Nightingale Primary School

Inspection of Nightingale Primary School Tiger Way, Hackney, London E5 8NA

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 8 and 9 June 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this friendly and supportive school. They engage enthusiastically in lessons and the wide range of activities on offer. They achieve highly in many subjects, especially reading, writing and mathematics. The curriculum they learn is broad. It aims to develop pupils as active citizens who can apply their learning to the real world.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders make sure that pupils have many chances for responsibility in the school. They ensure that they respond to pupils’ suggestions on what could make the school better, for example by investing in a climbing wall and running a range of trips.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils from more disadvantaged backgrounds or with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are particularly well supported. Staff know individuals well. They ensure that all are able to participate in what the school has to offer. Staff make sure that all pupils are able to succeed, and that this success is celebrated.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and are kind to one another. Bullying is very rare but is dealt with effectively should it occur. There is very little disruption to learning. Pupils are highly motivated, and this is clear in how they behave in lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for their school. They work closely with parents and carers, and the local community to provide a welcoming, stimulating and nurturing environment.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. Their goal is to help pupils understand and be curious about the world that they live in, and be confident to participate in it.

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better?

Pupils learn to connect and apply subject content that they have been taught. This is organised carefully. For example, they address enquiry questions such as ‘Where in the world has plastic gone?’. Through this approach, pupils are supported to build, deepen and make links between knowledge. For example, they learn about materials and changing states in science and connect this to what they learn in geography about land use and environmental issues.

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better?

Another example is music, where the ‘musicals model’ reinforces and extends pupils’ knowledge. Twice a year, classes prepare and perform musicals related to their learning. For example, Year 6 pupils are currently rehearsing for a musical based on ‘Macbeth’. Pupils described how this model helps confident performers become even more proficient.

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better?

Leaders think carefully about how pupils will develop their reading from the start of Nursery to the end of Year 6. Pupils are accurately assessed and given the help they need to become fluent and proficient readers. A well-delivered and systematic 8 and 9 June 2023

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phonics programme is at the heart of this approach. Pupils enjoy reading the rich range of texts available in the library and in their classroom. Staff also give careful thought to teaching the key vocabulary that pupils need to learn, particularly to support children in the early years.

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Generally, pupils benefit from series of lessons in which staff identify clearly what knowledge should be learned. Staff check what pupils have learned carefully. For example, in mathematics, staff use strategies to find out what pupils have recalled from previous learning before they introduce new ideas. Through this, they correct misconceptions and fill gaps in understanding. In some subjects though, checking of pupils’ learning is less strong. In these cases, the activities set for pupils are less effective at developing their learning logically. Sometimes, pupils cannot recall precisely what they have learned. Leaders are quickly securing improvements. They provide a range of high-quality professional development to support teachers in strengthening their knowledge of how to deliver the curriculum, including responding to any gaps or misconceptions.

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Developing pupils as active citizens is at the centre of the taught curriculum. Leaders provide an exceptional number of rich experiences for pupils. For example, all classes grow a ‘crop’ in the school garden that is then consumed at lunch. All pupils visit Parliament to learn about how democracy works. Pupils in Years 4 to 6 enjoy their annual camping trip, where they get to explore nature and practise working as a team.

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Pupils behave well and engage enthusiastically in their learning. This is because staff think very carefully about the needs of individuals, including those with SEND, and work hard to meet these. Staff reward effort and kindness. They make thoughtful adaptations to lessons to ensure that pupils with SEND are fully included and understand the ideas taught. This care extends outside the classroom. For example, the range of activities on offer at lunchtime means that pupils have a positive outlet for their energy.

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Leaders and governors are highly conscientious in working to support the community. For example, they offer places to pupils who need high levels of support and may not have succeeded in previous schools. They work closely with families to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They said that leaders consider their well- being and provide excellent training opportunities. Parents are generally highly appreciative of the support and opportunity offered to their children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders consider pupil safety carefully. They work hard to support families. They ensure that staff are well trained to recognise and report needs. They continually think what support or education pupils may need to stay safe. 8 and 9 June 2023

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Pupils trust adults in the school to help them if they report concerns. They feel confident to do this, whether in person, online or via the worry box.

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Leaders keep detailed records and make referrals to external agencies where this is needed to secure necessary help. They carry out checks to ensure that only suitable adults are employed in the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few cases, teachers do not precisely consider the exact knowledge that they want pupils to learn or check this rigorously. This means that some pupils struggle to retain knowledge and find it harder to make connections between what they have been taught and what they are currently learning. Leaders need to continue their work to strengthen the delivery of the curriculum, embedding a rigorous and sequential approach across all subjects.

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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. 8 and 9 June 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 October 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, the school has opened a specialist provision for pupils with autism spectrum disorder. This will become a local authority provision from next year.  Since the last inspection, the school has moved to a new site with capacity for two forms of entry.  The school is likely to expand to two forms of entry in the next year.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 8 and 9 June 2023

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 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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects. Inspectors visited early years and met the with the early years leader.  To inspect safeguarding, leaders reviewed policies and spoke to leaders, staff and pupils. They also reviewed the single central record and records of referrals made to the designated safeguarding lead.  Inspectors reviewed responses to the Ofsted survey from staff, pupils and

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parents.  Inspectors spoke to leaders and reviewed records related to behaviour and attendance. They also observed pupils’ behaviour during breaktimes.  Inspectors spoke to leaders and pupils about personal development.  Inspectors spoke to school leaders and governors about their plans for the school, as well as to a representative from the local authority.

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Inspection team

Alice Clay, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jonathan Newby Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 June 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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