To regularly check that strategies to increase pupils’ attendance are being successful.  Improve Year 1 pupils’ performance in the national phonics screen check by ensuring that pupils sound out letter blends as often as possible.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children start the Early Years Foundation Stage with levels of knowledge and skills that are below and often well below those typically expected. Irrespective of their starting points, children get off to an excellent start and quickly develop their skills, especially in reading, writing and number. As a result, they are well prepared to start Key Stage 1.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils make rapid and sustained rates of progress in Years 1 and 2. Standards of attainment are usually well above average at the end of Key Stage 1. Although standards dipped slightly in 2013, they were still above average in writing and mathematics. This was because a large minority of pupils in this year group entered the school with very low levels of knowledge and skills. Nonetheless, they made outstanding progress from their starting points and most groups of pupils attained at least in line with their peers nationally with many attaining above.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 From their earliest time in school, pupils are provided with stimulating experiences which motivate them to write about what they have learned. Pupils’ work shows that they write at length about their learning in science, geography, history and religious education. Pupils are expected to present their work neatly, and standards of handwriting are particularly good.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils regularly practice their skills in calculating and they have a very good understanding of numbers. Pupils use what they know to solve problems and undertake investigations in mathematics. As a result, they have developed good reasoning skills.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage quickly start to identify letters and begin to read. Pupils are given every encouragement and opportunity to read a variety of books. Pupils in Year 1, who were heard reading, did so very well. Although the proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics (letters and the sounds they make) screen has been below average in 2012 and 2013, current pupils in Year 1 have a much better understanding of sounds and letters.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make excellent progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils for whom the school received pupil premium funding make similar rates of progress to the rest of the pupils. In 2013, gaps in attainment between eligible pupils and the rest were within half a term in reading, writing and mathematics. However, attainment was above that of pupils in this group nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The most-able pupils are continually challenged. As a result, in 2013, an above-average proportion of pupils reached the higher levels in the national assessments in by the end of Year 2 in writing and mathematics. Although the proportion attaining Level 3 in reading was similar to that which is found nationally, this is not the norm. In previous years a larger than average proportion of pupils attained the higher levels in reading.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Adults in the Early Years Foundation Stage ensure that children have a range of exciting and purposeful activities to choose from. Adults check on children’s learning carefully and encourage children to talk about what they have learned. Children thrive in the positive environment and they make excellent progress.  Teachers in Key Stage 1 know their pupils well and they have high expectations of what they can achieve. Teachers take into account pupils’ interests and understanding of what they need to learn next to plan lessons which engages them in their learning. Pupils are motivated to learn and they try their best in all areas of learning. As a result, they make rapid and sustained rates of progress.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Adults ensure that classrooms are bright and attractive places to be. Pupils’ work is celebrated and displays are used exceptionally well to help pupils in their learning. For instance, in Year 2, pupils referred to number lines to help them calculate mentally two-digit numbers.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers keep a close eye on how well each pupil is learning during lessons, by asking them questions to check their understanding as well as to make them think more deeply. If a pupil is finding the work difficult, explanations and activities are adjusted to help them understand. Conversely, if it is too easy, pupils are provided with harder work.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers ensure that pupils are given time to check their own work and that of others to see how well they have learned during lessons. This information, along with that gathered through the marking of pupils’ work, is used to help plan future lessons. Consequently, teachers are ensuring that pupils are provided with activities which will help them to learn quickly.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching assistants provide highly effective support for individuals and small groups, particularly for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. Teaching assistants undertake their roles skilfully, checking closely on how well each pupil is learning and adapting the work when required to ensure that pupils reach their target by the end of the lesson.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The school has recently changed the way in which phonics is taught. Pupils are now grouped according to their stage of development. Teachers and teaching assistants work with small groups of pupils and activities are more sharply focused upon helping pupils with their pronunciation. These improvements are ensuring that more pupils are meeting the required standard by the end of Year 1. However, occasionally pupils are not always given as many opportunities as they could in sounding out letter blends.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils demonstrate excellent attitudes towards learning. Pupils listen carefully to what adults say, settle quickly to their work and demonstrate determination to complete their tasks to the best of their ability. Pupils display a love for learning which is reflected in the outstanding progress which they make from their starting points.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ behaviour around the school is excellent. For example, in assembly pupils were fully engaged in listening to the deputy headteacher as she told them the story of, ‘The Rainbow Fish’. Similarly, in the dining hall and on the playground, pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. Pupils follow routines and understand the rewards for good behaviour and the consequences if they choose to break the behaviour code.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are proud of their school and take a pride in what they do. Pupils were keen to show inspectors their work which is presented to a high standard and attractively displayed in each class area.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils say that they are happy and feel safe in school, which is also the view of staff, parents and carers. This is because of the importance which the school places upon creating a caring environment, where positive relationships exist between staff, pupils and their families.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are aware of different forms of bullying. However, they say that it rarely happens at the school and if it does it is quickly sorted out. Pupils are aware of the dangers associated with using the internet. Pupils are very aware of how to keep safe in a range of situations for example, when crossing the road.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils with social and emotional difficulties are supported extremely well. Adults are skilled in helping the small number of these pupils to improve their behaviour and engage fully in their learning. No pupils have been excluded either permanently or temporarily since the previous inspection.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted extremely well. Pupils have many opportunities to play and learn alongside each other and they are very supportive of each other. Pupils are given many opportunities to express themselves creatively in art, music and physical education.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Attendance has fluctuated over the last three years from being broadly average to below average. Governors and senior leaders are ambitious for attendance rates to be high. Their work to reward and promote the importance of good attendance, as well as check closely on pupils who are absent, are already securing improvements. Pupils’ attendance has improved markedly this year and current attendance rates are above average.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher is highly committed to ensuring that pupils receive a first-rate education. She is ably supported by other senior leaders and together they have been instrumental in ensuring the school’s continued success. Adults are committed to a vision of every child achieving the best they can in all areas of learning.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Senior leaders make regular checks on teaching through visiting lessons and looking at pupils’ work. This helps them to identify the support and training which is required for individual teachers and teaching assistants to ensure that their practice meets leaders’ expectations. Teachers confirm that they are provided with excellent support which motivates them to strive for excellence in all aspects of their work.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Senior leaders know each pupil well because regular and accurate checks are made on their progress and development. Where a pupil is falling behind, or has specific needs, a range of support is quickly put in place. Senior leaders harness the support of parents and carers highly effectively through sharing with them how well their child is doing and how they can give support at home to help them reach their target. The extent to which additional support at home and school is having a positive impact on pupils’ achievements is carefully checked to ensure that pupils are catching up quickly.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Senior leaders keep a close eye on the progress of different groups of pupils. Where rates of pupils’ progress differ, the school puts in place a range of support activities to try and ensure that gaps in attainment between different groups is narrowed. As a result, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs as well as for pupils for whom the school received pupil premium funding, make similar rates of progress to others in the school. This is indicative of the school’s successful approach to promoting equality of opportunity and tackling discrimination.  Leaders of English and mathematics undertake rigorous checks on the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement and have a very clear view about what needs to be done next to improve. Changes have been made to the way in which phonics is taught across the school in response to leaders’ analysis of the school’s performance in the Year 1 phonic screening check. As a result,

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The leadership and management are outstanding

teaching has improved and more pupils are already at the required standard in Year 1.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Senior leaders have organised pupils’ learning around half-termly topics. Pupils’ interests are taken into account when these are designed and effective use is made of visits and visitors and the local community to make learning relevant for pupils. This has helped to engage pupils in their learning. The curriculum is based upon clear learning objectives which are re-visited during the pupils’ time in school. Hence, pupils achieve well in a range of subjects, including art, music and humanities.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The new Primary School Sports Funding has been used highly effectively to provide a wider range of opportunities for more pupils to participate and compete in sport. Staff have benefited from observing their pupils receiving specialist coaching in physical education. This is helping to develop teacher’s knowledge of how to teach more effectively, as well as ensuring that pupils are developing their skills quickly. The daily ‘wake and shake’ sessions, where pupils and parents undertake a burst of exercise, is indicative of the importance which the school places on developing a healthy lifestyle for pupils and their families.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Parents and carers are very positive about the school and few have concerns regarding the quality of education it provides. Parents are kept informed about the life of the school through the regular newsletters and website. Senior leaders have been more successful in making parents more aware of the importance of attendance. As a result, attendance rates are improving.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The local authority has full confidence in the school’s leadership and adopts a light-touch approach in providing additional support. The local authority often signposts other schools to visit and observe the quality of practice in order to help them in their development.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school:  Governors are highly ambitious for the school and their work is targeted to ensure that it serves the families of the local and other communities to the best of its ability. Governors have an excellent understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They have a clear awareness of the school’s performance including the achievement of different groups of pupils. They have made strategic decisions on how to support pupils for whom the pupil premium provides support, which has enabled them to make similar rates of progress to others in the school.  Governors undertake regular visits to the school to check for themselves the quality of teaching. Governors draw upon this information as well as that provided by senior leaders, to ensure that decisions about teacher’s pay and promotion are based upon the quality of practice and the extent to which this is having a positive impact on pupils’ achievement.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Governors have worked closely to improve the accommodation of the school since the previous inspection. This is in response to burgeoning numbers due to the high regard which the school is afforded by parents and carers. Governors manage finances well and have made strategic decisions to improve the range of resources to help pupils in their learning.  Governors have put in place clear systems to maintain a close check on health and safety and to ensure that the school meets all safeguarding requirements.

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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 112533 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 443751

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Infant School category Maintained Age range of pupils 3–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 384 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Peter Dolby Headteacher Denise Cunningham Date of previous school inspection June 2008 Telephone number 01246 810518 Fax number 01246 813401 Email address headteacher@clowne-inf.derbyshire.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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