Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School

Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School High Street, Stonebroom, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 6JY

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This a good school

 The relentless focus on school improvement by the headteacher has improved the quality of teaching and, consequently, outcomes for pupils.  Governors know the school exceptionally well. They use their knowledge wisely to support the school and provide challenge where it is required.  Additional adults, including the learning mentor and counsellor, support individual pupils and groups well; the support they provide enables pupils to overcome any barriers to learning and ensures that all pupils make good progress.  The school’s actions to support disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs or disability ensure that these pupils make the same good progress as their classmates.  The school is warm and welcoming: pupils say they are happy and enjoy school, for example saying, ‘It is fun.’  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils are given many opportunities to learn about cultures different

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This a good school

from their own.  Pupils say they like school because day-to-day life is interesting. Lessons are supported by a variety of valuable extra-curricular activities.  Pupils are thoughtful, sociable and speak clearly and confidently. They behave well and are supportive of one another.  Pupils make good progress in the Nursery and Reception and this gives them a good start as they enter Year 1.  Safeguarding arrangements are strong and meet requirements. Pupils feel safe and are well-cared- for.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The impact of teaching is not outstanding overall.  Pupils’ attainment in writing is not as high as in reading and mathematics.  The new system of assessment is not understood well enough by pupils. As a result, pupils are unsure about how they can improve.  Pupils, particularly the most-able pupils, are not challenged well enough in mathematics lessons.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to raise attainment in writing across the school by: using writing targets more effectively so pupils have a clearer understanding of how to improve their written work involving parents more in supporting their children’s writing at home.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Provide more opportunities in mathematics lessons for pupils to practise their skills by tackling challenging mathematical problems.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen pupils’ understanding of the new system of assessment so that they better understand how well they are doing in each of their subjects and how they can improve.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Since the previous inspection, the headteacher, ably supported by the governing body, has systematically driven a well-organised programme of sustained school improvement. This programme has improved the quality of teaching, raised attainment and increased the progress of all pupils.  Strategies to improve teaching have proved to be particularly effective. The ongoing programme of professional development for staff works well because it links closely to the school’s improvement priorities and is well informed by the findings of regular monitoring activities. For example, leaders have recently provided staff with training in the teaching of the mastery of mathematics.  Leaders ensure that their judgements about teaching are accurate by moderating them with external advisers, including from the local authority.  The arrangements for the performance management of staff have also contributed to the improvements

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

made since the last inspection. Staff are set targets which link well to the school’s priorities.  Leaders monitor the progress pupils make well. Highly effective pupil progress meetings highlight which pupils need additional support and actions are taken quickly to put in place any help necessary. As a result, outcomes for pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, pupils who have special educational needs or disability and the most-able pupils are good.  The learning mentor and counsellor have a very positive impact on pupils’ learning and well-being because they help pupils overcome any barriers to learning or other difficulties or worries they have.  Pupil premium funding and performance information, together with the school’s sound knowledge of its pupils, are used wisely to provide extra support for disadvantaged pupils. As a result, outcomes for disadvantaged pupils are good.  Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They understand why it is important to be tolerant and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

kind towards others, including those from different backgrounds and faiths. This is because pupils have opportunities to learn about life in Britain, its traditions and about important people from past and present times.  Staff have high expectations of all pupils; they are ambitious with regard to pupils’ achievement and create a culture of caring and being respectful towards everyone.  The curriculum is well balanced and interesting and there are good opportunities for extended writing across the curriculum. Such written work is collated in ‘exciting writing’ folders.  The school is organising an ever increasing number of enrichment events to enhance the curriculum. These broaden pupils’ experiences through exciting activities, for example, camping overnight or taking part in residential visits. Pupils benefit from the large variety of interesting clubs the school provides.  The primary sports funding has been used effectively to promote pupils’ health and fitness. Pupils have

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

participated in football, hockey, basketball, trim-trails, cricket and gymnastics and have received the Sainsbury’s School Games Silver award. Pupils participate in a wide range of activities, including those provided through the breakfast club, at break and lunchtime and after school.  The governance of the school Governors know their school well. They receive good information from the headteacher about the quality of teaching and its impact on pupils’ achievement. They work closely with the headteacher and support her through clear systems of communication, including with parents. Governors make good use of the training provided by the local authority and ensure any new information is shared and that suggested improvements are implemented quickly. Governors’ strategic planning is good. They use the analysis of previous outcomes for pupils to plan wisely for the next year, ensuring that actions taken provide good value for money and have

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

significant impact on pupils’ learning. Governors have devised effective strategies to involve parents in aspects of their children’s learning, including parents who are less confident in engaging with the school. The recent dinner for Mothering Sunday is a good example of this.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The school has robust systems for reporting concerns about pupils and identifying how best they can support any vulnerable pupils.  Leaders, including governors, carry out regular checks to minimise any potential risks to pupils’ well- being. Vetting procedures are thorough.  Staff are well trained in child protection and many staff have received enhanced training. They are alert to any signs that pupils may be at risk of harm and fully understand their responsibilities to report any concerns to the headteacher.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment has improved since the last inspection and is now good. The improvement is notable particularly in Years 5 and 6, in the Nursery and Reception. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 particularly enjoyed learning about stock car racing and making their own model cars.  Teachers often link different, sometimes topical, areas of learning. For example, Year 5 and 6 pupils have written about the effects of bullying and how it makes them feel. This gives pupils the opportunity to think about real-life situations and helps them to share everyday concerns.  Pupils’ writing is improving because of the increased opportunities they are being given to write for different purposes. For example, an interesting and colourful display about pupils in Uganda included some fine examples of letter writing from all year groups, describing life in England to pupils in Africa. This work enhanced pupils’ understanding of cultures different from their own and promoted their

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.  Teachers plan activities which motivate pupils to do their best, including through the use of practical tasks. In Year 1, pupils were learning about time and singing rhymes to help them to remember, ‘the big hand was at the top when saying o’clock,’ and ‘the hour hand is the shortest hand,’ as they moved their arms in the air to the beat. Another group worked independently and purposefully in an interactive activity, turning cards over quickly with the time written on them and moving their clock faces to match the given time. Pupils helped one another and worked well together and were very focused. By the end of the lesson, all pupils had made good progress in learning how to tell the time while having great fun.  In another example, pupils were champing at the bit to think about then add technical words to a leaflet they were preparing in order to beat the challenge set by the teacher. A strong air of competition led to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

pupils quickly generating the vocabulary needed for them to learn at speed. The teacher’s questioning of pupils was challenging and the pupils responded by thinking more deeply about a particular aspect of their writing. In pupils’ books, the teachers’ clear marking helped the pupils to understand how to improve.  The teaching assistants work effectively with class teachers to support pupils of all abilities; they know the pupils well and provide good support both academically and pastorally.  The work in pupils’ books reflects the good progress they make. Learning sequences are clear and pupils engage in valuable discussions with their teachers about improvement points for specific pieces of work. Presentation is generally good and books are well-cared-for, although more pupils using joined handwriting would enhance the quality of their work.  Resources are of a high standard and pupils show great respect for them. Classrooms are tidy and pupils

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

are proud of their work and their school.  Pupils enjoy their homework and say they like homework the most when it requires them to work with adults at home.  Work is generally well matched to the ability of pupils but in lessons where this is not the case pupils become increasingly restless and learning is less effective. Where the intended learning is less clear, pupils are unsure of what is expected of them with regard to improving their work.  The assessment system is not easily understood by pupils which limits their understanding of how to improve their work. For example, the target cards used by school are not specific enough to show pupils how to achieve more in-depth knowledge or further mastery of writing.  Opportunities are missed to involve parents in supporting their children’s writing.  Although pupils undertake a discrete programme of problem-solving activities weekly, pupils do not have

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

opportunities in lessons to extend their learning by applying their newly acquired skills in challenging problem-solving activities.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  The school provides good support to help pupils tackle and overcome any emotional and social difficulties; this builds pupils’ confidence and enables them to flourish.  The school tackles the very rare incidents of bullying or racist or homophobic language very effectively.  Pupils say they enjoy being at school and that everyone is very friendly. This is supported by the results of a questionnaire undertaken by pupils in November 2015. This showed that virtually all pupils judge that the school meets their individual needs well, helps them to have good relationships with other pupils and consequently to enjoy school.  Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain and have a weekly focus on a key aspect of British life, for example, democracy. Their understanding is demonstrated in displays of art work and photographs.

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Personal development and welfare

 Pupils undertake activities which promote independence such as running the tuck shop. Pupils were recently given a loan which they repay at 5% interest and they predict their tuck shop will go into profit in 4 weeks; they will then decide how to spend the money.  The aims and ethos of the school are displayed around the school and put together in a jigsaw approach. In a crisply started assembly, pupils were keen to answer questions, discuss their answers in pairs and offer ideas, eventually revealing the next part of the jigsaw – ‘healthy me’. Healthy lifestyles are promoted well throughout the school.  Pupils know whom to talk to if they have a problem and say they feel safe in school. They are well informed about the importance of being kind to each other and report that bullying is rare.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils move around school in a calm and orderly manner, no matter what they are doing. Whether clearing up the breakfast club, organising playground activities or preparing for the assembly, they are always cooperative, responding to requests by staff quickly and with great enthusiasm. The care they have for each other pervades the school.  There are always interesting and interactive activities for pupils to undertake at lunchtimes and before and after school, such as knitting club, gardening club and cookery. Resources are of good quality and staff encourage pupils to join in. These activities support the pupils’ good behaviour.  The headteacher logs all communication with pupils and adults concerning behaviour and welfare or for anyone who is ‘finding life hard’. These concerns are dealt with rapidly and underline the ethos and high aspirations held by the school for its pupils.

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Behaviour

 Attendance is in line with that seen in other primary schools and is rising. The school uses imaginative ideas to improve attendance such as ‘on time start week.’ Leaders work hard and effectively with external agencies and the learning mentor to improve the attendance of pupils who are persistent absentees.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Children start in the Nursery or Reception with skills that are below those typical for their age. They make good progress during their time there. This is because assessment is strong and work is usually well matched to children’s starting points.  In the Nursery and Reception years, children who require extra support academically and emotionally are quickly identified. Effective systems are in place to provide support from well-trained staff. This allows the children to catch up. As a result, a greater proportion of children now enter Year 1 with a good level of development.  The most recent attainment information shows that by the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainment in 2015 was broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics: this reflects the good progress the pupils made from their starting points. However, the number of pupils who reached the higher levels of attainment in 2015 in Year 2 was below average.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Disadvantaged pupils, although making good progress from their starting points, attained less well than their peers in writing.  Writing is improving but is still a weaker area in terms of attainment, particularly in Key Stage 1. This is because pupils enter school at levels below and often well below those typically seen and it takes time for them to catch up.  By the end of Key Stage 1, disadvantaged pupils made more progress than their non-disadvantaged peers in reading and maths last year and the same progress in writing.  By the end of Year 6, a higher proportion of disadvantaged pupils made the progress expected in reading, writing and mathematics than other pupils did nationally. Around half of the disadvantaged pupils made better progress than is expected. These good outcomes are as a result of the well-targeted support and intervention pupils receive as they progress through school.  By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ attainment was above average last year and significantly so in reading.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Higher ability pupils made progress above that made by those nationally in mathematics and reading and broadly the same in writing.  Progress is currently good across all subjects. The proportion of pupils making better than expected progress from Key Stage 1 to 2 is broadly in line with the proportions seen nationally in reading and mathematics and above in writing.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability make good progress from their starting points. This is because leaders ensure that they receive the right level of support in lessons and in small groups and because the adults who work with them know the pupils well and help them to understand what they are learning.  The work in books, the good teaching seen during the inspection and the school’s own assessment information confirm that pupils currently in the school are making good progress.

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Early years provision is good

 Staff in the Nursery and Reception class work well together and undertake early assessment of children’s skills as they enter school and weaker areas are identified quickly. Staff are then able to match activities well to the range of abilities. Consequently, all children make good progress and are well prepared to enter the next phase of learning in Year 1.  The early years provision is led and managed well. Clear and comprehensive planning ensures a good balance between directed and self-initiated tasks.  Children work together happily and take responsibility for ensuring they complete the taught tasks and then display it so that their teachers can respond. This encourages their independence and ensures that children learn quickly as a result of immediate feedback from their teacher.  Staff expect good behaviour and the children behave well. They listen to adults carefully, follow instructions

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Early years provision is good

and move safely around. Children are kind to each other and share well – their social skills improving by the time they move to Year 1.  Transition arrangements are good because the staff work together well as a team and there are plenty of opportunities for the children in the Nursery, Reception and Year 1 to work and play together. Communication with parents and external agencies is strong and ensures that pupils have a smooth transition to the next stage of their education.  The outside environment enables pupils to play together during transition times as there is a large amount of play equipment available for them. The same applies during playtimes and lunchtimes where all the children in school have ample opportunities to climb, run and jump on the good quality equipment available.  The proportion of disadvantaged children is above average. The school uses the additional funding provided wisely to plan support and programmes of intervention. This is resulting in an increasing number of

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Early years provision is good

disadvantaged children reaching a good level of development.

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School details

Unique reference number 112621 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 10001857

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School details

This inspection 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 177 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Caroline Nash Headteacher Sara George Telephone number 01773 872449 Website www.stonebroom.derbyshire.sch.uk Email address info@stonebroom.derbyshire.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 19–20 November 2013

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are of White heritage.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is above average, almost twice that supported nationally. The pupil premium funding is received for pupils who are eligible for free school meals or who are looked after by the local authority.  The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The early years provision comprises a Reception class which children attend full time.  The school has an onsite Nursery which accepts pupils from the age of 3.  The school runs a daily breakfast club which is managed by the governing body.  The governing body was reconstituted in March 2015 and have had two changes of membership.

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Information about this school

 There have been some changes in staff and their roles and responsibilities since the previous inspection, for example the literacy coordinator is new to role.

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Information about this inspection

 Discussions were held with the headteacher, pupils in Year 3, 4, 5 and 6, senior leaders, five governors including the Chair of the Governing Body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors observed nine lessons, four of which were observed jointly with the headteacher.  The inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work from all classes, spoke to pupils about their work during lessons, undertook a learning walk, watched an assembly, observed playtime and lunchtimes and visited the breakfast club.  The inspectors looked at information on pupils’ progress, teaching, planning and monitoring. The school’s records on safeguarding, behaviour and attendance were reviewed.  The inspector took account of the views of parents from 15 responses to Parent View, the Ofsted online questionnaire, and the comments of parents and carers in the playground. The views of staff and pupils were gathered during informal discussions.

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Inspection team

Sue Wood, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Joanne Ward Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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