Intake Farm Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Intake Farm Primary School Armstrong Road, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG19 6JA

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Outcome

Intake Farm Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Intake Farm Primary is a school where everyone feels welcome. There is high ambition for all pupils. Leaders share examples of future jobs that pupils can do. They also share the success stories of former pupils and where they are in the world. This inspires current pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school and say that they feel safe. They speak warmly about their teachers. Pupils behave well in school. When pupils need support, they say that they can ask any teacher for help. Pupils say there is no bullying in school. They are aware that bullying is not acceptable.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the roles that are available in school. There is a pupil council. There are ambassadors for curriculum areas. They are knowledgeable about their subjects. These pupils are proud of the work they do in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are a wide range of clubs in school. Pupils can play football, dodgeball and boccia. There are further opportunities to learn about public speaking. Pupils can also take part in drama sessions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers value the support that the staff give their children. One parent reflected the views of many, saying, ‘My child is happy to attend this school and he goes with a smile every day.’

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum that identifies what pupils are learning. The curriculum begins in the early years. For example, children learn about the number seven. After learning about this in the classroom, they go outside to learn even more. They move beanbags between hoops and see how many are in each group. Teachers show they have good subject knowledge. They have regular opportunities for further 27 and 28 June 2023

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training. This takes place in school and beyond. Leaders have made good use of opportunities to work with a local trust.

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Leaders have made sure that staff have appropriate training to lead their subject. Where these subjects have been in place for longer, the curriculum is effective. In these subjects, pupils are able to recall prior knowledge. They make strong, well-founded links to previous learning. In some foundation subjects, the curriculum is not as well sequenced. The key knowledge is not clearly identified. Pupils are less successful in recalling prior learning. Leaders know there is more to do to ensure these careful plans are in place.

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The teaching of reading is a priority in school. There is a real culture of reading. Pupils talk about their love of books and their favourite authors and books. Pupils talk about the headteacher’s library. They enjoy reading the books in this collection.

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In mathematics, pupils learn about different properties of shapes. They can recall vocabulary such as ‘vertices’, ‘face’ and ‘quadrilateral’. Pupils are confident in discussing the differences in shapes.

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Children in the early years start to learn the sounds that letters represent. This happens as soon as they start school. Children get off to the best possible start with their reading. They get help if they fall behind. Books that children read match the sounds they are learning. Pupils of all ages enjoy books. This love of books starts in the early years. Teachers use songs, rhymes and stories. Children enjoy these.

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Behaviour is good across the whole school. The successful start in early years continues through school. As soon as children start in school, they know there are rules. This helps children to know how to behave. Pupils are polite and kind. They make good choices and they get rewarded for this. They value the merit stickers that they get.

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Pupils raise money for charities and learn how to be good citizens. They know and understand the rule of law and democracy. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get help early. Teachers make adaptations to lessons. This helps these pupils access the full curriculum. This is an inclusive school and pupils with SEND get involved in all aspects of school life.

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Some pupils are persistently absent from school. Some of these pupils are vulnerable. This means they risk falling behind in their learning. Leaders know that there is more to do to ensure these children are in school.

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Staff feel well supported by leaders in school. Leaders and governors monitor workload. There is a sharp understanding of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 27 and 28 June 2023

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There is a strong safeguarding culture in school. Leaders ensure all staff have had the correct training to keep children safe. Staff recognise when children may be at risk and they take prompt actions. Staff work closely with families when they need help. Leaders step in promptly when safeguarding concerns arise. Leaders use external support from organisations. They keep in contact with service providers when cases are ongoing. Record-keeping is accurate.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Too many pupils are persistently absent from school. These pupils miss key learning, and they risk falling behind their peers. Leaders must ensure that these pupils improve their attendance to ensure they do not miss key learning.  A small number of subjects are not yet fully planned and sequenced. As a result, in these subjects, children do not remember curriculum content as well as they could. They are also not able to make links with previous learning. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum, across all subjects, is well planned and sequenced.

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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 January 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.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 27 and 28 June 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. 27 and 28 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

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 January 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school does not use any 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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and a range of staff.  The inspector met with members of the governing body.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and religious education. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, spoke with teachers, spoke with pupils about their learning, visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector observed some pupils reading to a familiar adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s arrangements for safeguarding, the inspector reviewed school policies, procedures and records and met with the designated

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safeguarding lead. The inspector also spoke with staff, governors and pupils about the school’s approach to keeping pupils safe.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. The inspector met with staff and considered the responses to the Ofsted survey for school staff.

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Inspection team

George Huthart, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 27 and 28 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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