Stanstead Flying High Academy

Inspection of a good school: Stanstead Nursery and Primary School Stanstead Avenue, Rise Park, Stanstead Avenue, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG5 5BL

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Inspection dates: 25 and 26 January 2022

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Outcome

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

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What is it like to attend this school?

Stanstead Primary Academy pupils and staff are cheerful and caring. Pupils say that they like coming to school. Staff put pupils’ needs at the heart of everything they do. Pupils say that they feel safe. They know that staff are quick to sort out any worries for them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in the school. They know the values on the ‘Stanstead star’ are important for their behaviour and learning. Leaders ensure that pupils know what to do if they are being bullied. Pupils say that bullying is rare. Leaders record any behaviour and bullying incidents carefully. This helps them provide the right support to the pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. The values and vision for the school drive the curriculum well. ‘Language, experiences, aspiration and diversity’ are carefully considered in the curriculum design.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most parents and carers are positive about the school. Following a recent period of high staff turnover, the staffing has now settled. The impact of the newly appointed senior leadership team is evident. Parents and carers recognise the efforts of staff to make the school the best it can be. One parent, typical of many, said, ‘new teachers and new leaders; everything has changed and the school is improving’.

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

The curriculum is well organised. Leaders have set out how the knowledge to be taught to pupils, in each subject, is sequenced over time. Plans make clear exactly what needs to be taught and when. Pupils in the school learn important knowledge well. For example, children were keen to talk about refugees. They were able to tell me that a refugee needs ‘clean water, safe places and healthy food’.

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

Pupils remember their learning. For example, older children use their knowledge of the Battle of Britain and Dunkirk campaigns, when discussing the question, ‘Is conflict ever justified?’ Teachers ensure that pupils regularly revisit previous learning in every lesson. 25 and 26 January 2022

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Teaching is sharply focused on the planned learning. Teachers use questioning well. This encourages the pupils to think hard about their learning. Sometimes teachers do not check well enough that pupils are learning what was intended. Occasionally, this means that pupils are not always supported well enough to complete their tasks or gain the intended knowledge.

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Leaders prioritise the teaching of reading. Leaders have ensured that pupils build up their phonic knowledge to enable them to learn to read. All members of staff use the same approach. Books match the letters and sounds pupils are learning. This helps pupils learn and remember sounds well. Staff regularly check how successfully pupils learn new sounds. If pupils fall behind, staff are quick to provide support. Leaders provide high- quality support to pupils in small groups. This helps pupils to catch up quickly if they fall behind what is expected for their age.

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Pupils behave well in the school. They are polite and courteous. They talk about their learning with enthusiasm. Pupils’ good behaviour in lessons means they are ready for their learning. They always try their best. Clear procedures are in place when pupils struggle with their behaviour. The ‘space station’ gives the children time to calm down and think about their actions. They return to lessons when they are ready to learn.

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Leaders have promoted a respectful culture in the school. Pupils understand British values and equalities. They know that everyone should be treated fairly, irrespective of sexuality or gender. Pupils know that in some parts of the world people are not treated fairly. Teachers pose carefully thought out questions to extend pupils’ thinking about equality.

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Leaders are quick to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff provide clear, targeted support to meet pupils’ needs. Additional adults are used well. Individual learning plans for pupils with SEND identify appropriate next steps for the pupils. However, teachers’ reviews of pupils’ learning do not precisely identify how successfully pupils have met their targets.

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Children thrive in the well-equipped early years setting. Leaders provide lots of opportunities for children to explore many different areas of learning. The numerous and varied learning experiences on offer help children develop a broad range of skills and knowledge. Adults in the setting work effectively alongside the children. This includes high-quality questioning alongside targeted learning to support children’s development.

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The support provided by The Flying High Trust has helped to ensure that pupils receive a good quality of education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide regular training and support to staff to help them identify possible safeguarding concerns. Leaders regularly check staff knowledge and understanding of safeguarding through weekly quiz questions. Leaders quickly address any concerns. 25 and 26 January 2022

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Leaders maintain detailed records. They identify the actions taken in response to concerns raised. They act quickly when they have a safeguarding concern. Leaders are tenacious in ensuring that vulnerable families receive support. They work well with the families.

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The single central record meets statutory requirements. Leaders ensure the staff they appoint and adults they employ are suitably qualified.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have created a structured approach to teaching that supports pupils being able to remember what they have been taught. However, at times pupils are moved on too quickly before they have secured the prerequisite knowledge they require to access new learning. Leaders need to further develop the school’s approach so it includes more systematic checks on pupils’ learning. This will help them to determine with greater precision when additional support is required to address any emerging gaps in pupils’ knowledge.  Pupils with SEND receive high-quality support. This helps pupils to access the curriculum. Pupils’ plans identify appropriate targets. However, leaders’ reviews of pupils’ targets with parents and pupils are not precise enough and it is not always crystal clear how parents can support their children. Leaders should review pupils’ targets carefully so that parents understand them and know how to support their

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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 predecessor school, Stanstead Nursery and Primary School, to be good in March 2017.

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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. 25 and 26 January 2022

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The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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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. 25 and 26 January 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10199784 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Stanstead Nursery and Primary School converted to become an academy school in September 2017. When its predecessor school, Stanstead Nursery and Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged good overall.  The school is part of The Flying High Trust.  The headteacher took up post in September 2021.  The proportion of pupils eligible for additional pupil premium funding is higher than the national average.  The school uses one alternative provider.

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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 their evaluation.  During the inspection, the inspector held meetings with the headteacher and other leaders, including representatives from the Flying High Trust and members of the governing body. 25 and 26 January 2022

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in three subjects: reading, mathematics and geography. The inspector met with curriculum leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, spoke with pupils and staff, and listened to pupils reading.  Further meetings were held with safeguarding leaders. The inspector reviewed the school’s single central record and spoke with staff to check how well they understood their safeguarding responsibilities.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, and the responses to Ofsted’s free-text service. The inspector also considered the responses to the staff survey. There were no responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Andy Lakatos, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 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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