Anston Brook Primary School

Inspection of Anston Brook Primary School Ryton Road, North Anston, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S25 4DN

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 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 21 and 22 September 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their time at school. Pupils of different ages play together and are kind to each other. Staff and pupils have warm and respectful relationships. Everyone contributes to the close-knit feel of the school. As one pupil said, ‘This school teaches you to be nice.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

All staff have high expectations for how pupils behave. Pupils walk through school sensibly. They come inside after breaktime quickly and with minimum fuss. If pupils do not meet these high expectations, staff make sure that they understand what they have done wrong. These pupils then know what they need to do to improve their behaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have thought carefully about their curriculum. They have made sure it works for the pupils at Anston Brook. Pupils are taught how to be responsible citizens. Teachers make sure pupils enjoy their learning by checking that they have understood it. One parent said, ‘My children come home excited to tell me all about what they’ve been learning.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in the school. They are confident that staff will deal with any problems they have. Pupils know that bullying is rare but that staff stop it when it does happen. Pupils follow the ‘six Rs’ in the ‘aspirational beehive’. They look forward to their learning hero assemblies. They enjoy celebrating their own achievements and those of others.

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better?

The headteacher has a clear vision for the school. She wants pupils to know more about their local area and the world in general. She has made sensible decisions to improve the curriculum in the school. She has involved other leaders in these decisions.

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better?

Leaders have a thorough understanding of how to construct a curriculum. They have used research to inform their decisions. They know their community well. Leaders have written plans which build up pupils’ knowledge over time. These plans start from the youngest children in Nursery. Leaders have chosen knowledge which they know their pupils need to be successful in school and become responsible people.

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better?

Subject leaders have strong subject knowledge in the areas they are leading. They work in ‘triads’ with other teachers. These teams make sure the curriculum is appropriate and progressive for each year group in the school.

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better?

Teachers know what to teach and when. They are aware of what pupils have been taught in the past. Teachers understand their part in ensuring pupils build on previous knowledge. Leaders have identified that teachers are able to do this better in some subjects than others. Leaders provide support and training for teachers. Teachers’ understanding in each subject is improving. 21 and 22 September 2021

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Pupils enjoy reading. They have access to a range of books. Teachers read books to them which helps pupils with their writing.

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Leaders have a clear curriculum for what pupils should learn in phonics. Teachers know which sounds to teach and at what point. Teachers match books to the sounds that pupils know. If pupils fall behind, teachers assess which sounds they do not know. They provide well-matched, one-to-one sessions for these pupils. However, daily phonics lessons are not as well matched for some pupils. This is particularly the case for those pupils who are not keeping up. These pupils sometimes struggle through activities they are not yet ready for.

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Teachers accurately assess how well pupils are doing. Assessment is well suited to the age of the pupil and the subject they are learning. For example, they check pupils have the correct grip for playing hockey or know what the word ‘faith’ means in different religions. Because teachers do this, any misconceptions from pupils are picked up quickly.

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Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. Teachers support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. Teachers help these pupils to achieve by breaking down what they are learning into even smaller steps. Teachers explain these steps clearly. Parents and carers of pupils with SEND make valuable contributions to the plans that will help their child. Teachers follow these plans diligently.

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Children in the early years get off to a positive start. The headteacher understands how vital it is that each curriculum subject starts in the early years. Leaders share this ambition. The curriculum in early years is well thought-out and children are prepared with the knowledge and skills they need. This ranges from using early mathematical language to learning how to take turns.

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Staff in the early years demonstrate what children need to do with clarity and precision. Children use this teaching to practise on their own. The classroom is a busy, purposeful place. Teachers carefully select activities for children to work on independently. These activities match what pupils need to know and do from their curriculum. Children concentrate and feel successful.

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Governors are well informed. Leaders provide them with detailed reports about what is happening in school. Governors check this out through asking thoughtful questions to a range of leaders. They come to school and ask pupils how well they are doing. Governors make sure that leaders consider how the curriculum can be improved to reflect any areas that need attention.

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Directors of the multi-academy trust work effectively with governors. Directors know if there is anything that could be better. They put in support when this is the case, for example providing a phonics expert to support with the development of early reading. 21 and 22 September 2021

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders know what the contextual needs of the community are. They are responsive to families who need some support. Leaders work effectively with agencies outside of school to make sure these families get this support.

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Safeguarding

Staff are well trained. Leaders give staff regular updates about what staff need to do to keep children safe. Staff are kept informed about any specific details about individual pupils that they need to know. Staff have a good understanding of what to look out for and how to report any concerns that they have.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe in all parts of school. They are confident that staff will deal with any problems that they might have. Pupils are taught about respect and how to treat others. Teachers talk to pupils about how to stay safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In class phonics lessons, some pupils do not have activities that are well matched to what they know. Many of these pupils are not where they need to be in the school’s phonics curriculum. They struggle to read words which are presented to them in these lessons. They are not catching up with where they need to be as quickly as they could. Leaders should ensure that these pupils receive daily teaching which is well matched to what they already know. Leaders should ensure staff are then able to implement these activities successfully.

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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. 21 and 22 September 2021

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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. 21 and 22 September 2021

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Anston Brook Primary School converted to become an academy school in June 2017. When its predecessor school, which had the same name, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school has a Nursery class for three- and four-year-olds.

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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 school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and two assistant headteachers. They met with directors from the multi-academy trust and members of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, geography and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to 21 and 22 September 2021

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teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Each of these deep dives included lessons or work from children in the early years.  Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about writing, science and languages. They looked in books to see how writing is taught.  Inspectors met with the designated safeguarding lead and a deputy lead to discuss their actions to keep children safe. They checked the school’s single central record to make sure all staff had the appropriate checks to work with children. They talked to staff about the training that they have had in safeguarding.  Inspectors talked to pupils about behaviour in the school and what they are taught in their personal development curriculum.  Inspectors talked to the special educational needs coordinator and checked the plans teachers had made for pupils with SEND. Inspectors checked how these

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plans were being used by teachers.  Inspectors spoke to parents and used the information from surveys for parents, pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Matthew Knox, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Zoe Carr Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 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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