King Edward Primary School & Nursery

Inspection of King Edward Primary School St Andrew Street, Littleworth, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG18 2RG

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement 1–2 October 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

There has been a lot of change at this school recently. New leaders are ambitious for every pupil to succeed. Pupils behave well and there is a positive feel in classrooms. Pupils told us that they feel safe at school and that bullying is rare. If they have any worries, teachers help to sort them out. Pupils love the ‘smile team’ and the ways in which staff help them to make friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils who struggle to read do not always get the right books to practise with. This means they do not catch up quickly enough. Some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) find work too difficult. Teachers do not plan and teach some subjects effectively, such as music and modern foreign languages. Pupils do not learn and remember well in all subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum gives pupils a wide range of educational experiences. For example, they visit the Holocaust Centre and Boggle Hole on the Yorkshire coast. They take part in the harvest festival at the church and compete in local sports activities.

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better?

The headteacher has started to improve the school. New members of staff are bringing about positive changes. Everyone wants the school to be the best it can be. Leaders are keen to make the quality of education at King Edward good for all pupils. They support new staff well.

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better?

Children begin to learn to read as soon as they join the Nursery. In Reception, teachers help children who have not been in Nursery to catch up. Most children know the phonics they need to by the end of Year 1. Some teachers give some lower-ability readers books that are too hard for them. These pupils continue to find reading difficult.

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better?

Leadership in mathematics is strong. Leaders have given teachers lots of training to help them. This has improved how they plan and deliver learning in mathematics. They give pupils lots of practice in solving calculations. This is helping pupils to remember more. Teachers often make learning mathematics fun. Pupils try their best in ‘Active Maths’ challenges.

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better?

Pupils’ learning has also improved in science and history. They now have more opportunities to do experiments in science and to visit historic sites.

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better?

The curriculum in subjects such as modern foreign languages and music is not as well developed. Teachers do not plan these subjects well enough so that pupils build up their knowledge over time. Teachers’ subject knowledge in some subjects is weak. 1–2 October 2019

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Children are happy and safe in the early years. Learning for most children is well planned. Staff develop children’s interests. The early years has good resources. Most children remain interested in the activities they are doing for a long time. Children with SEND do not learn as well as they should. Staff sometimes set tasks that are too hard for them. Children with SEND do not get the support they need to achieve well.

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Pupils behave well. Teachers expect them to pay attention in lessons and to try their best. This means learning is not disrupted. Pupils play happily with each other at breaktimes and lunchtimes. Different groups of pupils get on well. Pupils’ attendance is good.

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The school promotes pupils’ personal development well. For example, they do charity work and many of them take part in sports clubs at school. Staff train some pupils to be sports leaders who help others to improve their sporting skills. Pupils visit places of worship. They learn about different art forms and experience different cultures. We saw them in assembly, enjoying listening to a South African gospel choir.

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Leaders, including governors, appreciate the work staff put in. The staff, in turn, feel that leaders are mindful of their workload. They say they are proud to work at King Edward Primary School. Many parents say they appreciate staff going the extra mile for their children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders know the risks that pupils face in the area. They have given staff the training they need to support pupils. For example, staff know about areas of current national concern, such as county lines. The school has an effective culture of safeguarding. Leaders take swift action to support pupils who may be in need or at risk.

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Safeguarding

Pupils say that they feel safe at school. Trained pupils from the ‘smile’ team help others who have problems with friendships.

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Safeguarding

The school’s safeguarding policy was not up to date at the time of inspection. Governors are due to agree an updated policy imminently.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A period of staffing turbulence over recent years has hampered leaders’ ability to focus on improving the quality of education. Some staff lack the knowledge they need to teach all subjects well. Leaders should provide training and support for 1–2 October 2019

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them so that they are all confident about teaching across the curriculum.  The teaching of some subjects, such as music and modern foreign languages, is not planned well enough. Leaders need to ensure that, in all subjects, sequences of lessons build up pupils’ knowledge and skills over time so that pupils achieve well.  The teaching of reading has improved but is not good enough. Some pupils, including weaker readers, do not have the correct books to read and so do not have the opportunity to practise the sounds they know. Leaders should ensure that reading books are precisely matched to each pupil’s reading ability so that pupils develop confidence and fluency in reading.  Some pupils with SEND find their work too difficult. They are not helped to learn as well as they should. Leaders need to adjust the curriculum for these pupils and ensure that these pupils get the support they need to achieve their best.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 1–2 October 2019

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Inspection number 10110046 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18–19 July 2017

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Information about this school

 Staff turnover has been high since the last inspection.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors looked closely at reading, mathematics, science and history. They spoke with the subject leaders, visited a range of lessons and looked at learning plans. Inspectors spoke with pupils and staff about pupils’ learning and looked at pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, leaders, staff, and representatives from the governing body. Inspectors also met with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors observed pupils at breaktime and around the school between lessons. Inspectors spoke with parents at the beginning of the school day. The views of the 32 parents who completed the Ofsted Parent View survey and the free-text responses were taken into account.  The school’s records of safeguarding, recruitment checks and referrals to the local authority were reviewed. Inspectors spoke with staff about how they keep pupils 1–2 October 2019

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safe. We also discussed safety with pupils. We spoke to the lead teacher responsible for anti-bullying.

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Inspection team

Clive Worrall, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Andy Lakatos Ofsted Inspector 1–2 October 2019

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