Carnarvon Primary School

Inspection of Carnarvon Primary School Nursery Road, Bingham, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG13 8EH

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Inspection dates: 30 November and 1 December 2022

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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 Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected 13 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s motto ‘work hard, be kind’ is evident in the work of the school. It influences all the school does. Pupils learn from an early age its significance. One pupil said: ‘When you go into a classroom it brushes off on each other – it goes around the classroom until you have a nice, hard-working class. Be kind covers everything.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Ambitious leaders work hard to broaden pupils’ horizons. Pupils learn to understand the world around them. For instance, they learn about the influence of the slave trade 500 years ago on modern life. Pupils have many opportunities to experience a wide range of activities. They can take part in the orchestra, sing and perform within the local community and support the local council in decision-making. One parent said: ‘The staff are nurturing and caring, taking time over and above to value and develop the whole child emotionally, academically and socially.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in and around school. The school is a calm and ordered place. Pupils respect each other and the importance of accepting, and embracing, difference. Pupils know that if bullying occurs, there is someone they can go to, and they will deal with it.

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better?

The school promotes reading from the moment pupils start. In the early years foundation stage (EYFS), the ‘super 6’ helps children delve deeply into books. The recently introduced phonics scheme ensures pupils learn to read from a young age. Staff skilfully assess pupils’ reading skills and provide tailored support. Across the school, carefully chosen books help support learning in the wider curriculum. They broaden understanding of diversity and inclusion. The reading challenge further encourages pupils to read. One pupil stated: ‘Reading is my favourite thing.’

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better?

The school provides a broad and engaging curriculum. Knowledge is thoughtfully built upon over time and meaningful connections are made across subjects. For instance, pupils develop an understanding that the bronze age in Britain occurred at a similar time to what we term in history as the period of ancient Greece. Pupils can recall what they have already been taught. Teachers present information in interesting ways which engage pupils. In most subjects, assessment is used effectively to adapt future learning to suit the needs of all pupils.

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better?

Children in EYFS settle quickly and make a strong start to their education. One parent said: ‘My child is absolutely thriving and has settled better than I could have imagined’. The school’s motto is introduced in EYFS, which ensures expectations are clear for parents and children. Children learn to work independently and get on well together. They behave well. The curriculum is well thought through. Learning activities are carefully designed to develop children’s understanding. Well-trained adults support and intervene where appropriate to guide learning. Effective 30 November and 1 December 2022

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assessment systems enable teachers to identify when children fall behind. Activities are adapted to suit these children’s needs.

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Leaders are ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have refined systems for identifying needs and clear plans are produced to support pupils’ development. Teachers use these plans to adapt learning opportunities so they can access the full curriculum. Where possible, external support is sought to further help these pupils.

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Expectations for pupils’ behaviour are high. The school is a calm and orderly place. Pupils can be singing and dancing one moment and calmly moving to their classroom the next. Pupils are courteous and respectful to each other. One pupil said: ‘Since EYFS, adults teach us how to be respectful. The higher up the school you go, the more used to it you become.’ There are many trained play leaders in Year 6. They teach younger pupils new games and help them get along with each other. Pupils enjoy coming to school. They attend regularly.

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Personal development is a strength. The school provides many opportunities for pupils to acquire knowledge and skills that go beyond the national curriculum. Pupils can participate in a range of clubs from performing in a production to sewing, and from being in an orchestra to racing in cross-country. Pupils learn about the importance of fundamental British values and understand other people’s points of view. They take responsibility for improving the school through the school council. They are proud of obtaining a new trim trail and persuading leaders to change arrangements for lunchtime.

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Senior leaders know their school well. The headteacher provides calm yet assured leadership. Plans for improvement are clear and appropriate. Staff have appreciated the new curriculum teams which have helped to reduce workload. The teams share responsibilities within subjects. However, in some subjects, there is a lack of strategic leadership. Leaders are not as crystal clear as they could be in the steps they would take to develop their subjects to the highest level.

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Governors ensure they check the work of leaders regularly. They challenge and support in equal measure.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding within the school. All staff are well trained and vigilant to signs of abuse. They use reporting systems to share their concerns, and these are regularly monitored. Leaders are tenacious in seeking the support their pupils and families need. Thorough checks ensure only appropriate adults work in the school.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe. They learn how to keep themselves safe online. Adults deal with bullying should it occur. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Significant work has been undertaken to ensure a well sequenced curriculum is in place and key knowledge is identified. The development of subject leadership teams has helped with this. However, in some subjects, there is a lack of strategic leadership. This means the focus on improvement is not sharp enough. Senior leaders should make sure that subject leaders have the time and expertise to provide a sharp focus on improving provision in their areas of responsibility.

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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. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26 January 2009

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Information about this school

 The school uses no alternative provisions.

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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.  Inspectors held meetings with the senior leaders, including the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator, curriculum leaders and the EYFS leader.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in five subjects: reading, mathematics, history, physical education and computing. To do this, they met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and met with teachers and pupils. They also looked at plans for the religious education curriculum. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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 The lead inspector met with representatives of the governing body. He also met with representatives of the local authority.  The inspector took account of the responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey, pupil survey and staff survey, along with written comments from parents. Inspectors spoke informally to parents outside the school.  Attendance, behaviour logs and safeguarding records were scrutinised. This included the school’s single central record. Inspectors also conducted meetings with leaders to discuss the safeguarding of pupils.  Inspectors considered pupils’ behaviour at various times of day, including in lessons, around the school site and at lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Mark Anderson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Elliot Hazlehurst-Howles Ofsted Inspector 30 November and 1 December 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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