Djanogly Strelley Academy

Inspection of a good school: Djanogly Strelley Academy Helston Drive, Strelley, Nottingham NG8 6JZ

p.1

Outcome

Djanogly Strelley Academy continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils work and play together well at this happy and inclusive school. They value each other and respect each other’s differences. They are proud to follow the school values of ‘ambition, kindness and teamwork’. Pupils say that they feel safe because staff care for them. They say that bullying happens sometimes, but adults deal with it quickly.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a wide range of opportunities to support pupils’ personal development. Pupils enjoy clubs such as sports, chess and cheerleading. The school council works to improve the school and community. Members have helped to develop a local play area and to set up a community allotment.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders plan opportunities for pupils to learn about the world around them. They work closely with local universities and Lakeside Arts Centre. Pupils enjoy these experiences, such as the project with a school in Hong Kong, and look forward to taking part.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff take great care to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school makes sure that they include all pupils in everything that they do.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff know families well. Parents and carers appreciate this. As one said, ‘Teachers have gone above and beyond during these difficult last years.’

p.1

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum to meet pupils’ needs. They have thought carefully about what they want pupils to learn and when they want them to learn it. In geography, for example, pupils learn about plate tectonics following work on rocks and soils. Leaders complement classroom learning with other opportunities, such as fieldwork and visits to the school from experts. 1 and 2 March 2022

p.1

2

Leaders have ensured that the teaching of phonics and early reading is a priority. Staff have received effective training. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics from the start. In Nursery, adults prepare children for Reception by developing listening and language skills. Pupils who are at risk of falling behind receive the right support so that they can keep up. Pupils read books that are at the correct level of challenge. Staff encourage older pupils to read a range of high-quality texts, including poetry, stories, non-fiction and those linked to topics. Staff read to pupils regularly to nurture a love of reading and to extend pupils’ vocabulary. Pupils say that they enjoy reading. During the inspection, many parents were in school for a ‘Reading Breakfast’ with their children.

p.2

2

Teachers benefit from support from subject leaders and the trust. In the main, they display a secure knowledge of subject content, which they use to deliver the curriculum well. Teachers use different ways to check pupils’ learning in lessons. However, the assessment of what pupils have remembered over time is not well developed in all subjects.

p.2

2

In a very small number of subjects, the curriculum is not as well thought through. In these subjects, plans for pupils’ learning over time, including the vocabulary they will learn, are not as clear. Teachers have not yet had training in these subjects. This hampers their efforts to design learning that supports pupils to improve their knowledge and skills.

p.2

2

Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND have access to an appropriate curriculum. Teachers ensure that pupils are given the right support. They quickly spot when pupils need additional help. Some pupils are supported by the highly skilled staff in the Blue House. Staff work effectively with external agencies and parents and carers.

p.2

2

Leaders prioritise pupils’ personal development. Pupils learn the importance of respecting difference, including different beliefs and lifestyles. Pupils were excited about using the inspirational book ‘We Are All Wonders’ as their focus for World Book Day. Pupils experience varied opportunities to build their understanding of being responsible citizens, such as fundraising for local and national charities. Pupils enjoy receiving recognition in assemblies for following the school values.

p.2

2

Leaders make sure that children quickly settle into the routines in the early years classes. Staff build strong relationships with children and their families. Teachers plan a range of activities to build children’s personal development and their early mathematical and language skills. They take every opportunity to help children learn and practise new vocabulary. Leaders provide effective training so that adults support children well.

p.2

2

Staff say that they are proud to work at the school. They appreciate the consideration that leaders give to their workload. They benefit from high-quality training, such as for phonics. Staff share the ambitious vision put forward by leaders, governors and the trust.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 1 and 2 March 2022

p.2

3

Pupils know there is a trusted adult they can talk to if they have any concerns. Staff teach pupils how to keep themselves safe, including when online.

p.3

3

Leaders provide frequent training so that staff know what to do if they have any concerns about pupils. Staff understand the local risks that pupils may face. They report any concerns, however small, promptly to leaders. The strong pastoral team makes sure that pupils and families get the help they need. There are robust procedures in place to ensure that all adults are suitable to work in school.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum in a small number of subjects is not as precise in terms of progression and sequencing as it is in other subjects. Although plans make it clear how knowledge and skills in each year group build upon what has been taught before, there is less detail on what pupils need to learn and remember at every point, including subject- specific vocabulary. This risks pupils not always developing the skills and understanding of concepts that they need. Leaders should ensure that planning for these subjects provides teachers with complete clarity on what they are teaching.  Assessment is not as well developed in wider curriculum subjects as it is in the core subjects. This means that leaders do not always have as detailed an understanding of the impact of the curriculum as they would want. Leaders need to strengthen assessment in these subjects so that they are confident that the curriculum is having

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2017.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 1 and 2 March 2022

p.3

4

when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

p.4

4

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

p.4

4

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 1 and 2 March 2022

p.4

School details

Website www.djanoglystrelleyacademy.co.uk/ Date of previous inspection 24 and 25 January 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is a larger-than-average primary school.  The headteacher took up the post in February 2020.  The school does not use alternative provision.

p.5

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 leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the designated safeguarding lead, the special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders, the early years leader and groups of staff.  The inspector spoke with four members of the governing body, including the chair. She also spoke with the chief executive officer of the Djanogly Learning Trust.  The inspector carried out deep dives into these subjects: early reading, geography and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspector visited lessons, looked at curriculum 1 and 2 March 2022

p.5

6

planning, reviewed pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and spoke with pupils and teachers about their lessons.  The inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read.  The inspector met with groups of pupils and spoke to other pupils informally.  A wide range of documents was scrutinised, including those relating to safeguarding, attendance and behaviour. The inspector also scrutinised the school’s single central record.  The inspector reviewed the responses to the online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. The inspector also spoke with parents at the end of the school day. The inspector considered the responses to the staff survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Joanne Sanchez-Thompson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 March 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7