Westwood Infant and Nursery School

Inspection of Westwood Infant and Nursery School Palmerston Street, Westwood, Jacksdale, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG16 5JA

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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 Previous inspection grade Good 23 and 24 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

One pupil told an inspector that: ‘There is lots of kindness in our school.’ They were right. This is a happy school where pupils are looked after and nurtured. Relationships between staff and pupils are consistently positive. Pupils get on well with each other. They work and play collaboratively. They thoroughly enjoy their time at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff are united in their aim to, ‘Plant seeds to help little minds grow.’ They help pupils to become courteous and inquisitive. Pupils extend a warm welcome to visitors and set out to find out all about them. Pupils respond well to the wide range of incentives that are on offer. Stickers, star of the week awards and sitting at the royal table at lunchtime are all highly prized. These incentives motivate pupils to work hard and behave. Anyone who needs help to live up to the school’s expectations are supported well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A wide range of visits and visitors help pupils to learn. Pupils enthusiastically recall their recent work with the police and fire service. Year two pupils are looking forward to their upcoming residential visit. Pupils appreciate the extra-curricular activities that are on offer. The baking club’s cupcakes are very popular!

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better?

Leaders have recently introduced a new phonics programme. It is working well. Regular training and support have ensured that all staff have the expert knowledge that they need. Phonics is taught consistently well. Teachers make lessons engaging and fun. Pupils regularly practice the sounds that they have learned. As a result, they soon master phonics and go on to decode new and more complex texts.

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better?

Pupils develop a love of reading. They listen attentively during daily story sessions. Teachers read with expression and enthusiasm. They bring books to life. Pupils are proud of the school’s ‘library lodge’. They say that this provides them with a wide range of books to take home and enjoy with their parents and carers.

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better?

Beyond reading, the majority of the school’s curriculum is well organised. Leaders have thought carefully about what will be taught and the best order to teach it in. On the whole, pupils remember what they have learned. However, in a small number of subjects, the curriculum does not make it clear enough the content that pupils are expected to know and remember. As a result, in these subjects, pupils’ recall of the curriculum is inconsistent.

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better?

The early years is an exciting and vibrant place. Routines are well established and commonly understood. Staff take good care of children. Careful consideration is given to the care needs of the very youngest pupils. The early years curriculum, whilse being at an early stage of implementation, is well planned and sequenced. It sets out in detail what children will learn at each stage during their time in Nursery and the Reception Year. However, it does not have the same detail for children who 23 and 24 May 2023

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start nursery at the age of two. Leaders are in the process of addressing this, but this work is at an early stage.

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Pupils benefit from a well-planned programme for personal, social and health education. Pupils learn about a range of different cultures, religions and people from around the world. They learn how to look after themselves and how to be a good friend. They recall with enthusiasm their recent virtual visit to a synagogue. Pupils are keen to help out around the school. They take their responsibilities as school buddies and eco warriors seriously. Over a cup of tea and a biscuit, the school council makes suggestions about how the school could be improved further.

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The school provides effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders carefully assess these pupils’ needs. The support put in place enables pupils with SEND to learn the same curriculum as their peers. They are helped to become independent. Pupils with SEND speak positively and knowledgeably about the help that they receive.

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The school is well led and managed. The small number of senior leaders have shown resilience, determination and commitment during a period of staffing challenges. However, things are now settled. There is a dedicated and cohesive staff team in place. They share senior leaders’ ambition to provide a good quality of education and care for pupils. There is good capacity for continued improvement. However, pupils’ attendance is low. Too many pupils are persistently absent. Leaders have taken steps to address this, but their actions have not yet resulted in sufficient improvement. This remains a priority for the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There are robust systems in place to safeguard pupils. Staff understand that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Training is regular and up to date for all staff and governors. Staff know the signs of abuse to look out for and how to report any concerns they have. Records are fit for purpose.

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Safeguarding

The curriculum, along with weekly assemblies, teaches pupils how to stay safe. This includes learning about online safety, stranger danger and road safety. Pupils know who to talk to if they have a problem, worry or concern.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of foundation subjects, the curriculum does not make clear enough the content that pupils are expected to know and remember. As a result, in these subjects, pupils’ recall of the curriculum is inconsistent. Leaders should 23 and 24 May 2023

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ensure that the curriculum consistently makes clear the knowledge that pupils are expected to learn and remember.  The early years curriculum does not set out precisely enough what the youngest children in the Nursery are to learn. This means that teachers and leaders cannot check that two-year-olds are reaching the milestones that they should. Leaders should ensure that the early years curriculum sets out what is expected of the youngest children in the nursery setting, across each of the areas of learning.  Absence is high. Too many pupils do not attend school regularly enough. Leaders should take further steps to improve attendance and to tackle persistent absenteeism.

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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. 23 and 24 May 2023

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Inspection number 10240977 Type of school Infant

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Pauline Castledine and Kirsty Allen

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 December 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 With the exception of the headteacher, all teachers have taken up post since the last inspection.  The governing body is chaired by two co-chairs.  The school does not make use of any alternative providers.

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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 that 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, curriculum leaders, the early years leader and the special educational needs coordinator.  Inspectors conducted deep dives in four subjects: reading, mathematics, music and physical education. To do this, they met with curriculum leaders, visited 23 and 24 May 2023

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lessons, looked at pupils’ work and met with teachers and pupils. Inspectors also spoke to leaders and looked at curriculum documentation for science, geography, and personal, social and health education.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the governing body, including one of the co-chairs. He also held a telephone discussion with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and written comments from parents. Inspectors spoke informally to parents outside the school. They considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  Inspectors met with safeguarding leaders. They reviewed school documents, including those relating to safeguarding, governance, behaviour, the work of the local authority and attendance.  Inspectors spoke informally to pupils at breaktimes and on the playground. They visited the school’s breakfast club and spoke informally to parents outside the

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Inspection team

Vic Wilkinson, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Linda Azemia Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 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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