Claremont Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of a good school: Claremont Primary and Nursery School Claremont Road, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG5 1BH

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this initial (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a full (section 5) inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Claremont Primary School is a large building, set over three floors with lots of corridors and stairs. Pupils move around school sensibly and with consideration for others who are also moving from one area to another. They welcome visitors with a cheery ‘hello’ or ‘good morning’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that they like school and feel safe because bullying is rare. Pupils are confident that if anyone ever tried to bully them, they could tell an adult in school who would deal with it quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Adults have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. In lessons, pupils listen carefully to their teachers. They willingly put up their hands to answer questions, not worrying if their answer may be incorrect. One pupil explained, ‘It doesn’t matter if you make a mistake, you can try again.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Some subjects are planned carefully so that pupils build up their knowledge and understanding step by step. However, this is not the case for all subjects. This means that in some subjects, pupils are not able to understand new concepts as well as they should.

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

Mathematics is taught well. This includes in the early years. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes learn to recognise, and use, patterns and numbers. Throughout the school, teachers explain mathematical concepts clearly to pupils. Staff have high expectations of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They make sure that these pupils have the equipment and support that they need to be able to understand the concepts that are being taught. Teachers check frequently what pupils know and can do in mathematics. They adapt their lessons to ensure that any gaps pupils 2 and 3 November 2021

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have in their understanding of mathematics, including those that may be due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, are addressed. Pupils concentrate well in their lessons. Teachers use the regular ‘morning maths’ sessions to make sure that pupils remember what they have been taught. For example, pupils practise their times tables so that they can recall them quickly and accurately.

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Leaders have recently introduced a new approach to teaching phonics. Teaching pupils to read is a top priority right from when children join the school in the early years. Phonics is typically taught well. Teachers carefully choose the books that each pupil will read. Pupils use the sounds they know to read their book accurately. They talk enthusiastically about their favourite books and authors.

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The curriculum in other subjects is at an early stage of development. Curriculum plans start in the early years and cover the requirements of the national curriculum. Subject leaders have not looked closely enough at the plans to make sure that they set out the crucial knowledge and vocabulary that pupils must learn and the order in which they must be learned. This means that teachers cannot check if pupils remember the most important information that they will need to build up their knowledge reliably as they move through the school.

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Typically, there is a range of clubs for pupils to join. Many of these, including some sports clubs, are not currently available due to the restrictions of COVID-19. Nevertheless, there are many ways that pupils can get involved in the life of the school and their community. Pupils can learn to play the clarinet. They can visit a pantomime. Pupils raise money for local and national charities. They understand that people may have beliefs or home lives that are different from their own. They talk about differences with respect. Pupils enjoy being lunchtime leaders and monitors. They arrange games for pupils and, if anyone is without a friend to play with, the monitors will invite them to join a game.

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Governors know the school well. Since the last inspection, there have been significant changes at Claremont Primary School, including several changes to senior leadership. At the start of this school year, a new curriculum was introduced, and most teachers began teaching a different year group than they had taught previously. This significant time of change has caused additional workload for staff. Most staff recognise that changes had to be made and that they have been made for the benefit of the pupils. Staff typically appreciate the consideration that senior leaders have given to their workload, providing additional time for them to plan their lessons.

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspector agreed that the school’s curriculum may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Posters around school remind everyone of the school’s ‘Five Rs of safeguarding: recognise, respond, refer, record, reflect’. The ‘Five Rs’ are also printed on the back of staff identity badges, providing them with a constant reminder of their responsibilities. 2 and 3 November 2021

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Leaders, ably supported by the family support worker, take time to forge relationships with parents. Early help is provided to support pupils and their families.

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Leaders provide staff with up-to-date training. Safeguarding records are well kept. Governors play an important role in checking that there is a strong culture of vigilance throughout the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Subject leadership is underdeveloped. Subject leaders do not have sufficient oversight of the subjects they are responsible for. Senior leaders should ensure that subject leaders have the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to fulfil their roles.  The curriculum in most subjects has not been planned carefully enough. In too many subjects it is not clear precisely what pupils must learn and remember. Subject leaders should ensure that the curriculum plans set out sequentially the crucial content and vocabulary that pupils must learn in each subject and each year group.  There is no school-wide approach to checking that pupils remember the most important content and vocabulary. This is because it has not yet been set out. Leaders must ensure that there is a clear strategy in place to enable pupils to remember what they have learned so that they are well placed to build on that prior learning in the

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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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2016. 2 and 3 November 2021

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 2 and 3 November 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199752 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 10 and 11 May 2016

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Information about this school

 There have been significant changes to the leadership of the school since the last inspection. The current headteacher took up his post in September 2019. The deputy headteacher took up her post in September 2021.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken this into account in her evaluation.  The inspector did deep dives into reading, mathematics and history. She spoke with leaders, visited lessons, examined pupils’ books, heard pupils reading and spoke with pupils and teachers.  The inspector discussed the curriculum in other subjects, and the wider work of the school, with senior leaders.  Meetings were held with the early years leader, the leader with responsibility for pupils with SEND and a representative of the local authority. 2 and 3 November 2021

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 The inspector met with three members of the governing body, including the chair.  The inspector spoke with a group of staff and several pupils. She observed pupils’ behaviour as they moved around school and during lunchtime. She visited the school’s breakfast club.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation of the work it undertakes, the school’s plans for improvement, and records relating to the safeguarding of pupils.  The inspector considered the 41 responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, the 26 responses to the staff survey and the eight responses to the pupils’ survey.

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Inspection team

Di Mullan, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 2 and 3 November 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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