Awsworth Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of Awsworth Primary and Nursery School The Lane, Awsworth, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG16 2QS

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding 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 2 and 3 November 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where the motto ‘striving to achieve our BEST’ is at the heart of everything. When pupils try their best, leaders and teachers celebrate their achievements through the popular ‘BEST awards’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour in and around school is impeccable. Pupils are polite and courteous to each other, adults and visitors. Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe at school. They say that bullying is rare. If bullying does occur, pupils say that adults will sort it out. Many parents, carers and staff agree.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to make a positive contribution to the wider life of the school. They readily take on important roles such as Rights Respecting Ambassadors. School council representatives are unanimous in their view that leaders listen to their ideas and suggestions for making the school even better.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a range of clubs for pupils to join. These activities help to build character and develop pupils’ talents. Pupils enjoy football, gardening club and book club. Others love learning to play a musical instrument. Pupils speak positively about visits to Matlock, Wales and Alton Towers. These activities are inclusive and accessible for all pupils.

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better?

Leaders have rewritten the curriculum to ensure that it is ambitious for all pupils. Leaders initially prioritised reading, mathematics and science. Across most subjects, they have set out the key knowledge and skills pupils should gain, and in what order. In some subjects, leaders have not identified the important knowledge well.

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better?

Many leaders are new to their roles. Some leaders have been able to check that the curriculum is being taught. However, some leaders have not carried out checks on how well pupils know and remember the knowledge in each subject.

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better?

Reading is prioritised in the school. Teachers make the daily class story times fun and exciting. Leaders have introduced a new approach to teaching early reading and phonics. This approach starts in the early years. Teachers are gaining in confidence in implementing this new approach. Younger pupils begin to recognise initial sounds and explore how to form letters. Older pupils apply their knowledge of sounds when reading unfamiliar words. Pupils read from books that match the sounds they know. However, there are some inconsistencies in the teaching of early reading. This results in some teachers teaching misconceptions and pupils not always using their sounds to read unfamiliar words.

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better?

The order in which teachers teach different concepts in mathematics enables pupils to build on their prior knowledge year on year. Leaders have adapted their chosen scheme to meet pupils’ needs. 2 and 3 November 2022

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Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong. They use this to teach the knowledge they want pupils to know and to address any misconceptions pupils may have. Leaders use assessment well to check what pupils remember and can do in the different subjects.

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In the early years, leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum which prepares children for next their stage of education. Children get off to a great start in early years. Routines are well established and children thrive. Leaders have plans to address the outside learning spaces and introduce more outdoor play equipment so that children in the early years can improve their physical development. Leaders’ approach to pupils’ personal development is exemplary. Staff and pupils are proud of the school’s work around UNICEF and links with schools in other countries. Pupils learn about being respectful, resilient and caring. As one pupil said: ‘It does not matter what colour your skin is or if you have a disability, everyone is welcome here!’ Younger pupils enjoy learning about festivals. Older pupils learn about different cultures, such as in South America and Asia. These learning experiences are enriched

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through food tasting, dressing-up days and listening to music from other countries.

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Awsworth Primary is an inclusive school. Leaders and teachers consider the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) when designing and teaching the curriculum.

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Those with responsibility for governance fulfil their statutory duties around safeguarding and equalities. Members of the local governing body have a secure understanding of the school’s strengths and what needs to improve. Governors support leaders in going above and beyond, so that pupils with a disability can access wider school life, such as residential visits. Governors and leaders have considered staff workload when implementing change. Staff appreciate the fact that leaders consider their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders, staff and governors are committed to keeping pupils safe. Staff receive regular training related to safeguarding. They record and report their concerns straight away. Safeguarding leaders promptly act on these concerns. They work with a range of agencies to help and support children and their families to secure positive outcomes.

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Safeguarding

Pupils told inspectors that they know how to keep themselves safe, such as when online. They have a good understanding of healthy relationships. Pupils are clear about how to raise any concerns they have. They say adults help to keep them safe. 2 and 3 November 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have planned a well sequenced and ambitious curriculum for all pupils. In some subjects, leaders have yet to refine the knowledge that they want pupils to know and remember. Leaders do not yet routinely check across all subjects that teachers are teaching the planned curriculum. As a result, pupils do not routinely build their knowledge over time as well as they should in some subjects. Leaders should ensure that there is clarification around what knowledge pupils should learn and when in all subjects, so that pupils become secure in their understanding and are best prepared for their next steps.  Leaders have implemented a new approach to the teaching of early reading. There are some minor inconsistencies in the teaching of this. As a result, not all pupils use the sounds they know well enough to read unfamiliar words. Leaders should ensure that the new approach to teaching reading enables pupils to

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

become fluent and confident readers as quickly as they should.

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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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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. 2 and 3 November 2022

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Inspection number 10254077 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

 Awsworth Primary and Nursery School became an academy in May 2018. When its predecessor school, Awsworth Primary and Nursery School, was last inspected by Ofsted in 2014, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of the East Midlands Education Trust.  The headteacher was appointed in September 2021. The deputy headteacher was appointed in September 2022. There has been significant recent turnover in curriculum leadership.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school 2 and 3 November 2022

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and a range of curriculum leaders.  The lead inspector met with the chair of the board of trustees and the chief executive officer from the East Midlands Education Trust. He also met with members of the local governing body, including the chair.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, science and design and technology. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector observed pupils read to a familiar adult. Inspectors discussed the curriculum in some other subjects, and held discussions with pupils.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors evaluated the effectiveness of safeguarding by reviewing the school’s

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record of pre-employment checks and by holding discussions with leaders, staff, pupils and parents.

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Inspection team

Clive Lawrence, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Gary Nixon Ofsted Inspector 2 and 3 November 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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