Nansen Primary School

Inspection of Nansen Primary School Naseby Road, Birmingham, West Midlands B8 3HG

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good 24–25 September 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Although children get off to a good start in their reading in Reception, this is not sustained in the years that follow. Too many older pupils cannot read confidently or fluently. This means that they struggle to read the books and resources they use in class. Staff do not help weaker readers effectively. There is little focus on developing pupils’ love of reading. Pupils do not read a range of different books. Pupils who are good readers do not read books that would develop their vocabulary and broaden their understanding of the world.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have ensured that pupils’ learning in some areas has improved. Consequently, pupils enjoy these subjects and do better as a result.

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What is it like to attend this school?

When pupils are bored or find the work too difficult, they stop paying attention in class. Most pupils behave well around the school. They do not disrupt the learning of others. Pupils say that bullying is not a problem. Inspectors agree. Pupils feel they could tell an adult if they were worried. They were confident that staff would resolve issues quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in school. Parents and carers agree. Since the new executive headteacher started, parents and pupils are happier with the school.

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better?

School leaders have not made sure that pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, do as well as they can in national tests and assessments. Pupils’ reading, writing and mathematical knowledge and understanding have not been good enough for some years now. Too many pupils throughout the school cannot read fluently. Too many pupils leaving Year 6 do not have the literacy and numeracy skills they need for secondary school. Too many pupils do not attend school regularly enough. This harms their progress.

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better?

Many children who join school in Reception are new to learning English. Yet, by the time they start Year 1, they are well equipped for the next stage in their learning. They settle quickly into the school’s routines. They feel safe and happy and behave well. The early years is a pleasant place to experience all areas of learning. Leaders structure the sequence of the phonics programme well. Children learn phonics from the start of the year. This means that they quickly gain the skills they need to start reading.

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better?

In Year 1, there is no coherent structure or plan for the teaching of reading. Too many children read books that are too easy or too hard. Those who need to catch up do not receive the expert help they need. This is because not all staff have the expertise to teach reading successfully. Older pupils told us that they do not read a wide variety of books. Leaders do not track pupils’ reading closely enough. It is up to individual teachers to check this. Some do, but others do not. 24–25 September 2019

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In key stage 2, pupils have books in class which some of them cannot read. This includes some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils. As a result, they find the work set in other subjects too difficult to finish. Several pupils who spoke to us said they do not enjoy reading because they find it hard. Leaders and governors have not made effective use of the external funding they receive to help them.

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Leaders have made a start on improving the mathematics curriculum. There are now well-structured and sequenced plans in place. In a very short time, they have transformed pupils’ learning. Pupils told us mathematics is their favourite subject.

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Pupils enjoy a wide range of subjects, including music, art, history and computing. Sometimes, the plans for what pupils are to learn do not match what pupils do in class. For example, in music, the plans state that pupils will learn to play the clarinet in Year 4. However, this is not happening at present. Pupils in Year 6 could not recall the names of any great composers they had learned about. In history, they could not recall much of their previous learning about castles. External teachers taught musical instruments previously and there are plans in the future for this to be reintroduced.

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There are well-structured plans in some other subjects, including art and computing. Here, pupils can build on what they have learned. This helps them deepen their knowledge of the subject further. In art, they have become more skilled in using paints and charcoal.

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Pupils understand democracy and the rule of law. They respect those with different backgrounds or views and have a good understanding of different religions. All pupils had the opportunity to meet a Holocaust survivor. Some said trips and visits were rare. Others had been to London and the theatre. Some have performed music in front of their parents. Leaders do not check carefully enough which pupils do not take part regularly in sports clubs or extra activities.

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Staff we spoke to appreciate what leaders are doing to reduce their workload. They said that leaders care about their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Well-trained staff make sure that they keep children safe. They respond well to incidents and make sure that pupils get the extra help and support they require. Pupils know about the possible dangers they could face and what to do. They feel safe in school and know who to go to if they are worried. Staff understand the school’s reporting procedures and know the key staff with responsibility for safeguarding. The school carries out the safeguarding duties that it should. However, governors who are new to their roles have not carried out all the checks they should have. 24–25 September 2019

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

◼ The school does not provide an acceptable quality of education, especially in reading in key stages 1 and 2. Leaders and those with responsibility for governance have not taken the necessary action to improve the leadership of reading. Pupils’ reading skills and progress are poor as a result. The teaching of early reading in Year 1 is not good enough. Not enough pupils in Years 1 and 2 can read with sufficient fluency. Those who need to catch up do not have access to the most expert teaching. Effective training has not yet been provided to all support staff. As a result, there are inconsistencies in the way the phonics programme is delivered. Leaders need to address these shortcomings as a matter of urgency. ◼ Pupils with SEND are not receiving the effective support they need in reading. Pupils who are disadvantaged are not reading as confidently or fluently as other pupils. Leaders are not using additional funding effectively. Governors are not

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

evaluating the impact of this spending. ◼ Some pupils become bored and disengaged when learning does not meet their needs. Leaders should ensure that all pupils behave well and that all staff manage pupils’ behaviour consistently and in line with the school’s behaviour policy. Leaders should also make sure that those pupils who do not attend school regularly enough are encouraged and supported to do so. ◼ Pupils have gaps in their cultural knowledge and experiences in music, art and history. Pupils should have a wider understanding of the world and human achievements. Leaders should ensure that no groups of pupils miss out on enrichment opportunities.

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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 . 24–25 September 2019

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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. 24–25 September 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111705 Type of school Primary

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School details

Headteacher Saiqa Liaqat (executive headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 8–9 March 2016

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Information about this school

◼ Since the last inspection, there has been one other substantive headteacher. The current named headteacher was temporarily seconded as the executive headteacher in May 2019 from her post as director of academic progress with the school’s sponsor, CORE Education Trust. ◼ The school is the only primary school in the trust. ◼ The trust has expanded the number of senior leaders at the school to three deputy headteachers and four assistant headteachers. Two deputy headteachers and one assistant headteacher are new to the school. ◼ The leadership of writing, mathematics and SEND has recently changed. ◼ The school is receiving external support from a local primary school.

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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

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons 24–25 September 2019

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responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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◼ Inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher, the deputy and assistant headteachers, subject leaders, the coordinators for the early years and SEND, and other members of staff. Inspectors spoke to pupils. They met the chief executive and other members of the trust. They met two members of the local academy board, including the chair. They met two external partners from a local primary school. ◼ Inspectors spoke to parents in school. They also took account of five responses to the Parent View free-text service. There were too few responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, for these to be considered . There were no responses to the pupil or staff questionnaires. ◼ Inspectors considered behaviour and attendance information. They scrutinised policies and procedures relating to SEND, pupil premium funding, safeguarding and child protection. ◼ There were no children in alternative provision.

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◼ The inspection focused deeply on reading, English, mathematics, art, computing, history and music. Inspectors visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and spoke to subject leaders, teachers and pupils. They also reviewed work in science and design and technology.

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Inspection team

Mark Sims, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kirsty Foulkes Ofsted Inspector 24–25 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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