Morven Park Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of a good school: Morven Park Primary and Nursery School School Street, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG17 7BT

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Outcome

Morven Park Primary 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 school. Staff and pupils live out the aim of ‘We’re all unique, together as one’. The school’s values of respect, honesty, teamwork, self-belief, determination and passion are central to pupils’ school life. As one pupil wrote, ‘My biggest belief is that children of all ages and abilities should be able to have a balanced curriculum whilst having fun.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

This inclusive school gives pupils a broad range of opportunities. Pupils benefit from many extra-curricular clubs. They value visits from past pupils and from adults who talk about their various careers. Leaders are ambitious for every pupil to succeed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Therefore, pupils behave well. They are polite and courteous. Rare incidents of poor behaviour are not tolerated. Relationships between pupils and staff are strong.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Playtimes are happy occasions. The pupil ambassadors are around to support anyone who needs it. Pupils know to treat everyone as they want to be treated. The outdoor multi- gym encourages pupils to lead a healthy lifestyle.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents hold positive views of the school. One parent’s comment, typical of many, was: ‘This school has a very strong sense of community. The pupils are at the centre of it.’

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. It clearly identifies the important knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils will learn. The curriculum prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education. Teachers know what the important knowledge is and teach it well. This helps pupils to understand the key concepts. Staff benefit from effective training. They have strong subject knowledge. During lessons, teachers use assessment to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This helps them to plan for pupils’ next steps. However, in some books, pupils’ misconceptions are not corrected. 14 and 15 June 2023

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Leaders have prioritised reading. A new, well-stocked library has opened. The phonics programme is well sequenced. It helps pupils to read confidently and fluently. Frequent checks help to ensure that pupils who need extra help receive it promptly. Pupils’ reading books are mostly well matched to the sounds that they know. Pupils value the enjoyment and importance of reading. One pupil said, ‘It opens a day to a whole new world.’ However, in some English lessons, pupils do not always write with grammatical accuracy. Their spelling and punctuation could be better.

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Pupils enjoy mathematics and speak confidently about their learning. Teachers have strong mathematical subject knowledge. They ensure that sequences of lessons are carefully planned to suit the needs of all pupils. For example, lessons begin with a ‘fluency focus’. These support pupils to learn various number facts.

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Low-level disruption is rare. Pupils are attentive and want to learn.

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Children in the early years have a cracking start to their school life. Leaders and staff ensure that children have strong foundations in phonics and number. The learning environment is arranged so that all children have a range of experiences to support their curiosity, independence and learning. For example, when creating maps of the outdoor area, they develop their language around position and direction. Children like learning. They are happy. As one child said, ‘We are all friends here.’

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Teachers adapt the curriculum to ensure pupils with SEND can achieve. Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND have clear support plans with appropriate targets. These targets are reviewed termly with pupils, staff and parents. Leaders provide a range of parent workshops to support families, such as the termly autism network group. Consequently, pupils with SEND are progressing well through the curriculum.

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Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They are knowledgeable about fundamental British values and why they are important. Pupils respect differences and understand the importance of democracy and tolerance. The school’s diversity council plans some assemblies, such as ones considering the Windrush anniversary. Pupils have a good understanding of faiths and cultures that are different to their own.

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Staff say that they enjoy working here and are proud to do so. They appreciate the training opportunities that are offered.

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The governing body members have a comprehensive understanding of the school. They hold leaders to account for their actions. Governors are sensitive to staff’s workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured that robust systems are in place to help keep pupils safe. Staff are knowledgeable and receive up-to-date safeguarding training. Staff know how to identify 14 and 15 June 2023

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and report concerns. When concerns are identified, leaders take swift action to arrange the help that pupils and their families need.

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Pupils know whom to talk to if they have a concern. They value the school’s worry box and know that staff will deal with their worries quickly. The school’s comprehensive curriculum ensures that pupils are taught about staying safe. This includes when they are online, near to water or near local train lines.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not always identify and address pupils’ errors in sentence construction, punctuation and spelling. This means that pupils do not always compose texts that are grammatically accurate. Leaders need to ensure that the writing curriculum is refined further so that teachers model to pupils how to write with consistent accuracy.  Teachers do not always identify misconceptions in pupils’ books. This means that some of the pupils repeat the errors that they have made. Leaders should ensure that teachers consistently identify errors so that misconceptions are corrected in pupils’ books.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2014.

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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. 14 and 15 June 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. 14 and 15 June 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

Date of previous inspection 13 February 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the ‘Together as One’ collaboration.  The school does not use the services of any alternative providers.  There is a breakfast and an after-school club, managed by the governing body.

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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 held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other leaders. He also met with a range of staff, including the pastoral team.  The inspector carried out deep dives in three subjects: early reading and English, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and met with teachers and pupils.  The inspector listened to pupils read. He also looked at curriculum documentation for personal, social, health and economic education, science, history and religious education and reviewed various school policies. 14 and 15 June 2023

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 The inspector met with representatives of the governing body, including the chair, and reviewed the minutes from governing body meetings.  The inspector met with safeguarding leads and reviewed the single central record. He also reviewed school documents concerning safeguarding and safer recruitment.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s staff, parent and pupil questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Jon Brown, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 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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