Lake View Primary and Nursery School

Lake View Primary and Nursery School Rainworth Water Road, Rainworth, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG21 0DU

p.1

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

p.1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

p.1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

p.1

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders, other staff and the governing body have a shared ambition and vision for the school. There is a culture of high expectations.  Leaders’ actions are improving standards in reading, writing, mathematics and other subjects.  Senior leaders ensure that middle leaders are increasingly effective in bringing about improvements.  Relationships are a strength. There is a very positive ethos of care and mutual respect.  Teachers are enthusiastic. Pupils have a positive ‘have a go’ attitude to learning.  Teachers have good subject knowledge. They plan lessons that enable pupils to make good progress.  Staff use effective questioning skills. Pupils are able to explain their thinking.  Leaders and other staff use assessment information well and act to ensure that pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), do not fall behind.  Children in the early years make a good start

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

to their school life. From their starting points, children make good progress.  The teaching of reading is highly effective.  Pupils’ behaviour is impeccable at all times of the school day. They show very good manners.  The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum which promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education well. Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain.  Staff develop pupils’ leadership skills very well. They encourage pupils to have high aspirations.  Teaching assistants provide effective support for pupils’ learning.  Leaders have not ensured that some of their initiatives are implemented fully. Some inconsistencies remain.  Teachers’ expectations of the accuracy of pupils’ spelling, grammar and punctuation are sometimes not as high as they could be.  Pupils are not taught consistently well how to edit and improve their own work.  Sometimes, work in mathematics is not

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

matched as well as it could be to pupils’ abilities. Some pupils do not develop their problem-solving and reasoning skills as well as they could.

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that their initiatives for improvement are applied consistently by all staff.  Improve further the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that all teachers: – have high expectations of the accuracy of pupils’ spelling, grammar and punctuation – teach pupils to effectively evaluate, edit and improve their own work – match work in mathematics more carefully to pupils’ needs and develop pupils’ problem-solving and reasoning skills.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The headteacher and senior leaders are clear sighted in their ambitions for the school. They have established a culture of increasingly high expectations that is shared by all staff.  Leaders have an accurate overview of the school’s strengths and areas in which it can improve. The school improvement plan is rigorous.  Pupils make good progress. Leaders and other staff use assessment well to check pupils’ progress carefully. They identify pupils who may be falling behind. Leaders meet with teachers to discuss possible barriers to pupils’ learning and actions that need to be taken. Personalised approaches are used well to meet the needs of individual pupils.  Leaders identify where teaching is less strong and provide support, coaching and training to improve the quality of teaching. Leaders provide teachers with relevant targets for improvement and link these with pupils’ progress. Though some inconsistencies remain, the quality of teaching is strong throughout the school.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders provide relevant training to improve the quality of teaching and to develop leadership roles. Support for newly and recently qualified teachers is effective.  Senior leaders are strengthening leadership roles at all levels. Middle leaders are enthusiastic and being supported well to develop their expertise. Those new to their roles are positive about the support and training they receive. Middle leaders check standards and support and work alongside staff to secure improvements.  The coordinator for pupils with SEND ensures that additional funding is used well to support pupils’ learning. Staff review pupils’ learning carefully. Pupils make good progress from their starting points.  Leaders are outward-looking and draw upon external support where this is relevant. The school works closely with a local cluster of schools as well as within a teaching school alliance. This has supported improvements in, for example, developing teachers’

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

expertise in assessing pupils’ learning. Support from the local authority over time has been effective in enabling the school to improve.  Leaders and other staff ensure that the school provides a broad and balanced curriculum. Staff promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education very well. Pupils greatly value the opportunities they have to develop their artistic skills. This is evident in the many school displays of pupils’ work. Teachers ensure that pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, also benefit from a range of enrichment activities and school clubs, such as book club, drama, cookery, table tennis and football.  The pupil premium is used well to ensure that disadvantaged pupils make good progress. The funding has been used largely to provide additional teaching to support pupils’ learning. Individual ‘pupil passports’ identify barriers to learning and focused support. Leaders are acting upon the findings from a recent pupil premium audit,

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

including ensuring that the pupil premium plan is more sharply focused so that the funding has the maximum impact.  Leaders use the additional funding for physical education and sports effectively to support the development of teachers’ expertise in teaching physical education as well as widening pupils’ opportunities to engage in sporting activities. The new leaders are now more carefully checking and reviewing the impact of the funding on improving pupils’ participation in sporting activities and events.  Leaders are effective in bringing about improvements in, for example, the teaching of mathematics, leadership of the early years, the teaching of phonics, the development of pupils’ vocabulary and the uses of assessment. However, they have not ensured that some aspects of their work are as securely and consistently embedded as they could be. Some inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and the curriculum remain.

p.3

Governance of the school

 The knowledgeable governing body has a good overview of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. Governors are clear on their role in holding leaders to account. They place improving pupils’ achievement as well as their personal development and welfare at the centre of their work.  Members of the governing body undertake regular visits to the school to, for example, meet with school staff, check standards or review safeguarding arrangements. Governors have clearly defined roles and areas of interest, such as provision for pupils with SEND, the early years or specific subjects. Governors value the reports provided by middle leaders. They have a good understanding of school life and practices.  The governing body receives detailed reports from the headteacher on key aspects of the school’s work. Governors explore these reports, and the minutes of their meetings show that they sometimes question the information provided. Their questions,

p.4

Governance of the school

however, are sometimes not as challenging as they could be, including in relation to the uses and impact of additional funding.

p.4

Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. There is a strong culture of safeguarding. The school’s ethos of care is evident in pupils’ positive interactions with teachers and with each other.  Leaders make rigorous checks on adults before they are able to start volunteering or working alongside pupils. The school’s records meet all statutory requirements as well as recording additional safeguarding information.  The designated leaders for safeguarding ensure that all members of staff are kept up to date with the latest guidance on keeping pupils safe in education. Staff have received training on the government’s ‘Prevent’ duty.  Staff are vigilant in reporting any concerns they have about a pupil, in accordance with the school’s policy. Leaders record these carefully, including the actions taken. They are tenacious in involving external agencies where this is required.  All pupils who spoke with the inspectors said that they feel safe. Bullying is very rare,

p.4

Safeguarding

and pupils are confident that adults deal with any concerns they have. However, some parents and carers did raise some concerns. The inspectors could find no evidence to substantiate their views. Leaders’ records show that they follow up reported concerns carefully and in accordance with the school’s policies. Leaders have ensured that there are many routes by which both parents and pupils can share any concerns they may have.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teachers are enthusiastic and capture pupils’ interest. Teachers and other staff create a positive climate for learning in classrooms. They praise pupils’ work, efforts and behaviour. Pupils are confident sharing their ideas and collaborating. This supports their learning and progress effectively.  Teaching is consistently strong across the school. Teachers have good subject knowledge. Teachers use information about pupils’ learning to plan sequences of lessons that build on pupils’ previous learning.  Teachers promote pupils’ understanding and use of vocabulary well. This was observed in an English lesson, for example, in which pupils suggested synonyms for feeling sad. Pupils’ offered powerful words such as ‘confusion’, ‘grieving’ and ‘crestfallen’.  Teachers and other staff are often highly effective in using questioning to check pupils’ understanding and develop their thinking. In mathematics, for instance, teachers

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

consistently ask pupils ‘Why?’ and ‘How do you know?’ There is an expectation that pupils are able to explain their thinking.  Phonics is taught very well. The teaching of phonics is well organised and structured. Lessons are lively and engaging. Staff check pupils’ learning carefully, and work is appropriately matched to pupils’ abilities. Staff promote pupils’ reading comprehension skills well across the school.  Teaching assistants are deployed well and provide effective support for pupils’ learning when working with individual pupils or small groups.  Leaders and other staff have ensured that there is a consistent ‘mastery’-based approach to the teaching of mathematics. Inspectors observed many instances in which teachers made highly effective use of visual imagery and apparatus to support pupils’ understanding. This enables pupils to gain fluency in understanding mathematical concepts. However, sometimes teachers do not match work as well as

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

they could to pupils’ needs. Sometimes, work is too hard for the least able, or not challenging enough, when relevant, for the most able. Teachers sometimes do not develop pupils’ problem-solving and reasoning skills as well as they could.  Teachers ensure that pupils make good progress in writing. However, their expectations of the accuracy of pupils’ spelling, grammar and punctuation are variable. Teachers do not consistently ensure that pupils are able to effectively evaluate, edit and improve their own work.

p.5

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Pupils, including the very youngest, are self-confident. Staff foster in pupils a positive ‘have a go’ attitude to their learning. Pupils like and respect their teachers. Pupils are proud of their school and their learning.  Pupils show a good understanding of how to keep safe, including from bullying and when online. All pupils who spoke with inspectors said that there is no bullying in the school and were emphatic that staff would resolve any concerns they may have. Many displays around the school promote anti-bullying messages. Pupils spoke of the different people they can speak to, including pupil leaders, if they have a worry.  Pupils relish the varied roles and responsibilities the school offers them. These include the anti-bullying councillors, class ambassadors, friendship leaders, school council and

p.5

Personal development and welfare

prefects. These roles develop valuable leadership and communication skills. Older pupils are excellent role models for younger pupils.  Pupils show good understanding of British values. Inspectors observed older pupils leading ‘pupil parliament’ sessions, for example, in which they encouraged younger pupils to share their views on important issues and reflect on their feelings. Pupils also explained to the inspectors about when women gained the right to vote. They say that it is important to ‘respect rules and laws so we treat each other equally’. They speak of ‘taking care of the world’ and about ‘what we value’.  Pupils are taught about the importance of healthy eating and lifestyles. Pupils told inspectors about ‘DARE’: Drug Abuse Resistant Education. They were able to explain to the inspectors their learning about peer pressure and the importance of making responsible choices: ‘We learn how to be sensible in life.’

p.6

Personal development and welfare

 Staff encourage pupils to be aspirational and ambitious. This is illustrated by the ‘Lake View 50 things I want to do’ book, in which pupils identify a challenge or goal for themselves. For instance, some chose to aim to visit a farm, play an instrument or try a food from around the world. The school encourages pupils to broaden their horizons.  Pupils have a very well-developed sense of the importance of respecting others, including those who are different from themselves. They learn about different faiths and religions. A typical comment they made is that ‘You should not treat others differently. Everyone should be treated the same way. We’re all human, we all have emotions. We all make mistakes!’ Pupils are prepared very well for life in modern Britain.

p.6

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils conduct themselves excellently at all times of the school day, including in corridors, assemblies, at lunchtimes or on the playground.  Leaders and other staff ensure that the school is a calm and orderly place to work and learn. For example, older pupils lead ‘Take 5’ sessions in classes at the beginning of afternoons. Pupils do gentle exercises and are encouraged to think calming thoughts. This creates a calm start to lessons after a busy playtime. Pupils explained to the inspector that ‘it’s fun and it helps us to get ready to learn’.  Leaders and staff have high expectations of behaviour. Staff manage pupils’ behaviour consistently well. No low-level disruption was observed. Pupils apply themselves well to all that is asked of them.  Pupils show impeccable manners. They are polite, respectful and friendly. They were happy to speak with the inspectors. On several occasions, pupils enthusiastically and

p.6

Behaviour

proudly offered to show the inspectors their work.  Attendance is currently similar to the national average. Leaders check attendance carefully, including that of disadvantaged pupils or pupils with SEND. The absence of a small number of pupils for legitimate reasons has impacted on overall figures. Leaders take attendance seriously and emphasise the importance of attendance to parents. They work with the small number of families whose children have persistent absence.

p.7

Outcomes for pupils Good

 Published outcomes show that in key stage 2, progress in reading, writing and mathematics has been strong and often above the national averages for the last two years. In 2018, pupils’ attainment of the expected standards in reading, writing mathematics and grammar, punctuation and spelling was above the national averages.  At the end of key stage 1 in 2018, pupils’ attainment in reading was above the national average. Attainment in writing and mathematics was similar to the national averages. The proportions of pupils achieving the required standards in the Year 1 phonics screening check have been above those seen nationally for the last two years, as have the proportions of children in the early years achieving a good level of development.  Pupils’ current work shows that pupils make good progress in reading, writing, mathematics and other subjects. Disadvantaged pupils make progress in line with, and

p.7

Outcomes for pupils Good

sometimes better than, that of other pupils.  Progress in reading is particularly strong. Pupils rapidly acquire phonics skills and make progress in developing their inference and deduction skills. Pupils have positive attitudes to reading and read increasingly widely.  Effective teaching ensures that pupils make good progress in improving their writing skills. Over time, the sophistication and quality of pupils’ work improves. Staff ensure that the quality of pupils’ work is consistently strong in different subjects. Pupils present their work well. However, the quality of pupils’ writing is sometimes let down by inaccurate spelling, grammar and punctuation.  In mathematics, pupils gain proficiency in key mathematical skills well over time. However, on some occasions, teachers do not ensure that work is matched well to pupils’ needs. Sometimes, the least and particularly the most able pupils do not make

p.7

Early years provision Good

 The large majority of children join the Reception Year with knowledge and skills that are typical for their age. The proportion of children who achieved a good level of development in 2018 was above the national average. Children, including those who are disadvantaged, make good progress in the early years. They are prepared well for key stage 1.  Leadership of the early years is effective. Leaders and other staff analyse children’s learning and development carefully in both the Nursery and Reception classes. They use this information to identify focused priorities for improvement. Plans for improvement are rigorous.  Parents contribute effectively to assessments of children’s learning. They add photos or comments about their children’s achievements at home.  Staff develop children’s personal development well. Children have positive attitudes to their learning. They collaborate and are respectful of each other. Children’s behaviour

p.7

Early years provision Good

is good. They follow instructions quickly and routines are well established. Children move carefully from adult-led activities to independent tasks.  Children settle quickly to tasks and show independence and the ability to concentrate. They engage positively and busily with the tasks provided for them. They talk confidently about what they are doing and about their learning. One child, for example, explained to an inspector why he was wearing a hard hat for his building work.  Teaching is effective across the early years. Teachers and adults are enthusiastic. They use questioning skills well to develop children’s thinking and support their development and independence.  The teaching of phonics is effective and appropriately challenging. In the Reception class, for example, children excitedly worked together as ‘sound detectives’, using their phonics skills to find ‘hidden’ sounds in the classroom. Inspectors saw evidence of

p.8

Early years provision Good

pupils applying their phonics skills effectively in their writing.  Leaders manage transition arrangements well. Children are well prepared as they move through each stage of the early years and into Year 1.  Leaders ensure that the welfare requirements for the early years are met.  Activities are often creative and engaging. In the Nursery, for instance, children were engrossed in ‘painting’ the playground or were in the mud kitchen excitedly weighing vegetables, independently making recipe lists for ‘soup’, examining peppers and planting the seeds. Teachers ensure that the indoor and outdoor learning areas provide children with a broad range of opportunities across the curriculum. However, leaders have not ensured that the quality of provision is consistent across the early years. Some activities are not planned as well as they could be to stimulate children’s interest and provide sufficient challenge.

p.8

School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

p.9

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.9

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.9

School details

Email address office@lakeview.notts.sch.uk

p.9

School details

Date of previous inspection 20–21 September 2016

p.9

Information about this school

 Since the last full inspection, a deputy headteacher has been appointed.  Lake View Primary and Nursery School is smaller than an average-sized primary school.  The school has a breakfast club.  The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and of pupils who speak English as an additional language are below those seen nationally.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average.

p.9

Information about this inspection

 The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, other senior leaders and middle leaders. The inspectors met with the chair and other members of the governing body and spoke with a representative of the local authority. Discussions explored a wide range of subjects, including safeguarding arrangements.  The inspectors visited 16 lessons, some jointly with the headteacher. During these visits, the inspectors looked at pupils’ work and spoke with them to evaluate the quality of their learning. The inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work alongside leaders, met with groups of pupils and listened to pupils read.  The inspectors spoke with parents informally at the start of the school day. Account was taken of the 35 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and free- text responses, as well as the 20 responses to the staff questionnaire. There were no responses to the pupil questionnaire.

p.10

Information about this inspection

 A range of documents were scrutinised, relating to safeguarding, behaviour, attendance, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and pupils’ attainment and progress. The inspectors looked at plans for improvement as well as leaders’ evaluation of the school’s performance. The inspectors also considered the range and quality of information provided on the school’s website.

p.10

Inspection team

John Lawson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.10

Inspection team

Dorothy Stenson 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 .

p.10

Inspection team

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

p.11

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.

p.11

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 .

p.11

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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.11

Inspection team

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 .

p.11

Inspection team

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

p.11

Inspection team

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

p.11

Inspection team

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

p.11