Sutton-On-Trent Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of a good school: Sutton-On- Trent Primary and Nursery School Church Street, Sutton-on-Trent, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG23 6PD

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Outcome

Sutton-On-Trent Primary and Nursery School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud advocates for Sutton-On-Trent Primary and Nursery School. They work and play together happily. Older pupils keep a close eye out for younger pupils and include them in their games. Children from the Nursery class play alongside the rest of the school at lunchtime. They wear high-visibility jackets, so that everyone can take extra care of them. Pupils say, ‘we have lots of friends’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have warm relationships with adults in school. Pupils know that staff expect them to behave well. Respect is an expectation of all. Pupils listen well in lessons and get on with their learning. Pupils know that staff want the very best for them. They feel valued and know that they will always be listened to. They feel safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ ambition for pupils extends well beyond academic success. Leaders want pupils to develop characteristics that will help them in all aspects of their life. Pupils learn to be inclusive, aspirational, positive, resilient, supportive and dedicated. Parents appreciate how the school cares for their children. One parent said: ‘This small school provides a safe and nurturing environment. Self-belief, good behaviour and hard work are actively encouraged.’

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

There is much to celebrate in the school. Leaders engage with staff well. Staff are proud to work at the school. They say that the new leadership team is working well. This view is shared by parents and governors. Staff appreciate that leaders are mindful of their workload and well-being.

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

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is broad and balanced. They have identified the key knowledge that pupils need to know and remember across the curriculum. In most subjects, they have thought carefully about how this can work best in mixed-age classes. Leaders are reviewing curriculum plans to ensure that pupils’ knowledge is built up sequentially over time. In computing this is working well. A well-constructed curriculum 4 May 2023

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means that by Year 6 pupils can use their computing knowledge to produce impressive animations of fairy tales that they present to pupils in key stage 1. There are a small number of subjects where leaders have yet to complete these important reviews.

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Teachers have good subject knowledge. They follow the curriculum plans closely. They provide clear explanations to help pupils to remember the intended learning. They ask questions to make sure that pupils understand what they have been taught. In mathematics, teachers insist that pupils use accurate mathematical vocabulary to explain how they have found their answers. In a few lessons, teachers do not adapt learning well enough. They do not spot when they may need to adjust plans, so that all pupils learn as well as they can.

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Children in the early years get off to a flying start. In Nursery, children learn to communicate successfully. They share delight when they find minibeasts under logs. They tell each other: ‘Look, I’ve found a woodlouse.’ In the Reception Year, this strong foundation continues.

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Early reading is taught well. Leaders make sure that staff have the skills they need to deliver the phonics programme. Pupils learn the sounds they need to know to read with confidence. Pupils who find it hard to keep up with phonics receive extra help. Pupils enjoy reading. They have access to a wide range of books in their attractive school library. Leaders plan the books that are used in lessons with care. Teachers chose books that link to learning across the curriculum. These books include, traditional tales, non-fiction texts, poetry and graphic novels. Pupils retell the stories from their class texts with interest and enthusiasm.

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The school is an inclusive school. Leaders are aspirational for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Their needs are well known. They are fully involved in all aspects of school.

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Pupils welcome everyone. They understand what discrimination is and say that it has no place in their school. Pupils learn about the lives of others that may be different to their own experiences. Leaders provide meaningful opportunities for pupils to engage with their local community. Pupils participate in the village festival and ‘Sutton’s Got Talent’. They hold a ‘grandparents’ tea party’ and celebrate age as a protected characteristic. There is a range of clubs including choir, chess and paper craft. Leaders promote healthy lives. They want pupils to know that you do not have to be the best at sport to enjoy it.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff have the training they need. Staff fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities. They understand the importance of following the school’s procedures for reporting concerns. Safeguarding records are thorough. They detail the concerns staff have about pupils, no matter how small. Safeguarding leaders regularly review these records. They take further action at the right times to make sure that pupils are kept safe. 4 May 2023

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Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe. They understand when, and how, to report any worries they may have. They understand why it is important to be alert to possible dangers when working online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a very small number of subjects the curriculum is not as developed as fully as it is in other areas. In these subjects, the important knowledge that pupils need to know and remember is not identified with the same degree of precision and it is not clear how pupils build their knowledge up step by step over time. Leaders should ensure that all curriculum plans are revised, so that the key learning is clear and carefully sequenced.  In some lessons teachers do not adjust curriculum plans in order to ensure that all pupils’ needs are met. As a result, some pupils do not learn as well as they can. Leaders should ensure that teachers have the skills and confidence they need to adapt their teaching so that all pupils remember the intended learning.

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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 February 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. 4 May 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. 4 May 2023

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Anna Curtis/Tamsin Caputa

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School details

Date of previous inspection 27 and 28 February 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in January 2021.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club that is managed by the governing body.  The school does not make use of 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.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator and three members of the governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and computing. For each of these subjects, inspectors held discussions with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils and looked at pupils’ work. An inspector 4 May 2023

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listened to pupils reading. Inspectors reviewed further curriculum plans for design technology and geography.  To inspect safeguarding, the lead inspector reviewed safeguarding documentation, including the school’s record of recruitment checks. A meeting was held with the designated safeguarding lead. Inspectors spoke with staff about the school’s safeguarding arrangements and to pupils about how they are taught to keep themselves safe.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around the school and at lunchtime.  Inspectors took account of parents’ responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, and parents’ written comments. An inspector spoke to parents at the school gate. Inspectors also considered responses to the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Caroline Poole, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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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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