Carlyle Infant and Nursery Academy

Inspection of a good school: Carlyle Infant and Nursery Academy Carlisle Avenue, Littleover, Derby, Derbyshire DE23 3ES

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Outcome

Carlyle Infant and Nursery Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is an inclusive and friendly school where pupils ‘believe, achieve and succeed’. Pupils are happy and say that they feel safe at school. They know who to talk to if they have any worries. Pupils know that adults will help them sort out any difficulties they may have. They know that staff care about them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils gain from a wide range of activities that enrich their time at school. Leaders identify and celebrate talents. Pupils enjoy success when performing on stage in their ‘rock steady’ bands. Some pupils take on roles of responsibility. For example, pupils enjoy the responsibility of representing their class on the pupil forum. Leaders listen to them and value their opinions. The pupil forum has brought about change, for example ensuring that there are more playground bins. These bins ensure that all children actively recycle.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of behaviour. Pupils rise to the challenge and behave very well. Pupils of all ages play well together during social times.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are positive about the school. Typically, a parent commented that the school is ‘welcoming and nurturing’.

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum. They have developed curriculum plans that match the knowledge and skills set out in the national curriculum. The plans identify the key knowledge that leaders want pupils to learn in all subject areas. Teachers plan lessons that build on what pupils have learned before. However, sometimes teachers choose activities that do not help pupils to learn what leaders had planned.

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

Teachers routinely check what pupils have learned and remember in mathematics and English. This is less consistent in other subjects. Teachers’ checks do not always focus on the knowledge that leaders want pupils to learn. 12 and 13 July 2023

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Leaders have prioritised reading. Staff have high levels of expertise in teaching phonics. Pupils begin to learn phonics as soon as they start in Reception Year. They read books that match the phonic knowledge that they are learning. They quickly build their confidence and learn to read fluently. Teachers regularly check on pupils’ progress in reading to identify those who need extra help. Pupils speak enthusiastically about story times and the school library. They develop a love of reading. Children in the nursery are actively engaged in story times. They learn new words that they use when talking about their learning.

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Leaders have implemented a mathematics curriculum that builds pupils’ learning over time. The systematic approach to learning mathematics begins in the early years. Children in the early years develop their mathematical vocabulary, understanding of numbers and shape recognition. They join in with physical activities to make the learning real. In all classes, teachers have strong subject knowledge. They revisit learning and build on what pupils have learned before. Teachers check what pupils have learned and understood. Teachers use these checks to address gaps in learning.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn well alongside their peers. Teachers adapt lessons effectively to meet these pupils’ needs. For example, they use resources such as number lines and cubes in mathematics. Teachers ask questions that deepen learning. Support staff help pupils to overcome challenges and to develop confidence.

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Leaders provide a breadth of opportunities for pupils. Pupils gain from the wide range of activities that enrich their time at school, for example gardening, computing and multi- skills. Pupils talk about school trips enthusiastically, such as trips to Sudbury Hall and the farm park. Pupils learn about different religions through the curriculum and during assemblies. They understand the school’s character values well. Pupils learn the values of resilience, tolerance and aspiration. They recognise the importance of kindness and respecting others. Pupils talk confidently about looking after themselves and their mental health. They know the importance of eating the right food and taking regular exercise.

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Most pupils attend school well. However, some pupils are absent too often. These pupils miss too much school and fall behind with their learning.

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Staff are overwhelmingly positive about being part of a supportive team. They appreciate the efforts that leaders make to manage their workload and well-being. Trust leaders provide swift support to ensure rapid improvements in school. Support is extensive and focused on the school priorities. Trust leaders know the school very well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that a strong culture of safeguarding underpins the school’s work. Staff know pupils and their families very well. Staff receive regular training to ensure that they are up to date with statutory guidance. They are swift to act on any concerns. Leaders work effectively with external agencies to ensure that pupils and their families get the 12 and 13 July 2023

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help that they need. Leaders complete appropriate pre-employment checks on adults before they start working with pupils.

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Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, for example when crossing the road and when using the internet.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Too many pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, boys and those who have English as an additional language, are regularly absent. This impacts negatively on their learning and progress. Leaders need to continue to develop the work with children and their families to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly and that the rate of persistent absence is reduced.  In some foundation subjects, teachers do not choose the most appropriate activities to deliver the intended curriculum. This results in pupils not remembering as much of the curriculum as they should. Leaders should ensure that staff know how to select the most appropriate activities, so that pupils consistently know and remember more of the curriculum across all subjects.  Teachers regularly check what pupils have learned in the core subjects. However, leaders have not developed a consistent approach to what needs to be assessed in foundation subjects. As a result, teachers do not clearly know what pupils have learned

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

in these subjects. Leaders need to develop a consistent approach to assessing pupils’ learning in foundation subjects.

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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 predecessor school, Carlyle Infant and Nursery School, to be good in October 2011. 12 and 13 July 2023

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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.

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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. 12 and 13 July 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10298533 Type of school Infant

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The interim principal has been in post since May 2022.  The school does not make use of any alternative education provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection that 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 met with the interim principal, other trust leaders and members of staff. The inspector met with the Chief Executive Officer and the Director of Education from the trust.  The inspector carried out deep dives in: reading, mathematics and geography. For each of these subjects, the inspector held discussions with subject leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and spoke with teachers and pupils. The inspector listened to pupils read.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents including the school improvement plan, various policies and curriculum planning. 12 and 13 July 2023

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 The inspector observed playtime. The inspector spoke to a range of staff and pupils informally.  The inspector spoke with safeguarding leaders, pupils and staff about the school’s work to keep pupils safe. The inspector reviewed safeguarding records and the single central record.  The inspector considered the parental responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey, including the free-text comments. The inspector considered the staff responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Donna Chambers, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 July 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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