Kneesall CofE Primary School

Inspection of Kneesall C of E Primary School School Lane, Kneesall, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG22 0AB

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 4 and 5 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

One parent captured the sentiments of many parents and carers in writing that, ‘This is a great little school, my children love it and so do I.’ Staff have established a strong, inclusive and vibrant ethos. Pupils know that staff care about them, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds or pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Relationships are warm and trusting. Pupils say that they feel happy and safe in this small, popular school. They are impeccably polite and courteous.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school goes to great lengths to ensure that all pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils have a strong understanding of moral and social issues. Pupils join in discussions well. They understand the importance of treating others with fairness. Their respect for others is remarkably strong.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave and attend consistently well. They follow their teachers’ instructions diligently. Many relish the opportunity to help lead school initiatives, including by being ‘diversity champions’ and by organising house competitions. Pupils live out the school’s values of ‘kindness, courage and faith’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of all pupils. Pupils enjoy school. Classrooms are stimulating spaces where pupils consistently display positive attitudes towards their learning. Most pupils achieve well, especially in reading by the end of key stage 2.

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better?

The new vision for the success of the school and its pupils is unwavering. Staff are committed to ensuring the success of recently introduced changes. Staff morale is high. There is a united sense of common purpose in making sure that pupils get a good deal. Staff know all pupils exceptionally well. They are ambitious for all. Staff value the opportunities for professional learning to help realise the school’s ambitious vision. These include attending local school improvement networks.

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better?

The provision for pupils with SEND is strong. Staff support these pupils well. Staff receive the right amount of information to help meet these pupils’ needs well. Parents value the constructive relationship between home and school. They feel included in their children’s education. The school works well with external services to ensure that pupils with SEND receive specialist support when needed. Pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds are similarly well supported in most subjects.

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better?

Work is well under way to revitalise the school’s broad curriculum. There has been appropriate consideration of how pupils build their knowledge from the early years to the end of Year 6, in mixed-age class groups. In most subjects, teachers have clarity about precisely what they must teach and when. They use their strong subject knowledge to check pupils’ understanding effectively. Pupils in lower key stage 2, for example, have secure knowledge of algorithms and how these inform 4 and 5 October 2023

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computer programming. The school knows there is more to do to ensure that all pupils achieve as well as they can in all subjects.

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The curriculum for early reading has been rapidly transformed. Thorough checks on how well pupils learn to read ensure that all pupils receive tailored teaching, from Nursery onwards. Books are well matched to the letter sounds that pupils are learning. Staff ensure that there are daily opportunities for pupils to read. Pupils who need extra help receive this quickly from expert staff. As a result, most pupils achieve well. Pupils’ handwriting is similarly well developed.

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The school promotes a strong culture of reading across all year groups. Staff read stories with enthusiasm. Classroom libraries are well stocked with books that stimulate pupils’ interest and celebrate diversity in society.

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Most children get off to a great start in the early years. These children are well prepared for Year 1. Children enjoy high-quality interactions with adults. Learning activities are well considered and purposeful. Occasionally, children wait for adult attention. When this happens, they sometimes lose focus on their learning. Staff restore children’s concentration quickly when this is noticed.

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The school’s programme for pupils’ personal development is exceptionally effective. Pupils are well prepared to become responsible and respectful citizens. Their knowledge of the school’s values, the British values and the protected characteristics is impressive. Pupils have an equally strong understanding of how to stay healthy and keep safe, including when crossing the road and when online. Staff use questioning skills well to promote purposeful discussion. Pupils enjoy participating in the wide range of clubs and activities that this small school can offer. Staff go out of their way to make sure that the most vulnerable pupils benefit from these opportunities.

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All leaders know the school well. They have a well-informed understanding of the school’s strengths and improvement priorities. Governors actively support how the school continues to build on its strengths.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the curriculum is not yet as fully developed as it is for most other subjects. This means that teachers are not always sure what knowledge and skills they should be checking so that pupils build their knowledge over time in these subjects. The school should ensure that the knowledge pupils should learn, and the order in which they should learn it, are completely clear 4 and 5 October 2023

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across all subjects so that staff can fully support all pupils to achieve as well as they can.

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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' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 4 and 5 October 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 8 February 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher joined the school in January 2023.  The school’s last section 48 inspection of its religious character was in April 2018.  The school does not use any alternative education provision.  The ‘Kneesall Out Of School Club’ operates on the same site as the primary school. This provider was not visited as part of the inspection.

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 4 and 5 October 2023

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other members of staff at the school.  The lead inspector met with two members of the governing body, including the vice-chair. He spoke by telephone with the director of education for the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, computing, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum with subject and senior leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also considered curriculum documentation for several other subjects, including design and technology, geography, relationships, sex and health education, and science.  The lead inspector listened to pupils from key stage 1 and Year 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaivour in lessons and around the school site

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during playtime. They spoke with several groups of pupils, both formally and informally, including some with pupil leadership roles.  To evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s arrangements for safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single central record, took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils, and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View and Ofsted’s surveys for staff and pupils. The lead inspector also considered the school’s own survey of parents’ views.

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Inspection team

Chris Stevens, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Liz Moore Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 October 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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