Alvaston Infant and Nursery School

Inspection of a good school: Alvaston Infant and Nursery School Elvaston Lane, Alvaston, Derby, Derbyshire DE24 0PU

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Outcome

Alvaston Infant and Nursery School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy and friendly school where children thrive. Pupils love being at school. They attend well. Pupils are well prepared for their next steps in education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe at school. They know who to talk to if they have any worries. They know that they are part of a ‘school family’, and staff care about them. Pupils’ well-being is central to the work of the school. Pupils benefit from time in the ‘talk and sort’ group. Pupils know that adults will help them sort out any difficulties that they may have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that ‘everyone is kind’. Pupils are respectful. They know and understand the schools’ values. Pupils meet the high expectations of behaviour. They behave very well. Bullying is rare. Staff deal with any incidents quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils rise to the challenge and want to succeed. Pupils’ opinions are valued. They have brought about change, for example, with the creation of the reading pod.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. Typically, a parent commented that they feel ‘included, involved and informed’.

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum. They have identified the key knowledge that they want pupils to learn, and when, in English and mathematics. However, leaders have not determined the most important knowledge pupils need to know and remember in some other subjects.

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

Teachers plan lessons that build on what pupils have learned before in some subjects. Teachers check that pupils have understood what they need to do. Teachers use assessment to identify what pupils have learned and remember in mathematics and 25 and 26 April 2023

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English. However, leaders have not ensured that assessment is as well developed in other subjects.

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Leaders have prioritised reading. Staff have high levels of expertise in teaching phonics. Pupils begin to learn phonics as soon as they start in Reception Year. They read books that are matched to the phonic knowledge that they are learning. They quickly build their confidence and learn to read fluently. Staff help pupils to keep up if they begin to fall behind. Pupils develop a love of reading. They speak enthusiastically about story times and the ‘treasured texts’.

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Leaders have developed a mathematics curriculum that logically builds pupils’ learning over time. Expectations of what pupils can achieve are high. Teachers plan activities and resources that appropriately challenge pupils. Teachers carefully check what pupils have learned and address gaps in learning. Teachers make sure that pupils who need additional help receive targeted support. Children in early years are focused on their learning of number and shape. They get off to a good start.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn well alongside their peers. Teachers adapt lessons effectively to meet these pupils’ needs. For example, they break activities down and ask relevant questions that deepen learning. Support staff help pupils to overcome challenges and to develop confidence.

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Leaders have prioritised pupils’ personal development. They ensure that pupils’ well-being is at the heart of what the school does. Pupils understand the school’s values well. They make connections between the school’s values and fundamental British values. Pupils learn the value of resilience and ‘not giving up’. They recognise the importance of kindness and respecting others. They learn about different religions. Pupils learn about democracy, and they vote about important things in school. They gain from a wide range of activities that enrich their time at school.

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Staff are overwhelmingly positive about being part of the ‘Alvaston family’. Staff are valued members of a determined and respected team. They appreciate the efforts that leaders make to manage their workload and well-being. Most parents believe that their children are happy, safe and thriving at school .

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Governors work effectively. They are a strong team. They know the school very well. They understand their roles and fulfil their statutory duties effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that a strong culture of safeguarding underpins the school’s work. Staff know pupils and their families very well. Staff receive regular training to ensure they are up to date with statutory guidance. They are swift to act on any concerns. Leaders work effectively with external agencies to ensure that pupils and their families get the help that they need. Leaders complete appropriate pre-employment checks on adults before they start working with pupils. 25 and 26 April 2023

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Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, for example when crossing the road and when using the internet.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, leaders have not identified the key knowledge that pupils need to learn at each stage of their education. As a result, pupils do not gain and consolidate the curriculum as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum consistently sets out the precise knowledge that pupils should learn at each stage of their education.  Teachers regularly check what pupils have learned in the core subjects. However, leaders have not developed a consistent approach to assessment of learning in the foundation subjects. As a result, teachers do not clearly know what pupils have learned in these subjects. Leaders need to develop a consistent approach to assess pupils’ learning in the foundation subjects.

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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 October 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. 25 and 26 April 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. 25 and 26 April 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 and 11 October 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in November 2020.  The school does not make use of any alternative education provision.

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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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, other leaders and members of staff. The inspector met with governors and a local authority representative.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and geography. For each of these subjects, the inspector held discussions with subject leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and spoke with teachers and pupils. The inspector listened to pupils read.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including the school improvement plan, various policies and curriculum planning. 25 and 26 April 2023

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 The inspector observed lunchtime. The inspector spoke to a range of staff and pupils informally.  The inspector spoke with safeguarding leaders, pupils and staff about the school’s work to keep pupils safe. The inspector reviewed safeguarding records and the single central record.  The inspector spoke with parents and considered the parental responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Donna Chambers, lead inspector Ofsted 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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