Carr Hill Primary and Nursery School

Carr Hill Primary and Nursery School Tiln Lane, Retford, DN22 6SW

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Overall effectiveness

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

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

 The governing body, headteacher and other leaders have not brought about sufficient improvements in teaching and pupils’ achievement in reading, and mathematics.  Leaders of subjects and other leaders have not contributed sufficiently to making sure all groups of pupils make good progress.  Pupils’ progress in reading and mathematics is not good. This is particularly the case for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, disadvantaged pupils and the most able.  Teaching is not strong enough to promote good achievement. Teachers do not use the information available on pupils’ attainment and progress to provide challenging work for all groups of pupils.  The leadership and management of the early years do not ensure that children are taught well enough. Consequently, children do not get off to a good start in their communication and numeracy skills.  Although pupils understand school rules and behave

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

well beyond the classroom, a small number do not behave well in some lessons. Their attitudes to learning are not always positive.  While pupils’ work is marked regularly, they do not always respond to teachers’ guidance by improving their work.  The effectiveness of some support work is not evaluated soon enough.

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The school has the following strengths

 The school’s caring ethos nurtures all pupils and includes pupils in all aspects of school life. Attendance is improving and punctuality is good.  School leaders have good relationships with parents, who talk very positively about how much they appreciate the way the school looks after their children and keeps them safe and happy.  Attainment in writing in Year 6 in the national tests in 2014 was above average, including at the higher level 5. It is strong in all year groups.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and underpins all the school does. Regardless of how old pupils are when they arrive, they quickly settle in and feel part of the school community.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 23 lessons taught by 18 different teachers. Two of these lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with senior leaders, the English and mathematics subject leaders, other leaders, pupils and governors. The lead inspector had a discussion with a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors observed pupils’ work, looked at their exercise books, listened to them read and observed them in a year assembly.  A range of documentation was examined, including the school’s analysis of how well it is doing, information on pupils’ progress, documents related to safeguarding, and key reports and policies. Documentation relating to the care of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs was also reviewed.  Inspectors considered the school’s system to check teachers’ performance.  The inspectors talked with parents at the start of the school day and took account of the 29 responses to

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Information about this inspection

the online questionnaire, Parent View. They also analysed 18 questionnaires completed by staff.

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Inspection team

Andrew Stafford, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Inspection team

Aleksander Szwagrzak Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Carr Hill Primary and Nursery is larger than the average-sized primary school. Children attend the two nursery classes part-time either mornings or afternoons. All children attend the two Reception classes full time. There are two single-age classes in all years and also one mixed-age class for Years 1 and 2.  The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage, higher than the proportion nationally. Fewer pupils than average speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is average. A small minority of pupils have an education, health and care plan.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is above average. This is additional government funding to support looked after children or those known to be eligible for free school meals.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for

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Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school receives a significant proportion of pupils into Year 3 from a local infant school.  Since the previous inspection, there have been many staff changes. The governors appointed two newly qualified teachers in 2014. The governors appointed an assistant headteacher in January 2015. Interviews are to being held to appoint a new deputy headteacher later in March 2015.  The school works in partnership with a cluster group of 11 local primary schools to share expertise and training and moderate standards of pupils’ work.  A breakfast club and after-school clubs are managed by the governing body and formed part of this inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching, achievement and pupils’ attitudes to learning by ensuring that:  teachers use the information they hold on pupils’ current progress to plan learning activities that are challenging for all ability groups  pupils apply and practise their basic skills in mathematics frequently in more subjects and in solving problems  pupils read widely to extend their vocabulary and develop their comprehension skills  marking consistently shows pupils how to improve their work, and teachers check that pupils always correct and improve their work as directed.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leaders and managers, including governors, by ensuring that:  leaders at all levels use the information they hold on how well pupils are achieving to check progress and intervene effectively where it is not good enough  subject leaders use their training to devise strategies to improve pupils’ progress  the effectiveness of support work is evaluated sooner to move learning forward more promptly  the governing body rigorously holds the school to account on all aspects of its work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance and the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how these aspects of leadership and management may be improved.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders and managers have not yet improved teaching so that all is, at least, consistently good, or ensured the good progress of all groups of pupils.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Pupil premium funding has not been used effectively to help disadvantaged pupils make good progress. Leaders and managers are not ensuring that additional support is directed effectively to support eligible pupils.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher is providing determined and focused leadership that is aiming for a culture in which teaching must be at least good and every pupil behaves well and wants to learn. He is supported in pursuing these priorities by a newly appointed leadership team and governors, who are all determined to raise standards.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders’ actions to improve teaching are having a positive effect. Consequently, there is some stronger teaching across the school. The additional help subject and other leaders are giving directly to teachers and pupils is improving classroom practice. However, it is too early for subject leaders’ actions, arising from recently developed skills, to have a full impact in supporting colleagues.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Newly qualified teachers and those in the early stages of their careers are well supported. This help is bringing about improvements in the quality of teaching and reflects the school’s high expectations for the quality of teaching overall.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Good links with the cluster of local schools enable leaders and teachers to learn from each another. Staff are further supported by regular training provided directly by the school. These actions are contributing to improving teaching.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school tracks the progress of all groups of pupils and underperformance is being overcome. The school is providing more equality of opportunity for all pupils.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority is supporting the school in its drive to improve and is working closely with leaders to address weaknesses. The governors have benefited from the training provided for them.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 School development planning is helpful. It is well focused on key weaknesses and spells out clearly how improvements are to be achieved, so it can be readily applied by staff. For example, plans identify clearly and specifically what improvement is intended, who is to monitor the action taken and how the impact of that action is to be assessed. As a result, there is better direction and sense of purpose to make the necessary improvements that are taking place across the school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders are improving the range of subjects to ensure that pupils develop stronger skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Consequently, pupils are better engaged and motivated to learn. Pupils currently have many learning opportunities – for example, they learn French in Key Stage 2.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Their personal development is reflected in their genuine delight when others’ academic or sporting achievements are celebrated. The school uses the local and wider community to enrich pupils’ awareness of cultures and faiths. Visits to the local council chamber and the Houses of Parliament have raised pupils’ awareness of democracy and the rule of law. As a result, pupils show understanding of fairness and tolerance of difference. This reinforces their understanding of being British and the rights and responsibilities of life in modern British society. As a result, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Discrimination is always tackled, and pupils are convinced there is none in the school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school uses the primary physical education and sport premium well. It pays for more opportunities for pupils to take part in sporting competitions, for developing staff expertise in dance and lacrosse, and for productive links with a local sports coach. Leaders have reviewed the impact of the funding and many more pupils are participating in sporting activities. These contribute well to their health and well-being.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school uses newsletters to keep parents informed, and with the views of parents and carers expressed during the inspection were positive in almost all areas. Parents confirm that the school is very friendly, caring and supportive of their children.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Safeguarding arrangements are effective and meet current national requirements. Leaders, including governors, ensure that relevant procedures are fully applied. These include checks of all adults working with pupils and risk assessments covering key aspects of school life, such as educational visits.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is not effective enough. It has not addressed weaknesses in pupils’ achievement well enough to sustain the school’s good performance from its previous inspection. In the past, governors have not reviewed the information the school holds on pupils’ attainment and progress closely enough and have not provided the necessary level of challenge to leaders to account for the school’s performance. Recently, governors have received training from the local authority and have a better understanding of their roles. The governing body is currently supporting the headteacher in improving teaching and achievement. Governors have become more aware of the quality of teaching. They know how the management of teachers’ performance is being used to improve teaching and are supporting the school’s leaders in tackling underperformance. They set targets for the headteacher and

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The leadership and management requires improvement

all teachers that link salary increases and promotions to the progress pupils make. Governors review carefully the financial position of the school and are aware of the effectiveness of how resources are spent.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. Although the conduct of the large majority at break and lunchtime is good, a few are not consistently positive about their learning in class, and this hinders their progress. During the inspection, inspectors saw incidents of low-level disruption that were dealt with by staff, but this wasted time. Pupils said that most of them behave well but a few do not always behave well enough, and as one pupil commented, ‘We try to help them’.

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Behaviour

 The school’s thorough records of behaviour confirm that a small number of pupils do not always behave well enough outside lessons. The action taken to improve this misbehaviour, through implementing the ‘Carr Hill Standards’, is having a positive effect.

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Behaviour

 In lessons, most pupils listen to instructions and settle quickly to carry out work. They understand established routines, and many complete tasks to the best of their ability. On occasion, a few do not try as hard as they could and this hinders their progress.

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Behaviour

 Pupils are happy to come to school. Attendance is improving and is now above average. Most parents say that they feel their children are happy at school. Pupils proudly wear the school uniform. They are keen to take responsibility and, as one pupil said, ‘That makes us feel like young adults’.

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Behaviour

 Most pupils are polite, friendly and welcoming as they move around school. They have good manners, and positive relationships with staff.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel safe and parents agree that they are safe in school. Pupils are taught how to stay safe, including when using the internet, and they understand how to deal with situations outside school where they might encounter risk.

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Safety

 Bullying is rare. Pupils understand what it means to be unkind to someone and they are aware of different kinds of bullying, including name-calling, cyber bullying and homophobic bullying. They feel confident that the school would deal with any concerns they might have. A very small number of parents felt that the school does not deal effectively with bullying but inspectors found that the school’s procedures were secure.

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Safety

 The school provides good opportunities for pupils, and particularly for disadvantaged pupils, to develop their social, sporting and other skills in a safe and stimulating environment. This situation applies before school at the ‘Good Morning Club’, and after-school recreation clubs.

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Safety

 Staff have received appropriate training in safeguarding and know how to deal with any incidents if they arise. There are good systems to control access to the school and these are applied well.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching has not been strong enough to ensure that pupils make good progress in reading and mathematics. It is improving, but not yet enough to close gaps in pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers do not consistently use the information they have on pupils’ progress and attainment to provide challenging work for all abilities, especially for the least and most able. Consequently, although the progress of many pupils is improving, it is not yet rapid enough.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Some activities, especially in writing, are now making pupils keen to learn and improve their work. In the past, work has sometimes been too easy. Pupils say that learning in lessons is becoming more interesting and holds their attention. Consequently, they are taking more pride in their work.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly. While they often provide positive comments and indicate what pupils have to do to improve their work, marking is not consistent across the school. Teachers do not ensure that pupils are in the habit of regularly responding to their comments in order to help them to improve their work and aspire to better achievement.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Some teachers do not show sufficiently high expectations of what pupils can achieve in reading. They do not provide sufficiently demanding texts to develop pupils’ reading skills, for example in extending their vocabulary or understanding of plot. As a result, pupils’ progress in reading is not as rapid as it should be.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers are currently providing pupils with examples of how to write effectively and are making writing a strong feature across different subjects. This action is leading to improvement.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The impact of teaching on learning and achievement in mathematics requires improvement. Pupils lack opportunities to tackle problems using their mathematical skills in different subjects. As a result, some pupils, including the less able, are not always making the progress they should.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching assistants often lead small-group activities for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. These pupils often make good progress in those sessions.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils work well together, study a range of faiths, consider what is right and wrong, and take part in musical, sporting and creative and technological activities in lessons and outside the classroom.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 6 was below average in 2012, but improved to be broadly average in 2013 and 2014. However leaders had not tracked progress carefully enough, or acted to address underperformance to ensure good progress for all groups of pupils. They have now responded and achievement is improving, but is not yet good.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Attainment in Key Stage 1 in 2014 was below average. However, the school’s data indicate that pupils in the present Year 2 are already at average levels of attainment in reading, writing and mathematics.  The school’s data confirm that the progress pupils make in reading, writing and mathematics is now stronger in most year groups. Pupils are being encouraged to read at home and build on the guided reading done in school. Pupils’ books show that they are getting more opportunities to practise applying their skills in writing, for example in different subjects and topics. This change is supporting progress and helping to raise standards for all pupils.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils are getting more practice in applying their skills in mathematics, for example, in situations they might find in real life, but this is not yet sufficiently widespread across the school.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The school is working closely with the feeder infant school to moderate its assessments and this is leading to a clearer picture of pupils’ progress. Improving progress is now evident, particularly in Years 3 and 4.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The progress made by disabled pupils and some of those who have special educational needs varies like that of other pupils. The school’s data show that most of the pupils with special educational needs are starting to make better progress. Leaders do not evaluate the effectiveness of the support provided by some teachers and teaching assistants soon enough to enable further approaches to be introduced to accelerate learning.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils who speak English as an additional language make similar progress to their classmates because the school focuses strongly on developing their vocabulary and correct use of English. Pupils from minority ethnic groups achieve at least as well as other pupils, because the school is fully committed to ensuring equality of opportunity and is successful in tackling discrimination.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In 2014 the proportion of pupils in Year 6 who reached Level 5 or above in the national tests in reading and mathematics was broadly average and above in writing. School data show that the progress made by the most-able pupils is improving this year. More challenging work for them is often promoting better progress, although this is not always the case.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding are receiving help to close the gaps between their skills and those of other pupils nationally. In the 2014 National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, disadvantaged pupils were over two and a half terms behind in mathematics and reading and nearly one term behind in writing. In comparison, they were behind their classmates by about three terms in reading, and over two terms behind in writing and behind by two and a half terms in mathematics. The school’s own information, confirmed by inspection findings, indicates that disadvantaged pupils are currently making better progress and gaps in attainment are closing across all year groups.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 Children generally start in Nursery and Reception with skills and abilities that are typical for their age. However, their literacy and communication skills are generally the weakest elements.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 In 2013, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year was well below the national average. These pupils are currently catching up in Key Stage 1. Children made good progress in 2014 and the good level of development improved to be above average.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 Currently however, there are weaknesses in communication, language and literacy, and in early calculation skills. This stems from staff in the early years not setting tasks, both indoors and outside, to promote more opportunities to improve children’s literacy and numeracy skills. Consequently, achievement requires improvement.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement. In Reception, children engage in a variety of activities covering all areas of learning. However, leaders are not assessing children’s skills frequently enough. As a result, adults are not adapting their planning to meet the specific learning needs and interests of all children.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 Adults ensure that children settle into school life quickly. Right from the start, staff make supportive links with parents. This has a positive impact on children’s personal, social and emotional development. All safeguarding policies and procedures are good and implemented consistently so that children are kept safe.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 The new outdoor area provides children with an appropriate learning environment. Activities contribute well to children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, such as encouraging imagination in the role-play areas. The safe and secure outside area supports most areas of learning. The school has plans to provide more opportunities for children to improve their literacy and numeracy skills outdoors.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 Supportive relationships between adults and children help develop most children’s confidence and positive attitudes to learning. The children enjoy being together sharing and taking turns. An increased emphasis is now being given to the development of children’s language skills because adults are encouraging them to talk more about their learning. Children quickly learn to follow the school’s orderly routines and their behaviour is usually good.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement. Leaders’ systems to manage data give staff too little information about how to target all children’s needs, abilities and interests. This is leading to some children underperforming. The organisation of resources makes them difficult to access for some children and this limits children using their initiative and restricts them learning on their own.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 122732 Local authority Nottinghamshire Inspection number 456012

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 424 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mark Barnett Headteacher Neil Moore Date of previous school inspection 28 June 2012 Telephone number 01777 702948 Fax number 01777 709055 Email address info@carrhill.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 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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