Millfields Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of a good school: Millfields Primary School and Nursery Marsh Lane, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 5HP

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 January 2022

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Outcome

Millfields Primary School and Nursery continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. The pupils who spoke to the inspector said that they feel happy when they are in school because their teachers make learning fun. A typical comment from parents and carers was that the school is ‘a very special place with genuine and caring staff’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are clear about the high expectations that their teachers have for them. They try hard with their work. They behave well and treat one another with respect. Pupils are confident that leaders deal with any incidents of bullying effectively. Pupils told the inspector that this sort of behaviour is not acceptable. Pupils feel safe at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like the wide range of clubs and activities, such as gardening, drama and sports clubs. They appreciate the variety of equipment that they can play with at break and lunchtimes. Pupils also enjoy trips and visits to places of interest. They learn about their local area through river studies, map work and visits to local museums. This brings learning to life for them. Pupils enjoy taking on extra responsibilities. They are proud of their efforts to improve school and to raise money for local charities.

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

Teachers are building on the work that they did when all pupils returned to school following the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown restrictions. Teachers have adapted the content of the curriculum to make sure that pupils revisit the most important subject knowledge. Pupils are secure in their understanding and ready for the next stage in their learning. A typical comment from pupils who spoke to the inspector was that repeating things, for example the work they do to develop fluency in mathematics, helps them to remember what they have learned.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. This starts in the early years, where children get a good start to their education. All teachers organise learning so that it builds on what pupils already know. As a result, pupils achieve well. Pupils listen carefully in lessons. They apply themselves well and try hard to do their best. However, in a small 11 and 12 January 2022

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number of subjects, leaders have not identified the important knowledge that they want pupils to learn. This means that, over time, gaps emerge in pupils’ learning in some of these subjects.

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Leaders have made reading their number-one priority. They have improved the school library and created numerous reading dens to help promote a love of reading. Pupils enjoy reading a range of books. They talked enthusiastically about their favourite authors. Teachers make sure that pupils in key stage 1 build on the strong start that they have made in learning to read in the early years. Teachers match pupils’ reading books to the sounds that they know, so that they can practise what they have learned. Teachers quickly identify pupils who are finding reading difficult. They make sure that these pupils get the extra help that they need in order to become confident and fluent readers.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified at the earliest opportunity. Leaders make sure that these pupils get the extra help they need, so that they can access the same curriculum as others in school. Teaching assistants are well trained so that they can provide the support that pupils need. This goes beyond the academic curriculum. Teaching assistants provide additional sessions to help pupils build their confidence and perseverance.

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Leaders have built diversity into the curriculum, so that pupils develop respect and understanding for the differences between people in modern Britain. Pupils who spoke to the inspector explained that everyone is treated equally at Millfields.

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Governors know the school well. They ask challenging questions of leaders, so that they can hold them to account. Governors have provided considerable support for leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure that pupils have continued to receive an education.

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Staff enjoy working at this school. They told the inspector that leaders take account of their workload, and are mindful of their well-being. They described the staff team as a family.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Staff receive regular training. They know how to report any concerns. The school is quick to identify any pupils and families in need of early help. Leaders work with local agencies to get vulnerable families the support that they need.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that pupils are taught how to stay safe. Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online. 11 and 12 January 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, leaders have not given enough thought to the key knowledge that they want pupils to learn. This leads to gaps in pupils’ knowledge over time. Leaders should support subject leaders in refining the curriculum structure for these subjects, so that teachers know exactly what knowledge to teach, and pupils know and remember more of what they have learned.

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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 September 2016.

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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. 11 and 12 January 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10199998 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 13 and 14 September 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed. There is also a new chair of the governing body.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school runs before- and after-school provision in the school building.

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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 that into account in his evaluation.  The inspector spoke with pupils about their work and school life. He spoke with members of the governing body, the headteacher, senior leaders and members of staff. He also met with parents in the playground before school.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including information about safeguarding and checks undertaken on newly appointed staff. The inspector also spoke to staff about safeguarding, and about their workload and well-being. 11 and 12 January 2022

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 The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and responses to Ofsted’s online survey of school staff and pupils.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour as they moved around the school, in class, in the dining hall and in the outdoor play areas.  The inspector conducted deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions with subject leaders, visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, met with teachers and spoke with pupils. The inspector also observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.

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Inspection team

Craig Richardson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 January 2022

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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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