Pinxton Nursery School

Inspection of a good school: Pinxton Nursery School Kirkstead Road, Pinxton, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG16 6NA

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Outcome

Pinxton Nursery School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children are eager to come to Pinxton Nursery School. They are greeted warmly when they arrive each day. Children form close bonds with their key persons. Staff know the children very well. They create a caring and nurturing environment in which children flourish.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children settle into Pinxton Nursery School quickly. They come into an environment where they feel safe and secure. Children benefit from the positive relationships that they have with staff. Staff have high expectations of children’s behaviour. They help children play alongside each other. Children play well together. They share equipment and take turns. The learning environment is calm. Children are typically engrossed in their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders want all children to enjoy ‘playing and learning for living’. Staff focus on helping every child to thrive and achieve well. Come rain or shine, children love learning in the outdoor forest area. They develop confidence as they discover new things. Children are well equipped with the character skills that they need for the next stages of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a ‘family feel’ to this nursery school. Parents and carers are as much of a priority as the children here. Parents praise how staff involve them in everything that they do for their children.

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

The curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced across the seven areas of learning. Leaders have thought carefully about what they want children to learn and in what order. They plan learning to build children’s understanding logically. The curriculum encourages children’s curiosity. It widens children’s experiences and understanding of the world around them. 10 May 2023

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Leaders prioritise communication and language development. Staff identify the key vocabulary that they want children to learn through their activities. Leaders use every opportunity to develop children’s language skills. Many staff are effective in modelling and developing children’s language skills. Leaders want to develop this further so that all staff are consistent in their approach and maximise every opportunity to support children’s language development. This includes supporting children who speak English as an additional language.

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Reading is important at this school. Staff are skilled at involving children in reading. They have thought carefully about the books that they read to children. Children love joining in with the story of ‘The King’s Pants’, linked to the recent coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. They learn about the importance of cleaning their teeth when listening to ‘Freddie Visits the Dentist’. There are quiet areas where children can enjoy a book.

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Early mathematics is central to the planned curriculum. Children develop their early understanding of number in small, manageable steps. They show an understanding of shapes. Children enjoy building ‘shape castles’ to see who can build the tallest. Staff remind children of what that they have learned before. Children recall their prior learning with enthusiasm.

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Leaders expect all children to achieve well, whatever their needs. Staff are trained to provide appropriate support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Key persons support these children well. They know each child’s specific needs. Children with SEND access their learning alongside their peers.

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Staff develop children’s personal development well. They support children to be independent, resilient and respectful. Staff provide many opportunities to develop children’s understanding of the world around them. Children learn about different faiths and cultures. They learn about festivals and celebrate family events. Children enjoy visits to the local residential home, where they sing songs at Christmas. They explore the local area and visit the nearby library.

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Children are thoughtful and considerate of each other. Older children are positive role models for the younger children. At lunchtime, children use their manners. They learn about healthy foods and the importance of a balanced diet.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They say that leaders are very supportive of their workload and well-being. Staff value the thoughtfulness of the headteacher.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Leaders have made sure that the safety of children is a priority. All staff know that it is their responsibility to keep children safe. Staff know children and their families well. They are well trained to know what signs to look for if they have concerns about a child. 10 May 2023

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Leaders are vigilant. They work well with other agencies. They make sure that children and their families receive the support that they need.

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Leaders ensure that children learn about different risks in a way that is appropriate for their age.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The quality of adults’ interactions with children is variable. This means there is inconsistency in how well children are supported, through talk, to develop their knowledge of some concepts. Leaders should continue to support staff in developing their use of high-quality and timely interactions so that the teaching of all children is consistent.  Further training is needed to ensure that staff can support all groups of children consistently well. A small minority of pupils are not accessing their learning as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that all staff receive training so that they understand how to support all children, including those who speak English as an additional language.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2017.

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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.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 10 May 2023

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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. 10 May 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 9 and10 May 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.

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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.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the senior nursery teacher, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator and a range of other staff. The lead inspector met with representatives of the local governing body and the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these areas of learning: communication and language, personal development and mathematics. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders and spent time observing in the classrooms. Inspectors also talked to staff and children and observed activities to determine the impact of the curriculum and teaching methods on children’s learning and development. 10 May 2023

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 Inspectors examined a range of school documents, including leaders’ self-evaluation, improvement plans and documentation relating to attendance and behaviour.  The inspectors evaluated the effectiveness of safeguarding by reviewing the records of pre-employment checks. They also considered records that leaders held for children’s safeguarding and welfare.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s parent, children and staff questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Kirsty Norbury, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

George Huthart Ofsted Inspector 10 May 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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