Loscoe CofE Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of a good school: Loscoe CofE Primary School and Nursery Church View, Loscoe, Heanor, Derbyshire DE75 7RT

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Outcome

Loscoe CofE Primary School and Nursery continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this welcoming school. They enjoy learning new things and playing with their friends. Teamwork is at the heart of this nurturing school. Pupils live up to leaders’ vision of: ‘We may be small, but together we can make a big difference.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and feel safe. They know that there are many adults to talk to if they have a worry. Pupils know what bullying is. It is rare for pupils to be unkind to each other. If it does happen, staff deal with it well. Pupils learn to be kind and polite at this school. They say that there are no ‘outsiders’. Pupils told the inspector, ‘We are all different and all welcome.’ Pupils behave well. Older pupils play happily with the younger children at lunchtimes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. From the early years, pupils meet these expectations. They work hard in lessons and achieve well. Staff praise and reward pupils for trying their best. Pupils value this; it motivates them to achieve more.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are very positive about the school. Reflecting the views of many, one parent said, ‘Loscoe is an absolutely amazing school with amazing staff.’

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

Leaders have developed a broad and ambitious curriculum. The curriculum is well ordered. Leaders have planned out what they expect pupils to know in each subject, from the early years up to Year 6. Subject leaders use their training and expertise to help staff develop skilled approaches to teaching. In the early years, children learn the key knowledge that they need to prepare them for Year 1.

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

There are systems in place for teachers to assess what pupils have learned in each subject. In some subjects, such as reading, this information is used well. Teachers adapt their teaching so that pupils can build on their prior learning. These systems are less well 25 and 26 April 2023

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developed in some other subjects. The checks that teachers make on the precise knowledge pupils have learned do not always inform pupils’ new learning.

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Pupils learn to read well at this school, right from the early years. If pupils fall behind in their reading, they receive help to catch up quickly. All staff are well trained to help pupils with their reading. They teach phonics well, and pupils soon learn to read with fluency. Pupils develop a love of reading. They take home books that are well matched to the sounds that they know. They also enjoy taking a ‘bedtime book’ to share with their family. As pupils move through the school, they read a wide range of texts and poetry. Pupils strive to earn the ‘star reader of the week’ award. They take pride in writing their book reviews in their reading journal.

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Leaders identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. Pupils with SEND access their learning alongside their peers. Staff use extra resources and make adaptations to teaching to help pupils complete their work. Leaders know that there is more work to be done to ensure that pupils’ individual targets are precise and allow pupils to achieve as well as they could.

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Pupils experience a rich and diverse programme of personal development. Leaders have devised a ‘Loscoe promise’. This is a well-thought-out plan of experiences that leaders want pupils to access during their time at the school. This includes trips to the ballet and the seaside, singing in the choir and raising money for charity. Leaders show a commitment to developing pupils’ interests and talents. There are several clubs that pupils can join, from sports to coding and crafts. Pupils have roles and responsibilities in school. The school council members improve the school environment by litter picking. ‘Mini leaders’ help the younger children at lunchtimes. The worship group members deliver collective worship and award certificates to other pupils for modelling the school’s values. Pupils learn about difference and diversity. While leaders ensure that pupils learn about different faiths and cultures, pupils’ knowledge of these is not secure.

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Staff feel well supported by school leaders. Teachers at the start of their careers receive appropriate support and mentoring. Staff’s workload is considered carefully. There is an open and positive culture here, where staff know that they can ask for support if needed.

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Governors and the trust know the school well. They have a sharp understanding of the priorities for development. They support school leaders, but also ask challenging questions to ensure that standards remain high. Governors and the trust place a high priority on staff’s well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff receive regular training and updates. They have a detailed understanding of how to identify concerns, no matter how small, and pass these on when appropriate. Leaders work well with external agencies to secure the help that pupils need. They also engage well with parents. There are robust procedures for recruitment and managing concerns about adults. 25 and 26 April 2023

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Leaders make sure that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when they are using the internet. Governors make regular checks to ensure the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, leaders’ strategies to check on pupils’ learning are at an earlier stage of development. This means that, on occasion, teachers are not able to ensure that pupils are acquiring a secure knowledge of some aspects of the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that assessment strategies in these subjects are developed and used well by teachers to check whether pupils have learned what was intended and ensure pupils’ starting points are appropriate to their needs.  Some pupils do not have a fully developed understanding of different faiths and cultures. Leaders should ensure that pupils develop a deeper understanding of these to ensure that they are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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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 predecessor school, Loscoe CofE Primary School and Nursery, to be good in March 2018.

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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. 25 and 26 April 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. 25 and 26 April 2023

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School details

Headteacher Sarah Tew (Executive Headteacher) Wendy Lynam (Head of School) Website www.loscoe.derbyshire.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Derby Diocesan Academy Trust.  The school uses no alternative provision.  The school is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Derby. The school’s last section 48 inspection took place in November 2022. This is an inspection of the school’s religious character.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the executive headteacher, the head of school and a range of staff, including early career teachers.  The inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body. She also met with representatives of the Derby Diocesan Academy Trust. 25 and 26 April 2023

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s arrangements for safeguarding, the inspector reviewed school policies, procedures and records. The inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead and spoke with staff, governors, trust representatives and pupils about the school’s approach to keeping pupils safe.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, spoke with teachers and spoke with pupils about their learning. The inspector visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work. She observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school. She considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. The inspector met with groups of staff and pupils and considered responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Kirsty Norbury, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 25 and 26 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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