Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School

Inspection of a good school: Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School Hether Drive, Lowry Hill, Carlisle, Cumbria CA3 0ES

p.1

Outcome

Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded (section 5) inspection now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very happy at Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School. They arrive each day ready to learn and excited to see their friends and teachers. Staff have forged positive relationships with pupils and families. They ensure that pupils have time and space to talk about how they feel and to share any worries that they may have. Leaders deal quickly and effectively with pupils’ concerns, including about bullying. This helps pupils to feel safe.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ and governors’ values of ‘loving learning, enjoying, discovering, growing together’ are evident throughout the school. Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ learning and behaviour. Pupils, including children in the early years, rise to these high expectations. They behave very well and are committed to learning. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve exceptionally well.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are highly engaged with the local community. They have worked closely with the housing estate resident’s association and have met with a councillor to share their ideas of how to improve the local area. Pupils have been proactive in raising awareness of issues such as dog fouling, speeding, parking and recycling. Pupils are considerate of the needs of local people. They have sung to stroke patients in the local community centre, written letters to elderly neighbours and distributed gifts around the local housing estate. These different experiences help pupils to become responsible and empathetic citizens.

p.1

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

Leaders have designed a highly ambitious and broad curriculum from the early years to the end of Year 2. Leaders are extremely knowledgeable about the subjects that they lead and have expertise and wider experience to lead their subjects very effectively. Leaders 13 and 14 March 2023

p.1

2

have ensured that the curriculum builds successfully year on year. They have also given careful consideration to the key stage 2 curriculum in the junior school so that pupils are prepared well for the next stage of their education. Leaders have clearly identified the essential knowledge for pupils to learn. This has been broken down into smaller steps of learning and ordered logically so that pupils can build knowledge well over time.

p.2

2

Leaders have ensured that teachers have secure subject knowledge to teach the curriculum successfully. Teachers give pupils work that allows them to develop deeper knowledge. They check that pupils have retained prior knowledge before moving on to new learning. Teachers address pupils’ gaps and misconceptions quickly and effectively.

p.2

2

Leaders have established clear assessment strategies for teachers to check what pupils know and can remember. These are used consistently and effectively. Teachers use this information to shape future teaching.

p.2

2

Leaders identify quickly pupils who may have additional needs. Pupils with SEND are supported extremely well to learn the same curriculum as their classmates. Leaders have ensured that teachers have the knowledge and expertise that they need to adapt the curriculum so that all pupils can learn it well. Leaders also provide a wealth of support to families of pupils with SEND.

p.2

2

Leaders have prioritised reading across the school. Pupils read widely and often. They make good use of the book area in the early years outdoor environment and enjoy reading with their friends and adults. Leaders have also successfully established an outdoor library on the playground for parents and carers to share books. Leaders organised a book hunt around the local area for pupils to find new books to read. These opportunities have encouraged a love of reading in pupils of all ages. Leaders have successfully established a phonics curriculum from the beginning of the Reception Year. Staff in the Nursery class effectively model and develop children’s language and communication so they are prepared well for the phonics curriculum. Staff are highly skilled in teaching phonics lessons. Pupils learn sounds in a logical order and read books that contain the sounds and words that they know. Pupils who need help to keep up with

p.2

2

the phonics curriculum are supported effectively to do so. This helps pupils to build confidence and fluency in reading.

p.2

2

Pupils behave exceptionally well in lessons. They enjoy their learning immensely and concentrate well on their work. They are focused and curious. Disruption to lessons is rare as pupils value their learning. Leaders establish clear and consistent routines in the early years. This means that pupils know what is expected of them. They are polite and considerate of each other and of adults. Leaders have developed a stimulating outdoor environment which helps to promote pupils’ physical development and social interactions in the early years and at break and lunchtimes.

p.2

2

Leaders have developed a curriculum that supports pupils’ wider development. Leaders place ‘learning powers’ at the heart of the curriculum and promote behaviours such as resilience, reflection and collaboration across the school. Pupils understand what these character traits look like in practice and are rewarded for demonstrating them. Some pupils are school ambassadors. They have been instrumental in supporting other pupils’ 13 and 14 March 2023

p.2

3

positive behaviour and well-being. For example, they have developed a reward system for pupils to earn acorns and they run the shop where pupils can exchange them for gifts. Leaders also ensure that pupils, including those with SEND, attend a wide range of clubs, including craft, science and cooking.

p.3

3

The school is very well led and managed. Governors and leaders in school are passionate about professional development for leaders and staff. Staff appreciate the opportunities that they have to widen their knowledge and expertise. They know that leaders prioritise their workload and well-being and feel valued by leaders. Governors know the school well and effectively hold leaders to account for the actions that they take to drive further improvement.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding. They have ensured that staff have the training they need to identify pupils who may be at risk of harm. Leaders respond swiftly to act on any concerns that staff may have. They keep diligent records of actions that they have taken. Leaders provide a wealth of help for vulnerable pupils and families. Some staff are specifically trained to support pupils’ emotional well-being. Leaders have also employed additional specialists to work with pupils individually and in small groups. Leaders work with other agencies to secure additional help for pupils.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online. For example, leaders have ensured that pupils know how to swim and how to be safe near water.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2017.

p.3

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. 13 and 14 March 2023

p.3

4

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 13 and 14 March 2023

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10256132 Type of school Infant

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 4 and 5 October 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Leaders do not use any alternative provision.

p.5

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.  During this inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher and other leaders in school. She also spoke with a range of staff.  The inspector met with eight governors, including the chair of the governing body. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. She also considered the responses from the Ofsted survey for staff. There were no responses to the Ofsted survey for pupils.  The inspector examined a range of safeguarding documentation. She checked how leaders ensure that safer recruitment procedures are in place. She also checked 13 and 14 March 2023

p.5

6

records of staff’s safeguarding training and spoke to staff to check how well they understand safeguarding procedures.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktimes, in lessons and around school. She also spoke to pupils about their experiences at school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. She met leaders and teachers and visited a sample of lessons. She also spoke with pupils about their learning in these subjects and looked at examples of pupils’ work.  The inspector observed pupils reading to a trusted adult.

p.6

Inspection team

Sally Timmons, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 13 and 14 March 2023

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

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

p.7