Anston Greenlands Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Anston Greenlands Primary School Edinburgh Drive, North Anston, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S25 4HD

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 February 2023

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Outcome

Anston Greenlands Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s vision ‘Love to Learn’ is at the heart of everything this school has to offer. Pupils are happy and welcoming, and they love learning. Staff know pupils very well. They are determined that each child’s journey through school will excite and engage them. There is a strong and caring ethos that permeates the school. Parents also see this. One parent said, ‘The teachers and other staff are so caring and supportive.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff are ambitious for pupils. They have high expectations for behaviour and learning. Staff are highly motivated to meet the needs of pupils and give them the knowledge and skills to become curious learners.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that they are expected to behave well, and they usually do. They appreciate the rewards they receive when showing the school values of being creative, resilient, enthusiastic, aspirational, team players and experts (CREATE). Pupils say that bullying is rare but if it does happen, staff will sort it out well. Pupils say that trusted adults will help them. This makes them feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents welcome the opportunities to be involved with the school. They appreciate the communication from school that keeps them informed about their child’s learning and regular school events.

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

Leaders have considered how the curriculum is designed for pupils. It starts in the early years and is well sequenced. Leaders have devised the content of the curriculum around pupils’ needs and interests. Pupils are excited by their learning. Each topic has a purpose. This leads to an outcome for pupils to experience and share. Examples of this include the escape room, the Egyptian market and the enchanted woodland picnic. The outcomes support pupils’ wider development. Pupils have opportunities to learn and try out new skills across an exciting, wide range of activities. They develop a rich set of life skills 21 and 22 February 2023 through charity work, enterprise activities and global goals. These are woven into the curriculum.

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

The curriculum meets the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This means that all pupils make good progress. Staff encourage pupils to be independent in lessons.

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

Teachers have a secure knowledge of the subjects they teach. They use assessment effectively in English and mathematics to plan pupils’ next steps in learning. In other subjects, leaders have started to check what pupils already know. But these checks need further time for pupils to show what they can remember long-term.

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

Reading is a priority. Leaders have recently introduced a new phonics scheme. There is greater consistency in the teaching of early reading. Most pupils keep up with the pace of the programme. Those who struggle are identified quickly. Teachers provide them with extra support to catch up. Pupils develop increasing confidence. They are excited to read to adults. The books they read are matched well to their ability. As their reading develops, pupils read with increasing fluency. However, the good quality of education that pupils receive in reading was not reflected in the reading outcomes achieved by pupils in Year 6 in 2022. These pupils experienced particular disruption to their learning during the pandemic. The new approach to the teaching of reading has yet to have an impact on the standards of reading for older pupils.

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

Children in the early years enjoy rich learning experiences. They take turns and share with each other. Staff extend children’s learning using skilful questioning. This promotes children’s curiosity and supports their language development.

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

The curriculum for pupils’ wider development is exemplary. It is deliberately woven through the whole school curriculum to give pupils a purpose for learning, both socially and academically. Pupils have rich experiences learning about different faiths and cultures. Older pupils are given opportunities to take on a wide set of leadership roles. Leaders look for opportunities to develop pupils’ character at every opportunity. Examples of these include pupils being sports journalists at sporting events and the whole school frequently writing and performing collaborative songs. Parents welcome the community events outside the curriculum. Pupils develop a sense of community by being involved in local events with their parents. They particularly enjoyed taking part in the Tough Mudder fun run.

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

Staff appreciate the support they get from leaders with managing their workload and well-being. Working in curriculum teams helps staff to generate ideas together. They appreciate the opportunity to share their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are trained in safeguarding. Regular communication between staff supports pupils’ ongoing needs. Leaders record concerns appropriately and take necessary actions when 21 and 22 February 2023 families need help. This includes pastoral support which is planned to meet pupils’ individual needs. Leaders work well with external agencies. They are relentless in following up concerns to get pupils the help they need. Recruitment procedures ensure that adults are suitable to work with children.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are aware of the need to keep themselves safe online. They say that they are ‘always learning about it in school’. They know not to share any personal details online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have recently implemented a new approach to the teaching of early reading. This new approach enables younger pupils to become confident and fluent readers. However, it has not had time to demonstrate a positive impact on pupils’ outcomes at the end of key stage 2. Leaders should ensure that the new approach is implemented thoroughly and effectively so that standards in reading improve over time.  Leaders have a clear vision for the curriculum and they know what they want pupils to learn. They are in the process of implementing a system for teachers to check what pupils can remember in the foundation subjects. Leaders should ensure that the new system is implemented effectively so that teachers have a clear understanding of what pupils know and can remember across the curriculum.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Anston Greenlands Junior and Infant School, to be good in May 2010.

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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. 21 and 22 February 2023

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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. 21 and 22 February 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10240934 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 September 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use alternative provision providers.  From January 2023, the school became part of New Collaborative Learning Trust. Prior to this, the school was part of the Creative Children’s Academy Trust.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector met with the executive principal, acting principal, curriculum leaders, staff and some pupils. Meetings were also held with a representative of the trust, members of the local advisory board and the chief executive officer for the trust.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspector met with curriculum leaders, spoke with some pupils and teachers, visited lessons and looked at their work. The inspector listened to some pupils read.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms, around the school and at lunchtime. The inspector spoke with pupils about their views of the school and their learning, behaviour and safety. 21 and 22 February 2023  The inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead. During the inspection, a range of safeguarding information was scrutinised, including the school’s policies and records. The inspector observed relationships between pupils and adults.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaires for staff and pupils and Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. This included comments received via the free-text facility. The inspector also talked to some parents in the school playground.

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Inspection team

Nicola Beaumont, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 21 and 22 February 2023 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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