Cantrell Primary and Nursery School

Cantrell Primary and Nursery School Cantrell Road, Bulwell, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG6 9HJ

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Since the last inspection, leaders, supported by the dedicated staff, have taken decisive action to bring about swift improvements.  The school’s curriculum is designed to provide pupils with a wealth of opportunities they may not typically encounter. Leaders are keen to raise the aspirations of families for their children.  The development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education (SMSC) is a strength. Pupils are encouraged to think philosophically about their own and different cultures and faiths. They receive a wide range of opportunities to appreciate the arts.  Leaders have taken effective action to improve rates of attendance. The proportion of pupils who are persistently absent has fallen significantly. Parents and carers understand the importance of regular attendance.  Governors are determined to provide the best possible education for pupils from the early years and onwards. However, their

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

understanding of how actions are bringing about improvements is not yet comprehensive.  Middle leaders are determined to provide strong leadership of their subject. While some have been highly effective in driving change, others do not yet have the skills to make improvements across the whole school.  Arrangements for safeguarding pupils are secure. Adults have a comprehensive understanding of the risks that pupils may face and leaders train staff to be professionally suspicious.  Teachers have high expectations of pupils. They use questioning skilfully to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Teachers deploy other adults well to enhance learning.  Generally, teachers use assessment information well to set challenging tasks that will meet the needs of pupils. Occasionally, next steps are not planned sharply enough to meet the needs of a few pupils.  Pupils are confident, independent, and self- assured learners. They take pride in their work

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and express their views well. They behave well.  Pupils who struggle to manage their behaviour receive support to enable them to understand their emotions. However, occasionally leaders have not evaluated sharply enough the support provided for these pupils to ensure that it meets their academic needs.  In the early years, staff understand the value of a language-rich environment. Occasionally, adults stick too rigidly to the planned intent of activities and do not adapt their approach when children take learning in a different direction.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Teachers use assessment information sharply to ensure that tasks set meet the needs of all pupils.  Develop the role of middle leaders to enable them to have a better understanding of how to drive improvements within their subject.  Evaluate the provision for pupils who display challenging or disengaged behaviour to ensure that the support provided fully meets their academic needs.  In the early years, adults use their knowledge of the foundation stage curriculum to adapt tasks to develop and enhance children’s learning.  Governors have a greater understanding of the impact of the school’s actions on raising standards.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders and governors have been determined to bring about swift and decisive change since the last inspection. They accurately identified what needed to improve and through effective and high-quality improvement planning they have succeeded in raising standards.  The reorganisation of key senior leadership roles has ensured that members of the team have a clear understanding of their different responsibilities. They work closely together to ensure that the school’s improvement strategies are implemented consistently and with sufficient rigour.  Leaders have taken care to ensure that staff feel included in the school’s drive for change. Staff have a collective vision to provide pupils with the best possible opportunities to develop their aspirations. School development strategies are research led and are rooted in sound evidence.  Leaders frequently discuss the impact of school improvement strategies on the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

progress and attainment of pupils. As staff at all levels feel part of the school improvement process they understand that the progress pupils make is their responsibility.  The school’s curriculum is designed to provide pupils with experiences outside of their immediate locality. Teachers use the resources available in Nottingham to enhance learning. For example, having read the book together as a class, pupils attended a local production of ‘Skellig’ by David Almond. Leaders have taken care to ensure that coverage of the wider curriculum has not been sacrificed to raise standards in English and mathematics. Staff understand and value the importance of the broad and balanced curriculum.  Leaders have ensured that the teaching of SMSC education is at the core of the curriculum. The school’s values are a basis to develop pupils’ understanding of their moral education. Pupils understand social responsibility. They raise funds for different

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

charities and learn how others have very different lives to them, considering, for example, the plight of refugees. Across the school, pupils frequently have opportunities to participate in local arts development projects.  British values are promoted through the school’s curriculum. For example, pupils in key stage 2 consider what happens when democracy fails by examining case studies in history, such as the build up to the Second World War.  The leaders for English have a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and weaknesses within their subject. They recognised the previous fall in standards was due to a lack of strength in the teaching of reading. Leaders ensured that staff received high-quality professional development to improve their understanding of how to teach reading. The quality of teaching has improved significantly.  The leader for mathematics has led the development of mathematics teaching across

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

the school effectively. Effective monitoring of the implementation of a new approach has ensured that there is consistency in developing pupils’ knowledge and skills. Leaders provide additional support for teachers who need further help to develop their skills and subject knowledge further.  The leaders for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils have a secure understanding of the needs of pupils. They have a precise vision of how they wish to develop and enhance provision for these pupils. The additional funding to support these pupils is used well. Effective monitoring of the support that these pupils receive has enabled leaders to evaluate what is working effectively and provide additional support when required.  Leaders have utilised external support effectively to increase the expertise of staff, enabling them to effectively drive improvement. Staff professional development is

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

linked closely to the school’s development priorities while ensuring staff also receive bespoke training and coaching to help them improve.  The Nottingham Schools Trust has provided effective support for the school through effective and rigorous monitoring. Collaboration with local teaching schools has led to the development of specific school improvement strategies. This support has enabled leaders to fully understand their roles and responsibilities and drive improvement.  Leaders use the sport and physical education (PE) premium effectively, increasing the participation of pupils in sport and exercise. Leaders carefully monitor the participation of pupils and provide additional focused support for pupils who have not participated in exercise as regularly as their peers.  Middle leaders are keen to bring about change within their subject. While some have been instrumental in driving change, others are developing their understanding of how

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

to lead their subject. Leaders are aware of this and are providing support and professional development to help these leaders have a greater understanding of how to improve their subject.

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Governance of the school

 Governors are energised to support leaders in order to drive change. They are aware of the school’s strengths and know what will make a difference to pupils at the school. They are passionate about enhancing social mobility and improving pupils’ aspirations.  Since the last inspection, the governing body has reviewed its processes and procedures and has introduced a monitoring and evaluation programme with greater rigour and accountability.  Governors have recently assigned specific school improvement areas to individual governors to enable them to review the improvements across the school more effectively. Governors have assigned roles to match the skills of individual governors to ensure they are best suited to monitoring school improvement within a specific area.  Leaders provide governors with a wealth of information about how well the school is doing. However, the systems and processes to check that what they are being told is

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Governance of the school

accurate are not yet fully developed. Governors do not have comprehensive understanding of how and why school improvement actions are impacting on raising standards.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The safeguarding team has a comprehensive understanding of the needs of pupils at the school. Leaders record concerns carefully to ensure that all salient information is recorded and that any updates or actions are followed up and recorded.  Weekly safeguarding briefings ensure that all staff are kept up to date with any recent or ongoing safeguarding concerns. A programme of professional development ensures that staff have a good understanding of the possible risks that pupils may face in and out of school. Leaders expect staff to be professionally suspicious. They have ensured that all staff have the relevant knowledge to recognise possible signs of abuse and pass on any concerns immediately.  Staff are alert to pupils’ well-being and are vigilant to spot changes in behaviour and attitudes. The staff’s considerable knowledge of pupils and families enables them to

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Safeguarding

recognise and identify when things are not right. The safeguarding team seeks external support and draws on a wide range of training to enable the members to provide or find the best possible support for pupils and families.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment has improved since the last inspection. The introduction of whole-school approaches and the impact of targeted professional development for staff have ensured that there is consistency across the school.  Teachers use questioning well to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Teachers generally identify pupils’ needs and next steps efficiently and use this knowledge to enhance pupils’ learning. On the whole, teachers address misconceptions well and questioning is used to clarify understanding and identify the reason for the error. Teachers intervene, when required, to move pupils’ learning forward.  Teachers deploy additional adults effectively. Support staff adapt their role to suit the needs of pupils. They support focused groups, work closely with teachers to develop whole-class learning, or support individual pupils. The range of different strategies

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

used enables pupils to make strong progress.  Pupils with SEND are supported effectively. Support staff have a secure understanding of the needs of pupils. They are skilled at adapting their style and techniques to meet the needs of different pupils. Their high-quality dialogue with pupils enables them to demonstrate and model effective language.  Self and peer assessment are carried out regularly by pupils. They mirror the language and techniques used by teachers and are providing increasingly more effective support to their peers. This is a familiar pattern to pupils who clearly use this daily. Pupils are encouraged to develop and improve their own work.  A whole-school approach to the teaching of mathematics develops pupils’ knowledge and skills systematically and sequentially. Teachers use an ‘anchor task’ to establish what pupils already understand. Teachers then provide additional challenge or support

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

dependent upon pupils’ next step. The vast majority of pupils receive tasks that effectively meet their needs and help them to make strong progress.  In English, teachers provide pupils with clear guidance of what they need to include in their writing to enable them to achieve. Reading is a high priority across the school. Teachers use high-quality texts and use these as a stimulus to develop writing and comprehension skills. For example, pupils in Year 6 were empathising with characters from ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’ to write informal letters, and pupils in Year 2 were using images of ‘Paddington’ to develop their inference skills.  Teachers develop pupils’ phonics skills effectively. Pupils have many opportunities to practice their knowledge of sounds. Adults say sounds correctly, and address misconceptions as soon as they arise. Consistent approaches to letter formation reinforce learning across classes. Pupils participate well during these sessions. For

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

example, pupils in Year 1 enjoyed practising their ‘posh’ sounds, which can be found in words such as ‘bath’ and ‘path’. Pupils use their phonics skills with increasing confidence to enable them to spell unfamiliar words.  Teachers plan the wider curriculum to extend and broaden pupils’ aspirations. Pupils are given opportunities to learn about different cultures and faiths. In science, pupils have frequent opportunities to investigate and predict. Pupils have many opportunities to develop their creativity. This includes homework projects linked to what they are learning. For example, pupils in Year 5 created innovative representations of the solar system which they shared with the whole school.  Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong and is used to plan learning aimed to inspire pupils. Teachers use their knowledge of what pupils can do to plan for needs. In most cases, this enables pupils to make strong progress. Occasionally, teachers are not

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

using this knowledge sharply enough to ensure tasks meet all pupils’ needs. A small number of pupils sometimes do not make the progress they are capable of.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are very understanding of the needs of others. Teachers help pupils understand each other’s needs and to recognise that we all manage emotions differently. Adults support pupils well and help them to understand their own mental health needs.  Pupils have a definitive understanding of equality and diversity. The school’s values are at the core of the curriculum. Adults encourage pupils to understand what these values look like in practice through their behaviour choices and attitudes to others. Pupils have a secure sense of right and wrong.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe appropriate to their age. Pupils in the early years could explain what they would do were the school fire alarm to sound, whereas older pupils know how to keep themselves safe on the roads and what to do if approached by a stranger. Pupils have a secure understanding of how to keep

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Personal development and welfare

themselves safe online and when using social media. Throughout the school, posters created by pupils identify what to do should they encounter a possible threat online. Pupils readily refer to these.  The wide range of sporting and physical activities on offer helps to promote healthy lifestyles. Pupils know that eating well will help them to stay healthy.  The school’s records for monitoring incidents of bullying indicate there are very few. When parents or pupils report concerns, leaders investigate thoroughly, and support is put in place when appropriate.  Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is strong. They are keen to learn and focus well on the tasks they have been set. They work well together and are happy to share ideas with each other. Most pupils are unafraid to try things, and many understand that making mistakes is part of learning. Occasionally, a small number of pupils become disengaged and do not participate with learning. While adults often manage these instances well,

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Personal development and welfare

sometimes these pupils do not rejoin the learning activity.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Leaders recognised that the proportion of pupils who were persistently absent was too high. Leaders have established robust systems to monitor carefully the attendance of pupils. Leaders carry out home visits and work closely with families to minimise the reasons for poor attendance. The rates of persistent absence have decreased, and rates of attendance are above the national average.  In lessons and around the school, pupils are polite and well mannered. Pupils understand and adhere to routines and expectations of behaviour.  A small number of pupils require additional support to help them to manage their behaviour and emotions. Leaders have established a culture where staff understand that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ solution to managing the behaviour of pupils. Staff tailor support to meet pupils’ specific needs. As a result of this approach the number of

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Behaviour

exclusions has fallen dramatically.  Pupils with complex needs work in partnership with staff to create plans to help them manage their behaviour. Pupils identify what they feel helps and what hinders them when they are struggling to cope. These plans are shared with all relevant staff and help to prevent incidents from escalating and staff manage incidents effectively. Leaders acknowledge that they need to evaluate more carefully the pattern of incidents to establish whether they can do more to support pupils academically. While leaders’ actions have reduced the number of incidents of poor behaviour, some pupils’ academic needs are not being met.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Since the last inspection, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 has increased and is now similar to the national average. Pupils are making stronger progress than they have in the past through key stage 2, and in 2018 pupils made similar progress to pupils nationally.  In key stage 1, leaders have ensured that teachers build on the progress pupils make through the early years. The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2 is similar to the national average.  The school’s own assessment information shows that the vast majority of pupils are making progress in line with the school’s expectations. Leaders carefully track the progress that pupils make between key stages and ensure that any pupils who begin to fall behind receive targeted support to help them catch up.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils’ workbooks show that, due to effective teaching across the school, most pupils are making strong progress. Leaders have a secure understanding of the different starting points of pupils and this information is used carefully to ensure that pupils achieve well.  Through careful monitoring of the support they receive, pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils make strong progress. Teachers and leaders have good knowledge of the different needs of pupils and use this effectively to ensure that pupils make the progress they are capable of from their different starting points.  The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the phonics screening check is below the national average. From their respective starting points pupils make strong progress with their early reading, and targeted support ensures that pupils catch up by the end of Year 2.

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Early years provision Good

 The early years leaders have high expectations for children. A high proportion of children join the early years with the knowledge and skills below that typical for their age. Leaders have tailored the curriculum to provide children with a wealth of opportunities they may not otherwise encounter. While the proportion of pupils achieving a good level of development is below the national average, from their respective starting points, the vast majority of children make strong progress through the early years.  The development of children’s language skills is a high priority. There are many opportunities for children to talk with adults who develop their vocabulary effectively. Teachers plan activities carefully to teach children new vocabulary and different types of verbal and written communication. For example, staff in the Nursery developed children’s understanding of words such as ‘slippery’, ‘cold’ and ‘wet’ by handling cold

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Early years provision Good

spaghetti. In Reception, children were experimenting with communicating in different settings through role play, such as booking a table at a restaurant.  Teachers tailor tasks to meet the specific needs of children. Teachers use assessment information to identify children’s next steps in learning. Adults provide effective additional support for children with SEND, or disadvantaged children, to meet their needs. The school’s own assessment information shows that these pupils make strong progress and are catching up with their peers.  Children are keen to participate in the various activities that are available to them. They are enthusiastic to explore their world and take notice of the things around them. For example, pupils in the Nursery were transferring water from a bucket to a tray. They noticed that when the water flowed out of the tray it flowed down a slope and made different patterns.  Teachers ensure that learning activities stem from children’s interests. For example, to

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Early years provision Good

help boys to write independently, they were encouraged to design a vehicle and label the key components. Children were keen to share their designs and annotations with adults and each other. Children use their early phonics and reading knowledge well to support them when writing familiar and unfamiliar words.  Parents receive useful information about transition into the different stages of the early years. Transition visits help children to settle well. Parents report that staff are approachable and their children are well cared for. Home study enhances children’s learning. ‘All about me’ books help staff to understand what children can do before they start school. Staff and children celebrate ‘wow’ moments from home. Teachers provide ‘language development bags’ for families who may not have access to rich texts at home.  Adults provide children with a wealth of opportunities to enhance their understanding

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Early years provision Good

of their own and different cultures. For example, children role-play visiting far away countries and dress up in the traditional dress of other cultures. They visit the theatre and explore the woodland, taking part in creating campfires. These learning opportunities are often linked to high-quality texts which are used well to develop children’s language and vocabulary.  Occasionally, a few adults focus too much on the planned intent of tasks. They are not able to adapt and develop their approach or expectations once children have taken learning in a different direction. They do not always use their knowledge of the foundation stage curriculum well enough to recognise unplanned learning opportunities.

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School details

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

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address admin@cantrell.nottingham.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19–20 January 2017

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Information about this school

 The majority of the pupils are White British. However, 11 other ethnic groups are also represented.  The school is situated within an area of high deprivation. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average.  The school is a larger-than-average primary school.  The school has a Nursery provision which takes children from the age of two.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed learning in a number of lessons, some of which were observed jointly with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher. They observed the teaching of early reading skills and listened to pupils read. The inspectors also talked with pupils about their school and looked at examples of pupils’ work to gain a view of the impact of teaching over time.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, deputy headteachers, assistant headteacher, subject leaders, early years leaders, teachers, support staff and representatives of the governing body.  The inspectors spoke with parents informally and considered the 12 responses to the online parent questionnaire, Parent View.  The inspectors looked at a range of documents, including: the school’s self-evaluation and plans for improvement; the most recent information on the achievement and progress of pupils; information relating to the safeguarding of pupils; and the most

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Information about this inspection

recent data relating to the attendance of pupils.  The inspectors considered the range and quality of information provided on the school’s website.

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Inspection team

Helen Williams, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Talbot 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

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 .

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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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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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.gov.uk/ofsted

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