East Bridgford St Peters Church of England Academy

Inspection of East Bridgford St Peters Church of England Academy Kneeton Road, East Bridgford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG13 8PG

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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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. 21 and 22 April 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils all say that they enjoy coming to school. There is an exceptionally wide range of activities to try before and after school, from table tennis to archery. Many pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, take up these rich and varied opportunities. Staff celebrate pupils’ achievements, whether as part of a school team or out of school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between staff and pupils are strong. Pupils understand precisely what bullying is because they have been taught about it. However, they say that it does not happen. They are sure that it would be dealt with if it did. Pupils feel listened to and say that any worries or concerns are dealt with straight away. They are generally attentive in class and usually give of their best.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The atmosphere around school is calm. Pupils are courteous and polite. Older pupils are proud to help younger ones, such as when they serve them dinner at lunchtime. Most pupils listen with interest during collective worship and can explain how they can live happily together and make a difference to the world.

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better?

At the heart of the curriculum are the school’s ‘take care’ values. Leaders want pupils to be well prepared for the next stage in their lives. They have high expectations of what all pupils will learn, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). There is a clear sequence in the mathematics curriculum. Teachers build on pupils’ prior knowledge. They check what pupils can remember. Pupils explain how what they are learning now develops what they learned before.

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better?

Leaders know the central importance of reading. They have introduced an ambitious new phonics curriculum. Expectations of what pupils will know and be able to do are higher than before. This approach starts right from early years. Teachers value the training that they have had to make their teaching more consistent. They spot the pupils who need more help to catch up. This new curriculum is still at an early stage of implementation. A few inconsistencies remain. For example, some reading books contain sounds that pupils do not know. This hinders them as they practise.

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better?

Changes have been made in other subjects too. Subject leaders have begun to refine and improve the curriculum. In some subjects, such as religious education, pupils can explain how their learning deepens. They describe what happened at Easter in greater detail, or more about the meaning of the creation story. However, sometimes teachers do not identify with precision what the important knowledge is that they want pupils to remember. Pupils enjoy their learning and participate with enthusiasm. However, the activities do not always help them to secure the knowledge that they need. Teachers do not check well enough what pupils can remember. 21 and 22 April 2022

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Pupils speak with conviction about the importance of equality. They have a deep understanding of British values and what makes them special. Leaders plan a wealth of meaningful opportunities for pupils to find out more about the variety of cultures in modern Britain. Extensive opportunities to give back to the community enable pupils to become active citizens. They explain how they are ‘trying to leave a legacy’ for the pupils who will come after them and ‘inspire them all to do their bit’.

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Parents value the way in which staff care for their children right from when they start in early years. They say that staff communicate with them well. Children become independent learners who can manage their own self-care. They persist at their learning. Younger children concentrate hard to match pairs. Older children practise doubling numbers. Adults encourage children to use new words when they describe how their shadow changes, or what they can see in the mirror. Activities link well to what teachers want children to learn. However, in some areas of learning, the sequence of learning is not as clear as it could be.

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Staff value the way that they work together as a team to develop their subject knowledge. They feel that leaders help them to manage their workload well. Governors have supported the school through the challenging times of the pandemic. Staff welcome their involvement, for example in leading collective worship.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff know what to do if they are worried about a pupil. Leaders act on these concerns straight away. They make prompt referrals and make sure that pupils and families get the help that they need.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand the training that they have had. They know the dangers that pupils may face online and make sure that pupils know how to stay safe on the internet. Pupils feel safe. Parents feel that the school does everything that it can to make sure that pupils are safeguarded well.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have introduced a new phonics scheme. This is not yet completely embedded. Some pupils’ reading books do not match with precision the sounds that they know. Leaders should continue to refine the school’s approach so that there is complete fidelity to the scheme. They should make sure that the books that pupils have to read give them the chance to practise blending the sounds that they securely know.  The curriculum is in place for all subjects. However, in some subjects, pupils do not get the opportunity to revisit prior learning. Staff do not know well enough 21 and 22 April 2022

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what pupils can recall. Leaders should make sure that all staff know precisely what they want pupils to remember in all subjects. They should make sure that teachers check that pupils remember this and that subject leaders get the support that they need to further develop their curriculums.  The new early years curriculum is at an early stage of implementation. Leaders have not yet made explicit exactly what they expect children to know and be able to do in all areas of learning. Leaders should continue to refine the curriculum to make sure that it defines with precision the sequence of learning in all the prime areas.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 21 and 22 April 2022

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Inspection number 10211815 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website http://www.eastbridgfordstpeters.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, the school has admitted three-year-olds.  The senior leadership team has changed since the previous inspection.  The school does not use any alternative providers.  There is a before- and after-school club managed by the school.  East Bridgford St Peters Church of England Academy converted to become an academy school on 8 February 2014. When its predecessor school, St Peter’s Church of England School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be outstanding overall.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors carried out deep dives into the following subjects: early reading, English, history, mathematics, religious education and science. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of 21 and 22 April 2022

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lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke with leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors spoke with parents and pupils. They scrutinised documents that the school keeps and spoke with leaders and staff.  Inspectors spoke with pupils in small groups, during lesson times and at less structured times of the day, such as break and lunchtimes.  Inspectors spoke with parents at the end of the day. They considered the views expressed on Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors met leaders from the Aspire Multi-Academy Trust and the local governing board.  Inspectors spoke with groups of staff and considered the opinions expressed through the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Hazel Henson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Liam Colclough Her Majesty’s Inspector 21 and 22 April 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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