Claremont Primary and Nursery School

Claremont Primary and Nursery School Claremont Road, off Hucknall Road, Nottingham NG5 1BH

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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 is a good school

 Attainment is rising across the school because pupils now make good progress in all subjects and key stages.  The early years children make excellent progress from their low starting points. Good teaching and support mean that more children than previously are now working at a good level of development.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good. Daily phonics (letters and sounds) has enabled pupils who speak English as an additional language to make good progress in reading.  School leaders provide good support for teachers and use performance management systems effectively to develop the skills of all staff. This has raised the quality of teaching and as a result, pupils’ achievement.  High-quality partnership work through a network of schools has strengthened leadership at all levels.  Additional government funding for disadvantaged pupils is used effectively. The gaps between the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and their

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This is a good school

classmates are closing rapidly in all subjects.  Behaviour in lessons and around school is now good. Pupils openly display positive attitudes and arrive on time, ready to learn. Attendance is rising and pupils rarely miss an opportunity to show how much they value and care for each other.  Pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. The excellent care and support helps those who speak English as an additional language and the most vulnerable pupils to settle and make good progress.  The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. The school’s ‘AWESOME’ values lie at the heart of all of its work. Pupils learn about each in depth and become sensitive, reflective young people.  Governors make an excellent contribution to school improvement. They monitor all aspects of safeguarding carefully and have developed good communication with parents.  Safeguarding is effective and remains a high

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This is a good school

priority for all staff at all times in the school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The most-able pupils are capable of reaching higher standards.  Although standards have risen in writing, the quality and precision of pupils’ writing lacks consistency.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to develop tasks and activities which stretch and stimulate the most-able pupils in every class, so that they make more rapid progress and reach the standards that their peers do nationally.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of pupils’ writing by making sure that: teachers consistently re-enforce the importance of accurate spelling and the use of correct grammar and punctuation.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The highly committed leadership team has successfully raised the quality of teaching in all areas of the school. Through high-quality partnership work with a network of schools, teachers share their expertise and have improved the quality of their work.  The relentless focus on values and the ‘Claremont Way’ have lifted the school culture to one of high achievement and the pursuit of excellence. Leaders’ high expectations are reflected throughout the school, and all adults work very successfully to ensure that pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  New assessment systems using ‘learning ladders’ are securely in place and are effectively monitored by the teaching and learning mentor. As a result, teachers’ subject knowledge has improved and this impacts positively on pupils’ own knowledge and understanding.  Staff freely express their positive praise and support for the headteacher and value the school’s contribution

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

to their own professional development. The creation of the leadership post the ‘head of educational support’ provides a sharp strategic focus for staff professional development, and allows other senior leaders to concentrate on developing and supporting teaching in class.  Leaders make sure that teachers’ pay and performance link directly to whole-school priorities and pupils’ progress. This has helped to improve the quality of teaching so that all is now typically good.  The school reviews all aspects of its work thoroughly and leaders have an honest and accurate view of the school’s current priorities. Leaders act quickly to address any gaps so that the pace of improvements remains swift. School improvement plans are realistic and sharply focused. Plans to raise standards are linked to checks on the quality of teaching and achievement and are shared by leaders at all levels.  Equal opportunities are rigorously promoted and no pupil is denied access to anything the school has to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

offer.  Leaders at all levels ensure that school policies are followed closely, for example teachers consistently offer good-quality verbal and written feedback when marking and commenting on pupils’ work. They encourage reflection and no opportunity is missed to re-enforce the school values, which pupils know and follow.  Communication with parents has become a strength of the school’s work. Parents increasingly take part in workshops and attend Friday meetings. Informal coffee mornings, specifically organised for families who speak English as an additional language, are popular venues for parents to come and develop their own language skills. This has raised awareness of important school issues and contributed to an increase in pupils’ attendance and their excellent personal development and welfare.  The well-planned curriculum interests and engages pupils. Pupils enjoy learning through topics and this is

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

enhanced by many stimulating trips and visits. Pupils keenly take up responsibilities and relish the opportunity to represent the school, through sports and in competitions, and have recently won the local schools’ football league for the first time in the school’s history.  The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is exceptional. Claremont is a multicultural community and pupils learn about others’ faiths and beliefs through thoughtful assemblies and sensitive pastoral work in class. Everybody knows the school values which mirror core British values and these are woven into every aspect of life at Claremont.  The local authority provides excellent support through a ‘leader of excellence’ and this continues to enhance and develop the skills of leaders and teachers in all areas of the school.  The governance of the school Governors are highly effective in steering school improvements. Governors have clearly defined roles and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

responsibilities and committees meet together to ensure a deep understanding of current school priorities. Governors visit frequently and make thorough checks on the quality of teaching and the work in pupils’ books. They link this with information on pupils’ achievement and ask challenging questions where issues arise. The governing body has fully supported the extensive refurbishment of the school playground areas and additional training for lunchtime staff to lead playtime activities. They check that this has had a positive impact on pupils’ behaviour and see how this has enhanced their attitudes to learning. Governors support the work of the school’s head of educational support and ensure that leadership at all levels within the school has been successfully developed, through effective performance management. Link governors monitor the impact of additional funds to raise the involvement of pupils in sports and see

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

how this has been particularly effective in targeting activities for pupils who have special educational needs or disability. Governors monitor the impact of pupil premium funding to make sure that it is used effectively. They check on the successful closure of learning gaps for disadvantaged pupils in each key stage of the school. They make sure that the highly popular breakfast club continues to provide pupils with a healthy, sustaining meal to start the day.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. School leaders have excellent partnerships with external agencies and have improved communication with the school’s most vulnerable families. This has helped to ensure that pupils are very well supported and kept safe. Safeguarding training for staff and governors is sharply up to date and governors make thorough checks on all safeguarding practices. Governors know precisely what to do in the event of a safeguarding concern and the school’s designated safeguarding lead is

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

part of an advanced team of specialists in the city and qualified safeguarding trainer. This ensures that staff have all of the information and guidance they need to provide excellent support for pupils in their care.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 School leaders have placed a strong focus on raising the quality of teaching and learning and this is one of the main reasons why teaching has improved and is now good.  Teachers set clear learning objectives, which pupils understand and they plan lessons well. Expertise is shared and this enables pupils in all classes to have a good variety of interesting activities from which to learn.  Pupils use new learning ladders to check their successes and many have a good idea of how well they are performing. Pupils aspire to do their best, because teachers express their high expectations and belief in what pupils are capable of. The school’s values and ethos are evident in every class and pupils understand that the ‘A’ value means to ‘Achieve excellence’.  The most-able pupils receive individual ‘stretch and challenge’ tasks from their teachers in most classes. The most-able readers in Year 2 currently work with the school’s inclusion manager to boost their skills further

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

and reach the higher standards in reading. The school recognises the need to develop a more comprehensive programme of activities for the most-able pupils in every class, so they are better equipped to achieve higher standards.  At every stage, teachers encourage pupils to find things out for themselves and to make their own choices, based on an excellent understanding of individual targets and what the pupils need to learn next. Teachers make regular learning checks during lessons and pupils frequently check and mark their own work. This high level of involvement contributes to the pupils’ enthusiasm for learning and plays an integral part in pupils’ good achievements.  The presentation of written work occasionally lacks accuracy and opportunities are missed to sharpen the use of important grammatical points.  Teaching assistants are very well directed and make a good contribution to pupils’ learning and progress.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

They know pupils well and are sensitive to their needs, providing an effective balance of support at the right time. As a result, they help to ensure that all pupils who have special educational needs and disability make good progress.  The sharply tailored induction programme for pupils who speak English as an additional language, coupled with high-quality phonics teaching, ensures that these pupils quickly make good progress in reading which escalates as they move through the school. Pupils’ spoken English also improves and this prepares them well for learning in other subjects and contributes to pupils’ good achievements by the end of Year 6.  Pupils appreciate and value homework, which is regularly set. This ranges from daily phonics and spellings, to weekly mathematics and more lengthy topic work. The recently established homework club has been created in response to parents’ requests and provides good support for pupils across the school.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  The deputy headteacher and the highly cohesive inclusion team take the time to really get to know pupils and their families well. Every child is known as an individual and adults skilfully provide high-quality, tailored support for pupils with additional needs and those who are disadvantaged.  The excellent induction programme for pupils who speak English as an additional language provides carefully crafted language support from specialists within the school. Pupils are assigned a buddy and fully included as ambassadors alongside their classmates. This helps them to settle more easily and enables them to learn and make excellent progress in overcoming early language barriers.  The school places great importance on pupils’ health and emotional well-being and has an extensive network of partnerships with specialists, to support those who are most vulnerable. ‘Worry boxes’ are positioned in

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Personal development and welfare

every classroom and in the main corridor and pupils know that they can discretely contact the school’s welfare officer through a secure email address. This adds to the strong culture of ‘care and concern’.  Older pupils provide excellent role models for the younger ones and help to set out and serve food at lunchtimes, encouraging good manners and behaviour at their tables. The ‘homework’ table at breakfast club is a daily venue for Year 6 pupils to offer their expertise to the younger ones in the school. This shows the very caring ethos of Claremont and perfectly depicts the school’s core value of working with others.  This is a very reflective school and pupils frequently think about their own and others’ points of view through assembly themes and focus weeks. School values align closely with British values and pupils are keen to vote to elect their representatives for the spring parliament in ‘Nottingham Council house’.

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Personal development and welfare

 Adults encourage pupils to take responsibility for themselves and to confidently make their own decisions. As a result, pupils develop high self-esteem and personal confidence and show excellent determination to succeed in all that they do.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They have positive attitudes to learning and enjoy coming to school.  Attendance has risen consistently in recent years and continues to approach the national average. This shows the value which pupils and parents place on the importance of being in school and the school’s proactive work in raising the profile of good attendance. Many parents comment on how caring staff are, and those who speak English as an additional language have welcomed the informal coffee mornings where they learn about the importance of key aspects of school life.  Pupils learn to manage their own behaviours well and play an active part in maintaining the positive, friendly atmosphere in the school. Many speak of the ‘Claremont Family’ and openly express their pride in the school and care for each other. As one pupil commented during the inspection, ‘We all get on well here; this is Claremont.’

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Behaviour

 Parents, carers, and staff confirm that behaviour in lessons and around school has improved steadily in recent years and share the view that behaviour is now good.  Bullying is rare and taken very seriously when it occurs. Leaders and staff show great vigilance in monitoring this aspect of behaviour and their constant ‘listening ears’ quickly pick up and confront the perpetrators. Pupils understand the different types of bullying, how to stay safe online and offer each other advice on what to do if they feel unsafe on the internet. This shows their concern for the safety of others and embodies the spirit of pupils in the school. Leaders convey a clear message of zero tolerance for bullying to promote the highest importance of pupils’ well-being.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Achievement is rising and from their different starting points, pupils make good progress through the school. Reliable assessment information and pupils’ current work indicate that they are edging ahead of their peers in previous years in each key stage.  By the end of Year 6 in 2015, pupils’ progress in reading was well above the national average. Their progress in writing and mathematics was at expected levels compared with national averages. Taking into account the higher than usual numbers of pupils joining part way through the year, this shows their good achievement and contributed to the higher proportion of pupils gaining Level 4 in reading, writing and mathematics than in the previous year.  Year 2 pupils make good progress through the key stage from their Year 1 starting points. Those who have remained in school from their early years achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics and results in

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Outcomes for pupils are good

2015 show higher standards in all subjects with particular success in writing.  Pupils in Year 1 show an improved grasp of the principles of reading. Results in the national phonics screening check show a three year rise and school assessments currently show that more pupils than previously are on track for this upward trajectory to continue. Pupils enjoy reading and often change their books weekly. Reading bookmarks show that they read regularly in class and at home.  Writing standards have improved and pupils reach the national benchmark at the higher level by the end of Year 6. Pupils embrace opportunities to write in different subjects and can see their own progression through their writing books, which they keep when moving between years. In mathematics, pupils have good opportunities to think for themselves and to discuss their choices with talk partners in class. Good use is made of mathematical language and this has contributed to pupils’ deeper understanding of mathematical

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Outcomes for pupils are good

principles and more pupils reaching the secure level of attainment expected for their age.  Disadvantaged pupils make good progress and in 2015, the pupils in this group in Year 2 out-performed their classmates in every subject. Year 6 pupils made more progress than others in reading and were successfully ahead of others nationally. For all subjects, in-school attainment gaps are closing and disadvantaged pupils’ achievement in reading is ahead of others. Extra funding is used very effectively to provide additional teaching support and a good range of experiences, so that early barriers to learning are quickly removed.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability receive good-quality support and achieve very well as a result. Their progress is carefully tracked and support modified to maximise the achievement of each individual. The additional input of each key stage leader has been highly effective in promoting these pupils’

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Outcomes for pupils are good

success.  Those pupils who speak English as an additional language make excellent progress in reading and writing, and their achievement is good overall. Skilled teaching assistants and language specialists assess their needs early on and the thorough induction process ensures that they settle in quickly and adapt to school life.  The school has identified the most-able pupils in each class and is currently developing strategies to ensure that they make improved progress in each subject and reach the higher levels of attainment. In 2015, the small number in Year 6 made good progress in writing and reached the higher level in national writing, spelling, punctuation and grammar tests. However, some do not make their best possible progress because over time they have not been sufficiently challenged by all the work they do.  The school’s renewed culture of high aspiration and achievement has a positive impact on pupils’ desire to

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Outcomes for pupils are good

succeed and prepares them well for future moves to secondary school.

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Early years provision is good

 Children make excellent progress from their very low starting points into the Nursery and Reception classes. The vast majority of children enter with skills and abilities that are well below those expected for their age. By the end of the Reception year, the proportion of children attaining a good level of development is now rising. Current pupils are working ahead of their predecessors and a higher proportion than previously have reached the expected level across all areas. This represents outstanding progress.  Teaching is consistently good and coupled with equally good support from teaching assistants, children settle in easily and quickly pick up routines. Additional learning needs are swiftly identified and support programmes put into place.  Phonics is well taught and the school makes good use of an additional phonics expert to ensure that all children develop early reading skills very well and adults provide good opportunities for children to practise

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Early years provision is good

and extend them further. Reading homework is established early on and this has contributed to reading successes as children move up through the school.  Adults encourage children to reach high standards in all that they do and pay close attention to the quality of children’s speech and early writing. In a number activity, children identified colourful shapes and counted their sides, taking care to name them correctly. A child drew a six-sided shape in the air and was sensitively encouraged to correctly pronounce ‘hexagon’, which he did with a great sense of pride.  Adults get to know each child well and make good use of assessment to track their progress. Parents are encouraged to spend time reading with their children and informal coffee mornings effectively equip new families with more tips and insights to help their children learn.  Adults encourage safe play and use of equipment and children revel in the stimulating array of activities,

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Early years provision is good

both inside and out of the classroom, to help them learn. Children understand how to keep themselves safe and know that they must not speak to strangers. Children play together in harmony; they share resources and happily wait to take their turn. School routines are quickly established and children are well prepared and ready when the time comes to move up to the Year 1 class.  The newly formed early years team has made good improvements to the provision and practices in this area. The full impact of their work will be more evident when they have had sufficient time to fully drive through the very best outcomes for every child.  The headteacher provides good interim leadership of the early years and ensures that standards remain high in all areas until a new leader is appointed.

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School details

Unique reference number 122702 Local authority Nottingham City Inspection number 10009110

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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 446 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Samina Hussain Headteacher Andrew Gallagher Telephone number 0115 9156870 Website www.claremontnottingham.co.uk Email address admin@claremont.nottingham.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 27 March 2014

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Information about this school

 This is an above-average sized primary school with more pupils on roll than when it was previously inspected.  The early years is comprised of children in the morning and afternoon Nursery classes and those in the Reception year.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is well above average, as is the proportion of those who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged and eligible for support through the pupil premium is well above average. The pupil premium is additional government funding to support pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are in the care of the local authority.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is well below average.  A higher proportion of pupils than is seen nationally join and leave the school part way through the year.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are 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 runs a daily breakfast club which is overseen by the governing body.  The school’s website complies with statutory requirements.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in 25 lessons and looked closely at support in and out of class for pupils who need additional help with their learning.  Inspectors listened to pupils read and attended one school assembly.  The inspection team looked closely at pupils’ work in every class and spoke with pupils about their work.  Inspectors spoke informally with parents at the start of each day and took note of their views through the 12 responses to the online Ofsted questionnaire, Parent View, and through the school’s own recent parent survey.  Inspectors spoke with pupils around the school and met with school councillors and a group of vulnerable pupils. They looked at the results of the 12 questionnaires completed during the inspection.  Staff returned 32 questionnaires and these were analysed to gain their views of the school.  Inspectors met with four governors, and spoke with the senior school improvement adviser on the

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Information about this inspection

telephone. They also held discussions with school leaders responsible for English, mathematics, the early years, assessment, and for coordinating the provision for pupils who have special educational needs.  Inspectors checked the school’s documentation on attendance and behaviour and looked closely at records of assessment of pupils’ progress and those relating to monitoring of safeguarding. They looked at records of the governing body meetings and how the school manages staff performance.

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Inspection team

Aune Turkson-Jones, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Philip Drabble Ofsted Inspector Jane Moore 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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