Anston Park Infant School

Inspection of a good school: Anston Park Infant School Park Avenue, Dinnington, Sheffield S25 2QZ

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Outcome

Anston Park Infant School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Anston Park Infant School is a welcoming school. Pupils are happy, confident and feel safe. At social times, children in the early years mix with their peers in Years 1 and 2. This helps to create a strong sense of community in the school. Pupils care about each other and know that adults care about them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ good behaviour is a strength of the school. Pupils are focused on learning in lessons. They told the inspector that they enjoyed lessons such as mathematics and writing. Pupils are proud when they receive special mentions from the headteacher. The ‘learning crew’ characters help pupils to develop resilience, teamwork and communication skills. Pupils are not worried about bullying. It rarely happens and they know that teachers will help them if they report concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are excited about trips and visits. Children in Reception were excited when telling the inspector about the ‘roaring lions’ they had seen on a recent visit to Yorkshire Wildlife Park.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and teachers know pupils well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers use this knowledge to help pupils in lessons. They know when and how to make adaptations so that all pupils can access the curriculum.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. There are clear connections between subjects. For example, knowledge about measurement that pupils learn in mathematics is used in science. This helps pupils to make links between subjects and remember the important knowledge that they need.

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

Leaders give teachers time to plan lessons together. Consequently, lessons are consistent across classes. The sequence of learning has been well thought through in most subjects. Pupils build sophisticated knowledge as they move through the school. In history, for 29 and 30 June 2022

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example, pupils learn about the great fire of London. They were able to tell the inspector how this fire led to changes in the ways that houses were built. In science, children in early years can explain how seeds will germinate. Pupils were excited when speaking to the inspector about what they had learned in lessons. They told the inspector they ‘liked the challenge’ in mathematics. In some lessons in the wider curriculum, for example design and technology, the curriculum is not planned in as much detail. Leaders are aware of this.

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In lessons, pupils are enthusiastic. They want to be involved. Teachers make consistent checks on what pupils are remembering using retrieval activities at the beginning of every lesson. They question pupils carefully to understand what pupils are learning as the lesson progresses. The ‘learning crew’ characters are used by all teachers to help pupils focus on how they can learn as well as what they are learning. This helps to prepare pupils for future learning. It encourages them to persevere. In early years, the outdoor provision is not always used to maximum effect. Opportunities to connect activities to current learning are not taken enough.

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The reading curriculum is well planned and consistently delivered. Adults have been trained in the school’s phonics programme and teach it with confidence. Pupils at the early stages of reading learn the important phonics knowledge they need quickly. Pupils are eager to read in lessons when asked by the teacher. Leaders have developed clear systems to provide support to those pupils who fall behind. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about their favourite authors and the books they read at home and in school. The consistent approach to the teaching of writing means that pupils learn to write well and develop a good pen grip early.

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Pupils are respectful in school. Pupils in Year 2 spoke with maturity about respect for those who are different. At dinnertimes, there is a buzz of chatter in the dining hall as pupils talk with their friends. Pupils were polite when speaking to the inspector. They are eager to please their teachers and earn praise.

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Leaders ensure that pupils experience a range of trips and cultural events. When the inspector visited, pupils in Year 2 were looking forward to visiting the National Coal Mining Museum. Leaders recently organised a school wide event to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee. The COVID-19 pandemic and recent refurbishment of the school have meant that it has been difficult to open the school up for parents and after school clubs. Leaders have plans to address this in the coming school year.

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Leaders’ work with families of pupils with SEND is thorough. Leaders know families well and the support they receive is greatly appreciated. Teachers use the information they receive to make adaptations to lessons so that all pupils can access the planned curriculum.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. Governors make regular checks on staff well-being. Teachers appreciate this. The trust also ensure that staff welfare is a priority. Teachers know that they can raise concerns with leaders and they will be listened to. 29 and 30 June 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Systems for reporting concerns are well understood by all staff. Adults are vigilant for signs that pupils may need help. Leaders work closely with external agencies to ensure that pupils receive the support they need. They know families well and take swift and effective action as necessary.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. The curriculum has ensured that pupils are aware of online risks and they are taught about risks relevant to their age, for example road safety.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have systems in place to ensure that adults in the school are appropriate people to work with pupils.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is variability in the planning of a small number of subjects in the curriculum. End points and the knowledge that pupils need are not well defined. Pupils therefore have inconsistent experiences in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that all subjects are as well planned and sequenced as the strongest subjects in the school.  The outdoor space in the early years provision does not make the most of opportunities to extend children’s learning. This means that chances to embed what children have learned in the classroom are not taken. Leaders should ensure that all aspects of the outdoor provision are well designed to maximise chances for children to embed what they have learned.

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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, Anston Park Infant School, to be good in May 2013. 29 and 30 June 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. 29 and 30 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227609 Type of school Infant

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Anston Park Infant School converted to become an academy school in January 2018. When its predecessor school, also called Anston Park Infant School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The chair of the local governing body is different to the chair of governors at the time of inspection of the predecessor school.  The school uses no 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 have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. The headteacher also has responsibility for safeguarding and acts as the special educational needs coordinator. The inspector spoke with the chair of the board of trustees and three members of the local governing body, including the chair of the local governing body.  The inspector spoke with the chief executive officer of the White Woods Primary Academy Trust. 29 and 30 June 2022

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, history and science. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at examples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also looked at curriculum plans for mathematics and design and technology.  The inspector spoke to teachers responsible for the personal, social and health education curriculum.  To inspect the early years provision, the inspector spent time in the early years provision.  The inspector spoke to pupils both formally and informally and spoke to support staff.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour at social times.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector spoke to leaders with responsibility for safeguarding and scrutinised the single central record and safeguarding records.  The inspector took account of the views of parents, staff and pupils through surveys,

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including Ofsted Parent View, and by speaking to some parents as they collected their children.

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Inspection team

Matthew Vellensworth, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 29 and 30 June 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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