Sir John Nelthorpe School

Inspection of a good school: Sir John Nelthorpe School Grammar School Road, Brigg, Lincolnshire DN20 8AA

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 October 2023

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Outcome

Sir John Nelthorpe School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school celebrates the importance of being strong and faithful in everything pupils do. Pupils model these values through their positive behaviours in school. They demonstrate resilience and integrity in their learning. Pupils are polite and respectful to all members of the school community. When visitors arrive in classrooms, they are welcomed by pupils taking on the role of ‘lead learner’. These pupils explain the theme of the lesson and how it links to what they have learned before. Pupils enjoy this responsibility. They are proud to explain their learning to others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including sixth-form students, are happy in school. They enjoy learning. In lessons, they behave extremely well. They listen carefully to the expert input from their teachers and are keen to share their views at appropriate times. The school has high expectations for all pupils. They have carefully planned the curriculum to build pupils’ knowledge over time. Pupils in all key stages understand connections between new learning and prior learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a broad and varied enrichment offer, which includes a bird-watching club, a diversity club and a badminton club. Pupils and parents value these experiences and the opportunities these provide to develop pupils’ talents and interests.

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

Pupils and sixth-form students benefit from the broad and ambitious curriculum that leaders have put in place. They acquire the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in their learning and in the wider world. Pupils study a wide range of subjects, with many following an increasingly academic pathway at key stage 4. This carries on to the sixth form, where considered links with another school enable this curriculum breadth to continue.

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

The school carefully identifies the support pupils need, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Information is shared effectively with 17 and 18 October 2023

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teachers. Support plans contain the information and strategies that staff need to help pupils with SEND to access the curriculum. Pupils with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs receive bespoke support. This gives them the strategies they need to overcome barriers and to reintegrate into their learning successfully.

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Teachers are knowledgeable and have much subject expertise. They help pupils to remember the most important knowledge that they need. On occasion, the tasks that teachers set pupils do not enable them to apply their knowledge in sufficient depth.

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The school quickly identifies the support that pupils who are in the early stages of reading need. Effective help is put in place to quickly remove any barriers that pupils may have. This ensures that pupils quickly improve their reading. The school’s focus on developing a love of reading for all includes a weekly reading lesson for key stage 3 pupils. Pupils enjoy reading a diverse range of carefully selected texts.

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Pupils behave very well. Staff develop positive attitudes to learning, which results in a calm atmosphere in lessons. On the rare occasions that bullying happens, the school takes swift action to address it effectively. Pupils are confident to raise concerns to a trusted adult. They know that staff will help them.

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Sixth-form students play an active part in the life of the school and are excellent role models for younger pupils. This is reflected in the way they support some pupils with their reading. Sixth-form students plan and deliver a range of activities during the ‘sixth form fun-raiser week’. As part of this, the ‘soak a sixth former’ event raised funds for the school and a local charity. Sixth-form students value the area they have in which to study and interact with their peers.

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The school takes pride in developing pupils’ experiences beyond the academic curriculum. All pupils and students have a ‘character passport’ bespoke to their year group. They develop wider skills, such as cooking or joining a club. Students in the sixth form research the world of work and consider their well-being. These achievements are recognised by the school in celebration assemblies.

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Leaders support staff well and take account of their workload and well-being. Leaders and governors care for all staff. Staff feel proud to work at the school. Parents value the communication from school. The weekly communication celebrates the week that has gone and shares key information about upcoming events. Such communication makes parents feel involved in the life of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 17 and 18 October 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, tasks set by teachers do not enable pupils to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in sufficient depth. The school should work with teachers to ensure that tasks set enable pupils to learn the intended curriculum as fully as possible.

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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 December 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.

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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). 17 and 18 October 2023

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Website http://www.sirjohnnelthorpe.co.uk/

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Date of previous inspection 16 May 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a key stage 3 provision for pupils with SEMH needs. The provision, Aspire, currently has ten pupils in it.  A very small number of pupils attend registered alternative provision. The school takes appropriate action to check the suitability of these provisions and to ensure pupils are safe.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 17 and 18 October 2023

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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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: art and design, English, geography and mathematics. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of 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 that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders over the course of the inspection.  The lead inspector met with the members of the governing body, including the chair.  A range of school documents were reviewed, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans.  Inspectors considered the views of parents through the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors considered the views of pupils through their responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils and through meetings held with pupils.  Inspectors considered the views of staff through meetings and through their responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Andrew Gibbins, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gillian Hemming Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 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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