Green Crescent School

Inspection of Green Crescent School Green Academy, Queensberry Street, Basford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG6 0DG

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at this vibrant and happy school. Pupils say that they feel safe here. There are many adults who help to sort out any worries that the pupils may have. Bullying is rare. When it happens, it is dealt with swiftly and fairly. Pupils respect each other, the staff and visitors. They are polite and welcoming. Many say hello or wait in doorways to allow adults to pass.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff expect pupils to behave well and work hard. They do. Classrooms are often lively, as pupils discuss their work. Pupils have opportunities to contribute to their local community. They plant seeds in the local park and visit the care home. Pupils benefit from a variety of trips and visitors to the school. These enhance the curriculum in subjects such as science, history and religious education (RE). Pupils say they enjoy these opportunities and look forward to them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive in their views of the school. One typical comment was, ‘My child always comes out of school smiling. They always tell me about all the wonderful things that they have learned!’

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better?

Leaders have ensured that there is an appropriate curriculum in place. Individual subjects are planned and sequenced in a logical way. For example, in mathematics, pupils in Year 2 learn about 2D and 3D shapes. This helps to prepare them for later learning about more complex geometry in key stage 2. In science, pupils in Year 4 learn about animals, including humans. This helps them to understand evolution and inheritance characteristics when in Year 6. Subject leaders have a clear overview of their subject and what is being taught in Year 1 through to Year 6. However, they do not always have a clear understanding of what is being taught in the early years.

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better?

There is a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics and early reading. Pupils frequently learn new sounds and practise reading and writing them. Their reading books are at the correct level of challenge. These books match the sounds that they are learning. Accurate assessments mean that any pupil who is falling behind is quickly spotted. They then receive extra support to help them to catch up. Leaders are fostering a love of books and reading. Children in the early years enjoy listening to stories and singing nursery rhymes. There is a well-stocked library, where pupils frequently exchange their books. Pupils in Year 6 recommend favourite books to their friends.

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better?

Leaders have a sensible approach to assessment. It is not too time consuming for staff. There is a mixture of regular quizzes and quick tests that help teachers to understand what pupils have remembered and understood. These inform teachers’ lesson plans. There are also end-of-term checks. This information tells teachers how well pupils are progressing through the curriculum. 19–21 July 2022 Pupils’ attendance is high in the context of the pandemic. They are punctual at the start of the day. They behave well. Low-level disruption is rare. Pupils have positive attitudes to school. They take pride in their work and enjoy showing it to visitors. Children in the early years are keen to read aloud and show off their writing. One child had written, ‘My rainbow fish has shimmering scales.’ Relationships between adults and pupils are warm and positive. There is a caring atmosphere throughout the school.

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better?

The curriculum for pupils’ personal development is a strength. Pupils have a good understanding of faiths and cultures that are different to their own. They visit local places of worship. Leaders have ensured that the national guidance around relationships education is followed. Pupils know that there are same-sex marriages and different family types, for example. They are being prepared well for life in modern Britain. Pupils are taught how to stay safe when using the internet, crossing roads and riding bikes. There are opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests. However, there are limited opportunities for pupils to compete against others or to work collaboratively with pupils in other schools.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified promptly. Pupils who require extra support have specific targets written into their individual education plan (IEP). These plans are not always precise enough. They do not contain specific-enough targets and review dates. There are limited details about what extra help is needed and when it will be provided. This prevents the pupils with SEND from making as much progress as they could.

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better?

The proprietor has ensured that all the independent school standards are met. The facilities are maintained to a good standard. Checks to the building are frequent and meticulous. There are suitable toilets and washing facilities.

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better?

The proprietor receives the necessary information to support and challenge the leaders. The proprietor has ensured that the school meets the requirements of schedule 10 of the 2010 Equality Act. The headteacher and school leaders are knowledgeable about their areas of responsibility. They have recognised that there are limited links with other schools. This prevents staff from sharing training and good practice, and from moderating pupils’ work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have had appropriate safeguarding and safer recruitment training. They understand their responsibilities around female genital mutilation and the ‘Prevent’ duty. Staff know the signs of potential abuse or neglect to look for. They know what to do should they have a concern about a pupil or a member of staff.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding records are comprehensive. There are swift actions taken when a concern has been raised. There are positive links with outside agencies. These include the children missing in education team and the education welfare officer. 19–21 July 2022 The safeguarding policy contains the most recent national guidance. It is available to parents on request.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Subject leaders do not have a clear enough overview of how their subject starts in the early years. They do not know the exact knowledge, skills and vocabulary that children are learning. Subject leaders should ensure that children in the early years are learning the content that they want them to learn, therefore preparing them well for the rigours of the key stage 1 curriculum.  Some pupils’ IEPs are not sharp enough. For example, some of the targets in the plans are too vague. The plans do not always specify when and how the support will be provided and when the effectiveness of the support will be reviewed. Leaders should ensure that IEPs contain the necessary information so that they can monitor the progress the pupils with SEND are making more accurately.  There are sparse links with other schools. Leaders and staff cannot share their good practice or moderate pupils’ work. There are limited opportunities for pupils

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

to play sport or take part in other enrichment activities with other pupils. Leaders should ensure that links with other schools are improved so that they can share good practice and pupils can enjoy a broader and richer set of experiences.

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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 provider and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 19–21 July 2022

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School details

Unique reference number 136425 DfE registration number 892/6074

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School details

Inspection number 10232288 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20–22 March 2018

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Information about this school

 Green Crescent Primary School is a non-selective independent primary school founded on an Islamic ethos.  There are 140 pupils registered at the school. This maximum number of pupils the school is registered to admit is 100.  At the time of the inspection, the school’s website was unavailable. Leaders have ensured that all documents that the school usually maintains on its website are available to parents and prospective parents on request.  The school does not use the services of any alternative providers. 19–21 July 2022

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about this inspection

The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The 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 held various meetings with the proprietor, headteacher, deputy headteacher and a selection of staff and pupils.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into reading, mathematics, science and personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. Inspectors looked at curriculum plans, visited lessons, spoke to staff, spoke to some pupils about the school and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Curriculum plans in other subjects were scrutinised.  To inspect safeguarding, the lead inspector checked the single central record. Checks were made on staff training and staff knowledge of the school’s safeguarding procedures. Inspectors looked at safeguarding records.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s pupil, parent and staff questionnaires.

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Information about this inspection

The school’s proposed change to increase the maximum number of pupils. The school has applied to the Department for Education (DfE) to make a ‘material change’ to its registration. At the DfE’s request, inspectors checked whether the school is likely to meet the relevant independent school standards if the DfE decides to approve the change. This part of the inspection was carried out under section 162(4) of the Education Act 2002.

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Information about this inspection

 The outcome of this part of the inspection is: the school is likely to meet the

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to the increase in the maximum number of pupils is approved by the

 The independent school standards in Part 3 that relate to safeguarding, supervision, health and safety, fire safety and risk assessment are likely to be met should the DfE approve the material change application. The extra pupils will be housed in the existing building. The proprietor has robust safeguarding arrangements in place. Leaders deal swiftly with any health-and-safety concerns. There is an appropriate risk-assessment policy and procedure. Risk assessments 19–21 July 2022 identify potential risks and strategies to mitigate against them. Suitable measures will be in place to supervise pupils.  Part 4 of the independent school standards is likely to be met. The necessary checks are carried out on staff. Leaders keep a single central record to record the checks carried out on staff and the proprietor.  Part 5 of the independent school standards is likely to be met. The proprietor has ensured that the school can accommodate the proposed increase in pupils safely

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to the increase in the maximum number of pupils is approved by the

in the existing school classrooms and facilities.  Part 8 of the independent school standards is likely to be met. This is because leaders have ensured that all standards are met currently. The same policies and procedures will apply if the material change is approved by the DfE.

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Information about the material change inspection

 The DfE commissioned a material change to check the school’s compliance with the independent school standards relevant to the school’s application to make material changes to its provision. These changes are to increase the maximum number of pupils the school is registered for, from 100 to 170.  The DfE commissioned the inspectors to check the school’s compliance against independent school standards in Parts 3, 4, 5 and 8.  The lead inspector met with the headteacher. He also met with several members of staff and leaders for safeguarding. He toured the existing site with the headteacher.  The lead inspector scrutinised a range of documentation, including policies and procedures relating to safeguarding, risk assessments and health and safety.  The lead inspector checked the school’s procedures for recruitment and scrutinised the school’s single central record.

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Inspection team

Peter Stonier, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Aileen King Ofsted Inspector 19–21 July 2022 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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