Whitegate Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of Whitegate Primary and Nursery School Middle Fell Way, Clifton Estate, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG11 9JQ

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 September 2021

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 15 and 16 September 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that the staff at this school want to do the best for them. Pupils inspectors met told them how the grown-ups at Whitegate care for them and want each pupil to learn as much as possible.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Whitegate is a happy school, where everyone is included. Behaviour is good. Pupils are keen to earn their certificate to show that they are a ‘Whitegate Always Child’. They are proud to try their best and they complete their work neatly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils get on well almost all the time. They told inspectors that, when any bullying does happen, staff sort it out fairly. Pupils know how to use the school’s ‘say no - go tell!’ system and say it works. They believe staff set a good example to them. Pupils feel safe here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The education pupils receive is a good one. Teachers are skilled at teaching them how to read so that they can then learn well across all subjects. Pupils explained how staff give them interesting lessons, such as using tablet computers to ‘visit’ the Colosseum in Rome. Staff plan lessons in a careful order so pupils build up lots of knowledge.

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better?

Pupils receive a good, rounded education at Whitegate. This ensures that, across subjects, they learn and remember the things they are taught. There is a single system for teachers to check what pupils know. Staff wasted no time in using this to find out the gaps in learning that pupils had at the end of the third national lockdown. Teachers have worked tirelessly to attend to these gaps. They have now all but closed.

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better?

Leaders have planned the curriculum with great care. It is a truly seamless thread from the Nursery Year to Year 6. They have mapped exactly what they want pupils to know in each subject and area, and when they need to teach things. They put lessons in order so that pupils’ knowledge and skills grow from the start. Inspectors saw those in the Nursery Year already settled into school life and busy learning. At lunchtime, children line up smartly to collect their trays. They understand what adults expect them to do.

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better?

Those in the Reception Year learn their phonics quickly. They call out the ‘p’ in ‘pan’ and ‘pat’ and are proud to show how they can write it on their whiteboards, chanting ‘down the pirate’s plait and around his face!’ Effective teaching continues in Year 1, where pupils can read ‘sleep’ and ‘quiz’. They are keen to learn all the sounds as quickly as possible and they go on to become fluent readers. Teachers in all classes read them exciting stories so that pupils will learn to love books. This ranges from fairy tales in the early years to modern classics in Year 6. Pupils learn well in other subjects too. In physical education, inspectors saw those in Year 4 very engaged in challenging activities to improve their footwork and balance. Inspectors 15 and 16 September 2021

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observed pupils in Year 6 learning about Syria in History. Pupils pay attention in lessons because they are interesting. Because the curriculum is well planned and delivered across subjects, pupils learn and remember what they need to. They are well prepared for secondary school. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These pupils are well supported and included in everything Whitegate offers.

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Leaders have taken the school on a path of continuous improvement since it opened in 2017. They give staff good training and have just introduced a new mathematics scheme. Leaders need to check that this is helping pupils as well as they expect. Staff are very proud to work at Whitegate and say that leaders treat them with respect. They believe that leaders help them to improve their skills, and say they are mindful of staff’s workload.

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The school’s personal development programme is good. Pupils read ‘My Shadow is Pink’ to help them see how some people are treated unkindly just because of the group they belong to. This has helped pupils to understand that everyone should be respected for who they are. Pupils are taught the difference between right and wrong. Leaders have plans to make sure the entire content of the statutory guidance for relationships and health education will be taught by the end of the school year. They have made teaching pupils to stay safe online a priority.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff believe they must do all they can to protect every pupil. All staff receive regular training so that they know the signs that could point to a pupil being exploited or abused. Staff are aware of the system to report concerns and use it. Leaders follow procedures for the safe recruitment of staff.

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Safeguarding

Good communication across the school means leaders know pupils who are being harmed or are at risk. They do not delay the help these pupils need. They also help all pupils to understand the risks to their safety and how to raise any concern.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers have just begun to implement a new curriculum for mathematics. They are therefore unable to be sure that it will be as effective at helping pupils to know and remember more knowledge as they intend. Leaders should ensure that this curriculum is monitored closely, any adjustments necessary are made and staff are given any additional support needed. 15 and 16 September 2021

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 are the school and you are 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. 15 and 16 September 2021

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School details

Headteacher Andrew Forshaw (Head of School)

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average school compared to others of the same type.  Around half of pupils are supported through the pupil premium, a much larger proportion than the national average.  The school is part of the Transform Trust multi-academy trust. Whitegate Primary and Nursery School converted to be an academy school in July 2017. When its predecessor school, which had the same name, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to require improvement overall.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  In order to judge the quality of education, inspectors focused the inspection on specific subjects of the curriculum. They undertook ‘deep dives’ in reading, mathematics, physical education and computing. This involved meeting with 15 and 16 September 2021

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senior and subject leaders, scrutinising curriculum planning and, in all subjects but computing, visiting lessons where pupils were learning. No computing lessons took place during the inspection. Inspectors met pupils to discuss their work in all the above subjects and what they had learned over time. They met with teachers about the curriculum they were delivering. They heard children in different year groups read books. They looked at other subjects of the curriculum, such as art and design and history, in less depth. They also scrutinised pupils’ writing books.  In addition, inspectors met with representatives of the local governing body and the coordinator for pupils with SEND. They spoke with the chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust. They read a wide variety of school documents, including the school development plan. They also spoke with other members of staff, such as mid-day supervisors. Inspectors checked whether pupils were safe

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and happy at the school’s breakfast club.  Inspectors took note of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, met with parents at the start of the school day and considered the results of the Ofsted staff questionnaire.  In order to judge the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors read the school’s relevant policies, scrutinised the single central record, checked the school’s procedures for the safe recruitment of staff and interviewed the designated lead for safeguarding. They also spoke with staff to check details of their safeguarding knowledge and training, that they understood the importance of their responsibility to report any safeguarding concerns without delay and if they knew the procedure to do this. Inspectors checked samples of safeguarding records, and spoke with parents about their child’s safety at the school.

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Inspection team

Roary Pownall, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Christine Watkins Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Janis Warren Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 September 2021

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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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