Gamesley Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of Gamesley Primary School Grindleford Grove, Gamesley, Glossop, Derbyshire SK13 6HW

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 18 and 19 April 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very proud that they attend this happy and welcoming school. One pupil told inspectors, ‘Whatever your background, everyone is treated with respect.’ Pupils like to walk Maggie, the school dog, and like the many after-school clubs on offer.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils. Pupils are aspirational and want to achieve. They told inspectors that they want to travel the world, be archaeologists, be doctors and be ballerinas. Pupils enjoy making a positive contribution to the life of the school. They like being house captains and playground pals.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between pupils and adults are very positive. There is a purposeful working atmosphere throughout the school. Pupils behave well. They are well- mannered. They care for each other. Pupils understand diversity and equality. Pupils are kept safe and trust adults to deal with any issues that arise. Pupils know that bullying is not allowed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most parents and carers are delighted with the school. One parent, typical of many, said: ‘I know my child is safe and happy at school. I go to work knowing that all the staff care for and look after my child.’ Parents like the way that staff deal quickly with any concerns they may have. They appreciate the way that staff are approachable.

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better?

Leaders’ actions are improving pupils’ outcomes at this school, following several COVID-related challenges. Leaders have planned an ambitious curriculum. Curriculum thinking begins in the early years. In some subjects, leaders have precisely identified the knowledge pupils should learn. Where the curriculum is set out clearly in small steps, teachers know what to teach and when. Leaders are refining other areas of the curriculum. In some subjects, leaders have not yet decided on the knowledge they want pupils to learn. As a result, pupils do not always build their knowledge over time.

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better?

Pupils remember some of the curriculum content that they have learned. For example, some pupils can explain that Hadrian’s Wall was built by the Romans to prevent raids and attacks on Roman towns and citizens. Other pupils know that the ‘Iron Age’ is the name given to the time period where iron became the preferred choice of metal for making tools. Children in the early years know that plants are living things.

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better?

Leaders are reviewing the school’s approach to how the curriculum is taught. In some subjects, the teaching of the curriculum does not help pupils to know and remember more over time. In addition, leaders have not fully developed a consistent approach to checking what pupils have learned and remembered. Teachers’ checks on this do not always establish whether pupils have learned the important knowledge set out in the curriculum. 18 and 19 April 2023

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Reading is a high priority in the school. Early readers receive high-quality support as soon as they enter the school. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics. Leaders ensure reading books are matched to the level at which pupils are reading. Pupils use their phonic knowledge to sound out unfamiliar words. Those who begin to fall behind are given the right support to get them back on track.

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The mathematics curriculum is well planned. It is set out so that pupils build up their understanding. Pupils enjoy mathematics. Pupils confidently articulate what they have learned. For example, pupils can explain how to calculate to two decimal places. In the early years, children recognise the total number of fingers without counting them. Others count forwards and backwards.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive teaching and support that are closely matched to their needs. Teachers provide strong support so that all pupils with SEND access the full curriculum. Leaders work closely with external agencies so that pupils with SEND do well at school.

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Pupils’ personal development is at the heart of the school’s work. Leaders ensure that the curriculum extends beyond the academic. Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to learn a musical instrument and to attend after-school clubs. Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to carry out leadership roles. Pupils know how to keep fit and eat healthily. Teachers make sure that pupils learn about different types of families. There is some inconsistency in some pupils’ knowledge of the fundamental British values and of world faiths.

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Representatives of the multi-academy trust (MAT) share an ambitious vision for the school. Trustees and governors are knowledgeable. They check that leaders are making the right decisions. They offer support and challenge to leaders and staff. Leaders are effective. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the leaders and the support from the MAT. Leaders work hard to ensure staff’s workload is manageable.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Leaders provide regular training for staff, trustees and governors. Staff know how to spot children who may be at risk. They pass on concerns promptly. Leaders support children’s welfare. They work well with external agencies to provide additional help when needed. Record-keeping is comprehensive. Trustees regularly check the school’s safeguarding procedures.

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Safeguarding

Leaders build strong relationships with families. They know the children and their families well. Parents say that they feel well supported and know where to seek help. Leaders make sure that vulnerable children and their families receive the help that they need. 18 and 19 April 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders’ curriculum thinking is not as well refined or sufficiently embedded as it is in the core subjects. This means that pupils’ learning does not build on the knowledge they already have to enable them to know and remember more. Leaders should ensure that their curriculums are fully refined and embedded, so that pupils know and remember more in all subjects.  In some subjects, the delivery of the curriculum does not focus sufficiently enough on supporting pupils to understand and remember important knowledge. Checks on what pupils know and understand are, at times, not linked closely to what leaders and teachers expect pupils to learn. In some instances, pupils remember activities, rather than the building blocks of knowledge needed for future learning. Leaders need to support teachers to implement the curriculum in a way that enables pupils to grasp and recall essential knowledge securely and

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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. 18 and 19 April 2023

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School details

Website https://gamesleyprimaryschool.com

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined Victorious Academies Trust in December 2018. When its predecessor school, Gamesley Community Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate.  The school does not use 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, curriculum leaders, the leader with responsibility for the provision for pupils with SEND and teaching and support staff.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, science, religious education and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum 18 and 19 April 2023

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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.  Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in other subjects.  Inspectors examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation, improvement plans and documentation relating to attendance and behaviour.  One inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead. He considered the safeguarding policy, training records and examples of safeguarding concerns.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the responses to Ofsted’s free-text service. They also considered the responses to the staff survey and the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Damien Turrell, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Rob della-Spina Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 April 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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