Sandiacre Cloudside Junior School

Sandiacre Cloudside Junior School Stanton Road, Nottingham NG10 5DE

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is an inadequate school

 Outcomes for pupils are inadequate. Too many pupils do not make the progress they should. This is particularly the case in Years 3, 4 and 5.  Disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs or disability do less well in some classes than their peers.  Too few of the most-able pupils reach the high standards of attainment of which they are capable.  Teaching is inadequate. The quality of teaching in too many classes is poor. Too much teaching fails to challenge pupils sufficiently well, particularly the most-able pupils.  Not all teachers apply the school’s assessment policy as they should. This means that some pupils do not get the feedback they need to help them understand how to improve their work and raise their attainment.  Pupils’ work in books is often poorly presented, lacking in care and attention to detail.  Pupils’ behaviour requires improvement. Pupils become too easily distracted when teaching is

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This is an inadequate school

weak. Though improving, pupils’ attendance is below average.

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The school has the following strengths

 The new headteacher is a talented leader. She has accurately assessed the challenges the school faces and has put in place systems and procedures that are bringing about the improvements needed.  With effective support from the chair and vice- chair of governors, the headteacher has raised expectations of the pupils and staff. Staff are now being held fully to account for the impact of their work to raise pupils’ achievement.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe is effective; a strong culture of safety pervades the school. Pupils say they feel safe and are happy. Parents agree that the school keeps their children safe. Excellent care is provided for pupils experiencing particularly challenging circumstances.  Teaching is improving. The quality of teaching is good in Year 6. As a result, pupils in Year 6 are now making better progress than before, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

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Full report

In accordance with the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve outcomes for pupils so that they make progress at least in line with national expectations and attain standards which better reflect their starting points, including the most-able pupils, disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs or disability.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that the gaps in achievement between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils in the school and other pupils nationally narrow rapidly.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Secure these improvements by building on recent initiatives to improve the quality of teaching and by ensuring that: – all teachers make good use of information about pupils’ starting points to plan activities which are better matched to pupils’ needs and abilities, particularly in Year 3 – teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are sufficiently high, including for disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs or disability – teachers’ accept only good-quality written work which is well presented – the most-able pupils are appropriately challenged and secure the depth of knowledge and understanding needed for them to attain as well as they should – all teachers follow the school’s assessment policy consistently so that pupils better understand how to improve their work – teachers provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to deepen their mathematical knowledge and understanding

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– all teachers are sufficiently skilled in managing pupils’ behaviour and particularly in quickly refocusing pupils’ attention whenever they become distracted.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ attendance, particularly the attendance of disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs or disability, so that it is similar to the attendance of all pupils nationally.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Prior to this academic year, the school’s leadership and management arrangements were not effective enough to ensure that all pupils were able to make the progress they should. Since the last inspection, the school’s overall effectiveness has declined.  The school’s arrangements for managing the performance of staff were not sufficiently robust. Until recently, teachers were not previously held to account for pupils’ poor achievement.  Significant turbulence in staffing also had a negative impact on pupils’ achievement and on the ability of leaders and managers to rapidly improve the quality of teaching and outcomes for pupils.  The leadership of provision for pupils who have special educational needs or disability and for those from disadvantaged backgrounds was previously not effective enough to ensure that these pupils make the progress they should.  Weak arrangements for monitoring pupils’ progress prior to this year meant that not enough was being

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

done to identify the pupils who were falling behind in their learning. As a result, they were not provided with the extra help they need to catch up.  The school’s curriculum has not ensured that pupils make the progress they should, including in reading, writing and mathematics. The mathematics curriculum does not currently ensure that pupils have a sufficiently deep knowledge and understanding of mathematics.  However, the appointment of the new headteacher has brought about a sea change in the leadership and management of the school. She has wasted no time in implementing the significant changes needed. She quickly identified the school’s key weaknesses and swiftly put in place policies and procedures that are bringing about the improvements needed to the quality of teaching and, consequently, outcomes for pupils. Much has already been achieved and the school is now improving again.  The school’s improvement plan is of good quality and focuses sharply on the areas which need to improve

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

the most and articulates clearly the strategies needed to bring about the necessary changes.  The headteacher has raised expectations of staff and pupils and is ensuring that staff are now being held thoroughly to account for the impact of their work on pupils’ achievement. Staff are in no doubt about what is expected of them.  The headteacher has identified staff with the most potential to help her bring about the changes needed and appointed talented members of staff to temporary leadership positions. These new leaders are working hard to tackle the areas of greatest weakness. They are tackling the weakest teaching through close monitoring of classroom practice and are providing valuable support for the teachers who need extra help to improve the quality of their teaching.  Similarly, the new leader of provision for pupils who have special educational needs or disability has completely reviewed the way in which the school identifies and supports these pupils. As a result, pupils

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

with additional needs are now identified correctly and the extra support consequently provided is closely matched to their needs. Leaders recognise, however, that this improved support, provided through one- to-one and small-group tuition, is not yet matched consistently in lessons. This explains why, despite the improvements seen, some of these pupils have still to catch up.  A new system has been implemented to so that leaders and teachers can track pupils’ progress much more effectively than before. This is resulting in more timely identification of the pupils who have fallen furthest behind so that support can be provided to help them make more rapid progress.  Leaders now ensure that the additional funds provided through the pupil premium funding are being allocated correctly. The impact of the spending is being monitored more closely than before. The school’s assessment information shows that the extra support provided through the funding is making a clear

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

difference to some groups of pupils, particularly those in Year 6. Leaders know, however, that some disadvantaged pupils, particularly in Years 3 and 5, are still behind where they should be.  The school is benefiting from good-quality external support, including from the local authority and through improved partnership working with the infant school. For example, staff have visited each other’s schools, shared pupils’ work and observed teaching in order to better understand pupils’ starting points as they move to Year 3. They have received training to ensure that the judgements they make about the quality of teaching are accurate. The headteacher of the infant school is a national leader of education (NLE) and provides formal leadership support to the headteacher. This improved partnership working is beginning to strengthen the quality of education provided by the school.  Leaders and managers ensure that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They make good

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

use of opportunities in assemblies to broaden pupils’ understanding of different faiths and cultures. A vast array of extra-curricular activities includes opportunities for pupils to develop their leadership and decision-making skills and builds pupils’ understanding of democracy. Pupils are given responsibility within school and they take these roles very seriously. The displays around school are of high quality and are valued by pupils, staff, parents and visitors. They are used well to promote learning about historic occasions and world events. The school’s work to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is effective. Some pupils are less able to take responsibility for managing their own behaviour.  The primary sports funding is being used well to raise pupils’ attainment in physical education (PE). Staff have benefited from coaching by a sports coach, who has helped build their understanding of how to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

strengthen pupils’ skills in PE. Leaders have put in place a vast range of activities for pupils, including in a range of sports, and these are having a clear impact in increasing participation. Leaders are ensuring that disadvantaged pupils benefit from these activities as well as others in the school. Extra-curricular activities, including in sports, are well attended.  The governance of the school – Governors know the school well. The chair and vice-chair of the governing body have the appropriate skills and experience to hold the headteacher effectively to account. Governors said that they feel far more involved than before and expressed confidence in the ability of the new headteacher to rapidly improve the school. Inspectors share this confidence. – The governors have a clear sense of the school’s vision and have supported the headteacher in sharing this with all staff, pupils and parents. – Governors are aware of the key challenges facing the school and are working effectively with the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

headteacher to tackle them. They have supported the headteacher in making difficult decisions to ensure that the weakest teaching is tackled robustly. The governors’ knowledge of safeguarding is good. Governors are well trained and make sure that they are regularly updated. Members of the governing body have received the safer recruitment training. – Governors have a good knowledge of how pupil premium funding is being spent within the school. They recognise the need to ensure that they monitor the impact of this spending on all groups of eligible pupils more rigorously.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The headteacher has ensured that the single central register meets requirements and oversees this personally. All staff, including the midday supervisors and the caretaker, are well trained and receive regular updates regarding child protection policy and practice. All staff know the procedures to ensure that all children are safe and who to speak to if they have

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

concerns about a child’s well-being. Records are diligently kept and monitored. Comprehensive systems are in place to help identify any pupils potentially at risk of harm so that support can quickly be put in place. Links with external agencies are good and issues are dealt with in a sensitive and timely manner. There are strong links with parents and many staff will go ‘the extra mile’ to ensure that matters are resolved. Pupils said that they felt happy and safe at their school and that there were ‘lots of teachers for us to talk to who are kind.’

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

 Pupils do not make sufficient progress because the quality of teaching in too many classes is weak.  The significant turbulence in staffing has resulted in too much variation in the quality of teaching over time, particularly in Years 3 and 4. The lack of a permanent teacher in some classes has contributed to pupils’ low achievement.  Not all teaching matches the needs of pupils well enough. The quality of support provided in lessons for pupils who have special educational needs or disability is not consistently strong enough. The good support these pupils are now receiving separately is not matched consistently in lessons. Similarly, teachers do not all provide the necessary support and challenge for disadvantaged pupils and the most- able pupils.  In some lessons, pupils are given work that is too easy and soon become bored. This helps explain why not enough of the most-able pupils make the accelerated progress they should. On other occasions,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

teachers move onto the next task before all pupils have grasped the key concepts being taught, particularly in mathematics. When this happens, some pupils become frustrated and become less focused.  Teachers’ expectations of the quality of pupils’ work are often too low and pupils do not take enough pride in their work. For example, pupils frequently do not use a ruler when solving mathematical problems or drawing diagrams. Pupils’ number work is repeatedly presented in a disorganised way. This means that sometimes numbers are in the wrong columns, which results in pupils making mistakes. Too much work in books is left unfinished, with spelling and grammatical errors left uncorrected.  Not all teachers adhere to the school’s assessment policy as closely as they should. Where assessment is weakest, pupils are not given the necessary support to help identify how they can improve their work.  The school’s strategy of using smiley faces and progress lines to help pupils identify how they can

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

improve their work is not used consistently by teachers and pupils.  However, teaching is improving. There is some good teaching in the school and the most effective teachers are now using their skills and expertise to help improve teaching across the school.  In Year 6, where teaching is strong, the teachers have a clear understanding of pupils’ starting points and the learning that is required to secure the necessary progress, often at an accelerated pace. High-quality resources are used well and pupils are engaged by stimulating activities that encourage a love of learning. The teachers work well with the teaching assistants to make sure that appropriate support is provided to help those who have fallen behind to catch up. As a result, pupils’ achievement in Year 6 is improving and beginning to compensate for past underachievement.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.  While attendance is improving, it remains too low, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs or disability.  Not all pupils take sufficient pride in the quality of their work and some present their work poorly.  However, many pupils are confident and self-assured. The pupils were keen to speak with inspectors and to discuss their learning. These pupils have much to contribute; currently their views are not used as effectively as they could be by leaders and classroom teachers.  Pupils are safe and say they feel safe at school. They were keen to tell inspectors how ‘we love our school’ and how ‘we feel happy and safe’.  Staff teach pupils about a range of risks that they may face, including bullying and how to keep safe online. As a result, pupils have good understanding of potential risks to their safety and know how to

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Personal development and welfare

keep themselves safe in a range of situations.  Pupils say that bullying doesn’t happen in their school and that ‘everyone looks after each other’.  Pupils use the ‘WOW’ boxes well. The boxes are in each classroom and are a postbox for pupils to post any worries or concerns. They act as a pupil self-referral process. The content of each box is reviewed daily and is treated confidentially. This arrangement had helped some pupils receive support that has made a genuine difference to their well-being.  Leaders encourage pupils to eat healthily. For example, pupils enjoy a selection of fruit and/or fruit juices daily, which is purchased for them. Pupils enjoy fruit and told inspectors ‘fruit is good for you’. Systems are in place to ensure that vulnerable pupils have eaten their lunch and these are managed sensitively.  Pupils were seen to be respectful towards each other, for example in the well-established ‘chat partner’

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Personal development and welfare

work, where children take turns to speak and listen to each other’s points of view. This was seen to particularly good effect in the whole-school assembly.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  The behaviour of pupils is not good enough in the classes where teaching is weak. In some lessons, pupils do not concentrate and exhibit silly behaviour. In these lessons, pupils lack interest in their learning.  During playtime, pupils play cooperatively. They told inspectors that they enjoy playtime and being with their friends. Areas are provided for pupils to sit and talk. There is also apparatus that allows pupils to play. However, there are not enough activities available to pupils on wet days.  At the end of playtime the vast majority of pupils line up immediately when the bell rings. When class teachers arrive promptly to collect their class, pupils respond well, they line up in an orderly manner and enter school ready to learn. However, where class teachers are slower to arrive, some pupils exhibit silly behaviour. This hinders their readiness to learn.

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

 Pupils in Year 3 make inadequate progress from their starting points. Pupils in Year 4 and Year 5 do not make enough progress.  Disadvantaged pupils achieve less well in Years 3, 4 and 5 and achievement gaps between these pupils and others are too wide in reading, writing and mathematics. Disadvantaged pupils underachieve. They do not receive the support they need to catch up with others, and staff do not give the most-able disadvantaged pupils the necessary support to help them achieve well.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability do not make enough progress. This is because, for the majority of these children, while they receive good-quality additional support, the day-to-day teaching they receive does not meet their needs well enough.  Too few pupils make more than the progress expected in reading, writing, mathematics and grammar, punctuation and spelling. This means that some of the most-able pupils do not reach the high standards

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

of attainment they should.  Last year, a large proportion of pupils in Year 6 did not make the progress they should have done in reading, writing, mathematics and grammar, punctuation and spelling. The same is true of previous years. Good teaching in Year 6 is beginning to help pupils make up for past underachievement.  Last year, there was a wide gap in the performance of disadvantaged pupils and other pupils within the school and nationally. Far fewer disadvantaged pupils made the progress expected in reading, writing, mathematics and grammar, punctuation and spelling. Current information indicates that the pupils who are now in Year 6 will achieve much better results and that the achievement gap is closing.  Moderation of a very small sample of work has been done with external partners and confirms that teachers’ assessments, in most cases, are accurate. These show that pupils are beginning to make more

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School details

Unique reference number 112702 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 10001851

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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 Junior School category Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 258 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr Peter Hunt Headteacher Miss Melindaur Kaur Telephone number 0115 939 2263 Website www.cloudside.derbyshire.sch.uk Email address headteacher@cloudside.derbyshire.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 8–9 October 2013

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Information about this school

 The current headteacher is new to the school. She took up her post in September 2015.  This school is an averaged-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is lower than average. Almost all pupils are of a White British background.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium (additional funding from the government) is above average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is below average.  The school does not meet the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 17 lessons, three of which were conducted jointly with senior leaders. Eleven members of staff were seen teaching.  The inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work from all age groups, spoke to pupils during lessons and listened to pupils read.  The inspectors held meetings with the head teacher, groups of pupils, members of the governing body, leaders and staff. An inspector also had a discussion with two representatives of the local authority and a discussion with a national leader of education (NLE) who is currently providing support to the school.  The inspectors analysed 53 responses from parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. They spoke to parents at the start of the school day.  Inspectors took into consideration 16 responses to the staff questionnaire from school staff.  The inspectors observed the school’s work. They looked at progress and attendance information, school

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Information about this inspection

improvement planning, evidence of appraisal information, headteacher reports to the full governing body, evidence of school’s monitoring of the quality of teaching and documentation relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Fiona Parr, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Jayne Ashman Her Majesty’s Inspector Jeannie Haigh 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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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