Ambleside Primary School

Inspection of Ambleside Primary School Minver Crescent, Aspley, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG8 5PN

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 19 and 20 July 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is an improving school. In the words of one pupil, typical of many, the school is an ‘amazing place to be’. The school’s motto of ‘Dream, Believe, Shine’ helps pupils to aspire to be the best they can be. Parents and carers told inspectors that the school has ‘come a long way’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and supported. They know that any concerns they may have will be listened to and taken seriously. Pupils said that when falling out or bullying happens, adults sort it out quickly. The school’s reward systems help pupils to understand how to make positive choices. Pupils behave well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. They want them to be proud of where they live. They ensure pupils learn about their locality and beyond. They include visits and experiences as part of the curriculum. Pupils say that this helps them to understand how to be a ‘good citizen’. However, some subject plans are not fully developed. They do not clearly identify the key knowledge pupils need to know.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not receive precise learning targets to help them know more over time.

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better?

Leaders want all pupils to have the best possible start to their education. They have ensured that aspects of the curriculum are well sequenced. However, this work is not yet complete. In some subjects, leaders have not precisely identified the key knowledge that they want pupils to know. Teachers do not always make effective checks on what pupils have learned and remembered. The quality of education in mathematics is strong. In this subject, teachers take account of what pupils have learned before and what is to come next. They regularly check pupils’ understanding and clear up misconceptions as they arise.

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better?

Subject leaders are at the early stages of checking how well the curriculum is being implemented. They are not yet ensuring that all pupils’ learning needs are met.

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better?

Reading is given the upmost priority. Leaders ensure that pupils have access to a wide range of literature so that they develop a deeper understanding of the school’s curriculum.

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better?

Leaders have designed an early reading programme. Most reading books are well matched to pupils’ abilities. Staff have regular support to understand how to deliver this reading programme. This enables pupils to learn to read quickly and efficiently. When pupils fall behind, teachers provide support to enable them to catch up quickly.

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better?

Pupils with SEND are included in all aspects of school life. Leaders seek to ensure that they provide external agency support where needed. However, the targets on 19 and 20 July 2022

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pupils’ personal plans are not always precise. Sometimes, the targets do not link to the specific learning needs of the pupil. Some pupils with SEND do not learn as well as they could. Leaders are aware that this is an area for development.

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The early years is a strength of the school. Teachers have ensured that all pupils are well supported in their early development. For example, leaders have developed a ‘Cycling Superstars’ scheme so that children can learn to ride a bicycle without stabilisers. Adults in the early years understand the needs of the children well. The early years learning environment has recently been redeveloped. It is purposeful and supports children in making a strong start to their education.

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Leaders have ensured that the school’s behaviour procedures are clearly understood by all. Pupils that need additional support receive help from specialists. This is having a positive impact. Pupils’ behaviour is good.

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Leaders seek to identify the barriers that affect pupil attendance and punctuality. They support families to find ways to help their child come to school. This has had some impact for some pupils. However, there remains a group of pupils whose attendance and persistent absenteeism is of concern, particularly in key stage 1.

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Leaders ensure that the curriculum for personal development helps pupils to learn about different communities and faiths. Pupils learn how to stay safe online. They understand the importance of being physically and mentally healthy. They learn about healthy and safe relationships. Pupils gain many opportunities to learn beyond the school curriculum.

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Staff enjoy working at this school. They appreciate the rapid improvements made in pupils’ behaviour and in the development of the school’s curriculum. Leaders responsible for governance make checks on staff workload. However, they do not have a clear understanding of the education provided for the most disadvantaged pupils in school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know how to identify and report concerns for pupils who may be at risk of harm. Leaders provide regular training to help staff understand different safeguarding concerns. Leaders maintain records that help them to understand all the needs of their pupils. They act quickly and work alongside other agencies to provide pupils with the support they need. They ensure they develop strong relationships with families.

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Safeguarding

Teachers ensure pupils understand who their trusted adults in school are. Pupils know how to report things that make them feel uncomfortable. 19 and 20 July 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not yet coherently planned and sequenced in some subjects. This does not help pupils remember the school’s curriculum in a well-structured or coherent way. Leaders need to ensure that all subjects are carefully planned and sequenced. They must ensure that the school’s curriculum clearly identifies the important knowledge that leaders want pupils to learn.  Subject leaders are in the early stages of checking how well the curriculum is being implemented. As a result, they are not yet identifying precisely what is going well and what actions are needed to improve the delivery of the curriculum further. Subject leaders must have the necessary support and expertise to improve their understanding of subject leadership. They must ensure that the school’s curriculum is being implemented consistently and well.  Not all staff ensure that pupils with SEND receive a curriculum that is well

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

matched to their needs. Leaders have not ensured that the targets on the plans for pupils with SEND help them to know more of the curriculum. This slows down their learning. Leaders must ensure that all staff have a clear understanding of the graduated response. They should ensure that teachers have the knowledge and expertise of the school’s curriculum so that pupils with SEND know and remember more over time.  Rates of persistent absenteeism, although improving, are still too high, particularly for the most vulnerable pupils in school. Some pupils miss too much of the curriculum. This is leading to gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should continue to ensure that the strategies they use to support pupils’ attendance help overcome any barriers that they face. They should make sure that pupils’ attendance continues to improve, especially for pupils in key stage 1.

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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. 19 and 20 July 2022

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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. 19 and 20 July 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227549 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Ambleside Primary School joined the Raleigh Education Trust on 1 February 2018. When its predecessor school, Ambleside Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted in November 2016, it was judged to be inadequate overall.  The school’s special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator took up post in September 2021.  The school makes use of one registered alternative provider. This setting is also part of the Raleigh Education Trust.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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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.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, representatives from the trust and the local governing body. 19 and 20 July 2022

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 Deep dives were conducted in early reading, mathematics, history and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and talked to some pupils about their learning. Aspects of the school’s personal, social, health and economic education programme, as well as design technology, were also sampled.  Information on attendance, behaviour logs and safeguarding records were considered. This included the school’s single central record. Meetings with leaders to discuss the school’s safeguarding and attendance procedures were also conducted.  The school’s provision for pupils with SEND was considered. This included a visit to the school’s enhanced SEND provision, ‘The Nest’, and sampling pupils’ personal learning plans.  Pupils’ behaviour was considered at various times of day, including in lessons, around the school and at lunchtime. The school’s records on behaviour were also

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considered.  The views of parents, pupils and staff were considered through the Ofsted surveys and by meeting parents during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Shaheen Hussain, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kate Rouse Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 July 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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