Castle Bromwich Infant and Nursery School

Inspection of Castle Bromwich Infant and Nursery School Green Lane, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham West Midlands B36 0BX

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 January 2022

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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 Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected 14 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 26 and 27 January 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children get off to a strong start in the early years. Adults model language well and are attentive to children’s needs. Teachers plan exciting activities in all classes. These hook the children’s interests and spark their imaginations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and feel safe at school. They are considerate to each other and readily include others in their play and learning. Pupils know and follow the school rules. These ensure that pupils are polite, kind, play nicely, look after their school and work hard. Pupils know what bullying is and know that adults deal with this quickly if it ever happens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. They make sure that all pupils are fully included in school life. Reading, writing and mathematics are taught well. Staff provide effective support for those who need it. As a result, pupils achieve well in these subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy reading. They have a wide range of books to choose from. Teachers also read different types of books from the ‘Super Six’ collection in each year group. This includes books about mental health.

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better?

Since the headteacher’s appointment, leaders have worked hard to construct an ambitious and well-designed curriculum. They have mapped out the skills and knowledge they want pupils to learn in all subjects. Lessons are sequenced in the right order to help pupils build their learning over time in most subjects. However, pupils do not develop a secure understanding or remember what they learn in some subjects that have less curriculum time. In addition, the early years curriculum does not fully underpin what pupils learn in key stage 1. Leaders are making changes, where needed, to ensure that pupils achieve well in all subjects.

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better?

Leaders have maintained a strong focus on keeping children safe and happy throughout the pandemic. Lots of attention has been given to ensuring that pupils do not fall behind in their reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers regularly assess how well pupils are achieving in these subjects. However, checks on pupils’ knowledge in other subjects are at an early stage. This means that teachers do not routinely pick up where gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills exist.

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better?

Curriculum leaders are enthusiastic and committed. However, few have sufficient time to check what is working well and where improvements are needed. As a result, some issues in curriculum structure and delivery go undetected. Leaders have identified developing curriculum leadership as a school priority.

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better?

Reading is a high priority. Leaders make clear that the teaching of early reading is key to the progress of all pupils. They invest considerable resources and time to do this. They are rightly taking their time to investigate which reading materials will 26 and 27 January 2022

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strengthen phonic teaching even further. Staff are well trained in teaching phonics. Pupils work in ability groups so that work is set at the right level. Reading books match the sounds and letters that they learn. Staff make sure that pupils read regularly at home and in school. Extra support is provided for pupils who struggle with reading. This helps them to catch up.

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Staff are astute and adept at identifying pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, particularly in the early years. This enables leaders and staff to provide the support needed from the outset. Pupils are supported well in lessons and benefit from additional, specialist support if needed. Pupils are fully included in all lessons and school activities. They achieve well due to the high-quality care and support they receive.

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Pupils have a growing understanding of British values. They know the importance of voting and of respect for others. They have a good understanding about keeping healthy and know whom to talk to if they are worried. Pupils enjoy the trips and events school offers. These add to their social and personal development.

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Pupils not only achieve well but they behave well. Pupils pay attention and do not distract others from learning; in fact, quite the opposite. Inspectors heard nursery children inviting others to join them slotting pasta twists into a bottle. Pupils take pride in their work. At breaktimes, they play happily together.

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Leaders have worked hard to improve attendance. They monitor and quickly follow up on any pupils who are absent. Nevertheless, there are a small number of families who do not send their children to school regularly. Leaders are intent on tackling and improving attendance.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is at the heart of the school’s work. Leaders ensure that all staff and governors receive the most recent guidance and training. Staff are vigilant and know how to log any concerns on the school’s safeguarding system. Leaders follow these up swiftly. Advice is sought and support accessed from external agencies where needed. Leaders follow safer recruitment procedures closely when appointing staff.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe through the curriculum. They have a good understanding of online safety. They learn about appropriate relationships and know whom to talk to if they have any worries. 26 and 27 January 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently well sequenced or balanced in some subjects. This means that pupils have gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should review and evaluate how time spent on different subjects helps to ensure pupils know and remember more. Leaders should make sure that the intended curriculum is coherently sequenced, from early years through to Year 2.  Assessment of pupils’ knowledge and skills in foundation subjects is at an early stage of development. As a result, teachers are unclear what pupils know and remember. Leaders should ensure that teachers assess what pupils know and can do in all subjects, so that gaps in pupils’ learning can be identified and addressed.  Subject leaders have limited time and opportunity to monitor and evaluate their subject areas. This means that weaknesses in planning and delivery can go undetected. Leaders should provide time and training to enable subject leaders to

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

support colleagues and drive improvements in their subjects.  Attendance was below the national average before the pandemic and has not improved sufficiently. Too many pupils continue to miss lessons. This impacts on their achievement. Leaders should continue to work with parents to ensure regular attendance.

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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 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. 26 and 27 January 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 31 October 2007, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in September 2019. There have been three changes of headteacher since the previous inspection.  The previous children’s centre, which was on the school site, was transferred by the local authority to the school in 2014. This was to increase nursery provision and cater for up to 90 two- to four-year-olds. This provision is known as ‘All Stars Childcare’ and is managed by the governing body. This is in addition to the school nursery, which has two nursery classes.  There is now a co-chair arrangement in place for the governing body. This is part of the school’s succession planning.  The school does not use alternative provision. 26 and 27 January 2022

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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 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders, and the child and family support worker. Meetings were also held with three members of the governing body, including both the co-chairs of governors, and a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, English, mathematics, history and science. Inspection activities in these subjects included: lesson visits, discussion with staff and pupils, meeting with subject leaders and work scrutiny. The lead inspector also observed pupils reading.  The inspectors considered a range of documents, including the school’s self- evaluation and plans for improvement. Minutes of governors’ meetings and

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Information about this inspection

reports from the school improvement partner and teaching school alliance were also scrutinised. Inspectors also looked at records of behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school and talked to them informally about behaviour, bullying and welfare.  The inspectors talked to parents at the start of the school day and considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and the free-text responses. They also reviewed the responses to the staff questionnaire and gathered the views of staff and pupils on site through discussion with these groups.

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Inspection team

Heather Simpson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Yvette Stone Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 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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