Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of a good school: Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School High Street, Stonebroom, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 6JY

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Outcome

Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of, and enjoy coming to, their school. The staff are supportive and caring. Pupils respect their teachers and think that learning is important. This includes their lessons and the wealth of other opportunities to enrich their learning. For example, pupils learn how to be responsible for animals’ welfare. They look after the school’s pigs, goats, chickens and guinea pigs. The on-site forest school gives all pupils exciting opportunities to learn outdoors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

When asked about their favourite things, some pupils said the sports clubs, some said they enjoyed art and some said mathematics. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning. A younger pupil proudly told the inspector, ‘I’m scientist of the week!’ Leaders believe it is important to promote pupils as ‘future leaders’. Staff prepare pupils well for each new stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are positive and confident and have excellent manners. Staff have high expectations of behaviour and pupils behave well at all times of the day. Pupils sometimes lose concentration when teaching does not build well enough on what they already know and can do. Pupils say they are kept safe and that bullying is very rare. They are very confident that staff will sort out any problems or worries should they arise.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders, including governors, and other staff have a clear vision for what pupils should learn. They plan what they want pupils to learn and the order in which knowledge is taught. Staff think carefully about the experiences they provide for all pupils. They broaden pupils’ horizons and encourage pupils to have high aspirations for themselves. This includes pupils who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff help pupils to progress well academically and in their personal development. Philosophy lessons, for example, enable pupils to discuss and share their opinions. Pupils achieve well in different subjects. However, leaders of some subjects are more precise in their understanding than others. 10–11 September 2019

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Teachers explain things well in lessons. Pupils respond confidently to teachers’ questions. They explain their thinking well. Staff plan the important words they want pupils to learn and remember in different subjects. This enables pupils to build up their knowledge well over time. Teachers usually plan lessons that interest and meet the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. Teachers encourage pupils to do their best and usually plan learning that builds on what pupils already know.

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Overall, staff help pupils learn to read well. Leaders and staff make reading a high priority. Younger pupils learn phonics quickly. Pupils are enthusiastic about books and reading. Many parents and carers were positive about this part of the school’s work. However, leaders have not made sure that all staff have had the same training. Sometimes, teaching is not as focused as it could be to help pupils learn new sounds. Some books are not closely matched to the sounds pupils have learned.

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Mathematics is taught well. Teachers make sure that pupils understand the most important ideas and can use their knowledge to solve problems. Teachers use images and equipment well to help pupils understand mathematics.

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Leaders and staff make sure that children learn and develop well in the Nursery and Reception classes. Children make a very good start to their education. The teaching of reading starts straight away. Staff establish routines very quickly. Behaviour is exemplary in the early years.

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Relationships between staff and pupils and between pupils themselves are very positive. Pupils across the school behave well. They try hard in lessons and work well with others. Pupils play happily together at playtimes. They understand the importance of respecting others, including those who are different to themselves.

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Staff in the school are very positive and passionate about their work. Leaders and the governing body are considerate of teachers’ workload. They try to think of ways of reducing unnecessary tasks. They also show their recognition and appreciation when staff lead extra things, such as school clubs.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff make sure that pupils are kept safe and well cared for. Staff teach pupils how to keep themselves safe. Visitors sometimes provide expertise. For example, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children helps pupils to understand internet safety.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that all staff receive regular training to know the signs that might raise concerns about a pupil’s welfare. Staff know what to do if they have a concern. Leaders record these carefully and work with other organisations when this is relevant. The school’s record of the checks they carry out on adults working in the school is detailed. 10–11 September 2019

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders need to ensure that the teaching of phonics is of a consistently high quality. The training staff have received varies. Sometimes, staff are not as precise as they could be in teaching pupils to enunciate, segment and blend sounds. Sometimes, books are not matched as well as they could be to the sounds pupils know. Improved matching will support them to make even better progress and gain greater fluency in decoding.  Leaders need to continue their work to develop the school’s curriculum. They need to refine further their work to make sure that all leaders have clear oversight of the different subjects, including English and mathematics. This will help them to be sure that pupils are learning the right things in the right order. This will also enable leaders to be more effective in checking that pupils’ learning builds even more effectively over time.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School to be good on 24–25 February 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 10–11 September 2019

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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. 10–11 September 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10110142 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.stonebroom.derbyshire.sch.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 24–25 February 2016

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Information about this school

 Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The school receives support from the local authority through regular visits and support.  The school has a breakfast club.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector held meetings with the headteacher and senior leaders, middle leaders and other staff. The inspector met with 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 inspector looked in detail at three subjects – reading, science and mathematics – to consider the quality of education. The inspector observed 10 lessons with senior leaders. The inspector also met with teachers, curriculum leaders and pupils, and looked at a sample of pupils’ work in these subjects.  The inspector spoke with parents at the start of the day. Account was taken of the 16 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and the 18 responses to the 10–11 September 2019

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staff survey. There were no responses to the pupil questionnaire.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents. These included those relating to safeguarding, behaviour, attendance and the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. The inspector looked at plans for improvement, as well as leaders’ evaluation of the school’s performance. The inspector also considered the information on the school’s website.

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Inspection team

John Lawson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 10–11 September 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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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