Pierrepont Gamston Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Pierrepont Gamston Primary School Coledale, West Bridgford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG2 6TH

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Outcome

Pierrepont Gamston Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pierrepont Gamston Primary School feels like a big happy family where the ethos of ‘Aiming high and caring for all’ is evident. Pupils say they are happy and feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils get along with each other well. Incidents of poor behaviour are unusual. Dinnertimes are special occasions when staff and pupils meet to share in a child saying grace before starting lunch. Older pupils serve food to younger pupils while engaging them in friendly conversation. This builds good relationships.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say bullying is very rare. If it does happen, staff resolve the issue well. Pupils know if they have any worries or concerns, they can go to the ‘Helpful-room.’ Here, they can share their concerns with a trusted adult.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that teachers really help them with their learning. Teachers expect pupils to work hard. The pupils appreciate the extra support they get after lessons. As one pupil said, ‘They push us in our learning and make us think hard.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers who expressed a view are overwhelmingly positive about the school. A typical comment was, ‘This is a very caring, organised and wonderful school.’ Parents appreciate the care and guidance the staff provide.

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

Leaders prioritise the teaching of reading. As a result, children make a strong start in their reading. Teachers complete frequent checks on the sounds pupils remember. Focused teaching helps pupils become fluent and accurate readers. Regular high-quality phonics training for all staff ensures that they use the reading scheme effectively to help pupils learn to read. Pupils who are behind with their reading attend extra lessons that help them become more accurate and fluent readers. 24 and 25 May 2022

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Leaders have restructured the curriculum in almost all subjects. This has ensured that pupils learn a broad range of knowledge and skills in an exciting way. Leaders have identified the important concepts that pupils must learn. They have created a range of activities and resources that teachers can use to help pupils learn important knowledge. For example, in mathematics, pupils choose challenges that develop their reasoning and problem-solving skills. When leaders have ensured that there are clear learning outcomes for lessons, this leads to precise teaching that meets pupils’ needs.

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Leaders have introduced a new curriculum for design and technology. They have provided training for teachers to develop their skill in teaching this subject. However, leaders have yet to identify the important knowledge that teachers need to teach in each lesson. As a result, sometimes teachers do not teach important knowledge pupils need to learn in this subject.

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Pupils listen attentively to their teachers. They work very well together and respect each other’s view and opinions. Teachers ask pupils questions to help them to recall their learning. This helps teachers to identify when pupils are ready to learn new knowledge. It also helps teachers to identify any pupils who need further support to understand securely what they have previously learned. When this is the case, teachers provide these pupils with additional, effective support. However, there is not a consistent approach to how teachers check pupils’ knowledge of their previous learning. Because of this, on occasions, pupils can forget important knowledge that have already learned.

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There is a clear process to help identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In lessons, adults provide effective support to pupils with SEND. Adults know these pupils well and ensure that learning matches their needs. Extra support for reading and writing helps to develop these important skills for pupils with SEND.

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Children in the early years develop effective learning behaviours. They show focus, attention and independence. They work well together and listen carefully to the adults. Teachers ensure that children are ready for their next stage at school.

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Pupils benefit from an extensive range of opportunities to develop leadership skills. Some pupils are involved in the ‘pupil parliament’ and others as ‘junior road safety officers’. Numerous before- and after-school clubs are very popular and well attended. Pupils enjoy learning about different faiths by visiting the local church, mosque and mandir.

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Staff say that leaders support them well. They appreciate the importance leaders place on ensuring that they can enjoy a good work-life balance.

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspector agreed that identifying the important knowledge that pupils need to know and asking pupils to recall learning more frequently may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection. 24 and 25 May 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Comprehensive training in keeping pupils safe, alongside regular updates, ensures that staff are alert to any safeguarding concerns. Staff know how to report any concerns they have. Records are detailed and show swift action to involve other agencies when needed. Staff recognise the important role they have to play in supporting pupils and their families. Governors undertake regular checks on the school’s safeguarding procedures. These thorough checks help them to ensure that staff are doing everything they can to keep pupils safe. Pupils have many lessons on staying safe including online. They know how to be ‘SMART.’

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not clearly identified the knowledge they want pupils to learn in each lesson in design and technology. This limits opportunities for pupils to develop their understanding securely. Leaders need to ensure that teachers know what they should teach in this subject so that pupils fully develop their understanding over time.  Leaders have not ensured that there is a consistent approach across all subjects to help pupils recall prior learning. As a result, on occasions, pupils forget some important learning. Leaders should ensure that there is a consistent approach to enabling pupils to recall what they have learned previously, to help them remember more over time.

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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 second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2012. 24 and 25 May 2022

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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. 24 and 25 May 2022

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Inspection number 10227256 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 7 February 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been no relevant changes to the school since the last inspection.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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 leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, subject leaders and members of the governing body.  Deep dives were carried out in these subjects: reading, mathematics and design and technology. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work  The inspector heard pupils in different year groups read books. 24 and 25 May 2022

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 The inspector spoke to the leader of the early years provision and visited the early years foundation stage area.  The inspector took note of the responses received on Parent View and considered the results of the Ofsted staff and pupil surveys.  To judge the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector read the school’s relevant policies, scrutinised the single central record, checked the school’s procedures for the safe recruitment of staff and met with the safeguarding team. The inspector also spoke with staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Andy Lakatos, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 May 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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