John Blow Primary School

Inspection of John Blow Primary School Snowdon Road, Collingham, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG23 7PT

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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 Good 29 and 30 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show positive attitudes in this school. They are happy here. Leaders have high expectations for behaviour. They have identified school values to support the school’s motto ‘be the best you can be’. Pupils know these values. They demonstrate them in lessons and around school. Pupils value the rewards they get when they behave well. They are polite and respectful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bullying is rare in the school. Most pupils have confidence that, if it does happen, their teachers will deal with it quickly and effectively. Leaders ensure that pupils know who to talk to about any concerns. Pupils say that they feel safe in the school. They enjoy positive relationships with teachers and other adults.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending clubs, such as cooking, dancing, Lego and crafts. Parents value the opportunities for their children to attend clubs before and after school. Pupils have opportunities to learn to play a wide range of musical instruments, such as clarinet, flute, guitar, drums and piano. They enjoy singing and performing in collaboration with other schools.

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better?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. They have developed a curriculum that prioritises resilience, collaboration, curiosity, empathy, purpose and being prepared. Pupils achieve well.

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better?

In most subjects, leaders have carefully planned the knowledge and vocabulary that they want pupils to learn. They have designed the curriculum to help pupils build their knowledge and skills from the early years to Year 6. In these subjects, teachers know exactly what to teach and when. This helps pupils deepen their understanding over time. In some subjects, however, the curriculum does not yet contain enough detail. Leaders know this and have plans to continue to develop the curriculum in those areas. In some other subjects, teachers do not always present new knowledge in the planned order. When this happens, pupils cannot always make meaningful links between what they are currently learning and what has gone before.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They plan interesting lessons that help pupils to learn. Teachers use skilful questions to help pupils recall important knowledge. They encourage pupils to discuss their learning and share their ideas. In mathematics, teachers give pupils lots of opportunities to practise arithmetic. In English, pupils learn how to write at length. In music and art, they learn and practise skills that help them to improve their work as they progress through the school. In the early years, children benefit from activities that prepare them well for key stage 1.

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better?

Teachers use regular checks to find out how well pupils can remember what they have learned. When they identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge, teachers revisit topics 29 and 30 March 2023

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to help pupils to deepen their understanding. Pupils appreciate this. However, this process is not consistent across all subjects.

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Leaders have recently adopted a new phonics scheme to help pupils learn to read. All staff teach early reading consistently well. Children in the early years begin learning phonics as soon as they join the school. They enjoy the daily sessions. Pupils of any age who struggle with reading receive extra support to catch up quickly. Pupils enjoy books and read often. They talk enthusiastically about what they have read.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in the life of the school. Leaders and teachers know these pupils, and their needs, well. They adapt their teaching, so that pupils with SEND can access the full curriculum.

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Classrooms are calm and orderly. Almost all pupils engage positively in lessons. If there are occasional disruptions, teachers deal with them effectively. They encourage pupils to reflect on how their behaviour affects others. For a small number of pupils who struggle to regulate their behaviour, leaders provide additional support.

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Leaders promote pupils’ wider development well. Pupils learn how to live healthy lifestyles. They benefit from age-appropriate relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) lessons. Pupils understand equality and diversity. They respect differences.

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Senior leaders support subject leaders well. Staff and parents are positive about the recent changes at the school. Governors share and support leaders’ ambition for all pupils. Staff say that leaders have an ‘open door policy’ and encourage them to have a sensible work-life balance.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make appropriate checks on all school employees. They prioritise safeguarding training for all members of staff.

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Safeguarding

All staff and governors know the importance of keeping pupils safe. They understand the importance of reporting any concerns straight away. Leaders have robust systems in place for recording and managing concerns. They work well with other agencies, such as children’s services, when they need to.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including online. 29 and 30 March 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not ensured that the curriculum is successfully implemented in all subjects. Sometimes, teachers do not set work that follows the planned curriculum, in the right order. This means that pupils do not always learn the key curriculum content when they should. Leaders need to ensure that the work set for pupils consistently reflects the aims and ambition of the curriculum, so that pupils can successfully build sequential knowledge and skills over time.  Teachers’ use of assessment is inconsistent. In some subjects, teachers’ checks do not always focus on the important knowledge identified in the curriculum. In some other subjects, teachers’ checks do not accurately identify pupils’ misconceptions. Leaders should ensure that assessment is used effectively to check pupils’ understanding and inform teaching.

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How can I feed back my views?

You can use to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school, 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. 29 and 30 March 2023

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Inspection number 10254814 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 October 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in January 2022.  The school does not use any alternative providers.

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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 met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and other leaders.  The lead inspector met with some governors, including the chair of the board of governors.  The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority on the telephone. 29 and 30 March 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading; mathematics; geography; music and art. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, 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 some pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors met with leaders to discuss the curriculum and review samples of pupils’ work in some other subjects.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school.  Inspectors evaluated the effectiveness of safeguarding by reviewing the school’s record of pre-employment checks and holding discussions with leaders, staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

John Spragg, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Kate Rouse Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 March 2023

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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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