Templemoor Infant and Nursery School

Inspection of Templemoor Infant and Nursery School Nursery Close, Off Temple Road, Sale, Cheshire M33 2EG

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 14 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection. 8 and 9 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils’ achievement. Pupils learn and achieve well. They settle easily into many happy friendships and feel safe when attending the school. From the very beginning of their time in the Nursery and Reception classes, children use this spacious school with confidence. Pupils benefit from the learning activities that staff provide. These enthuse them to gain new knowledge.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn from the staff to be kind and considerate. They can explain the meaning of the word ‘respectful’, which they use to describe their own and other pupils’ behaviour. They talk with understanding about wanting to be like the characters that the school has created. For instance, they want to be ‘Ready Rex’, by being ready to learn. They aim to be ‘Tough Tortoise’, who knows to keep going, even when things are tricky. They behave like ‘Healthy Henry’, by eating healthily and drinking lots of water.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils benefit from the extra activities that the school provides. They enjoy clubs, such as singing and sports. Pupils in the popular after-school provision learn to mix well with other pupils who come to the club from a nearby junior school.

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better?

Mostly, the school has established a carefully considered curriculum that prepares children and pupils well for their future lives. The unvalidated published outcomes in 2023, for phonics in Year 1 and reading, writing and mathematics in key stage 1, show that pupils’ attainment was high.

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better?

The school has designed its curriculum in reading particularly well. Teachers and teaching assistants in the Nursery class use rhymes, song and talk to begin children’s education successfully. This skilful work continues in the reception classes and Years 1 and 2. Staff expertly teach pupils to read. The school ensures that staff have first-rate knowledge of how to support weaker readers to keep up in their learning of phonics. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), become skilled readers. They understand the importance of this skill for their future lives.

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better?

Pupils talk about different authors, poets and their works knowledgeably and eagerly. This is because the school provides pupils with multiple, meaningful opportunities to enjoy reading. For example, pupils listen often to staff reading aloud skilfully from a diverse range of high-quality fiction and non-fiction books. Pupils are enthralled by the tales that staff tell them. They want to read for themselves and to look at books even more.

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better?

The school teaches pupils many valuable new words. Staff challenge pupils to find and explain fascinating words in books. Beginning in the Nursery class, children are captivated by the words that staff use and explain, such as ‘fire’ and ‘kiln’ when children learn to become a clay artist. 8 and 9 November 2023

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Mostly, the school’s curriculum is thought out, delivered and assessed carefully. This enables pupils to learn and achieve well. Nevertheless, in a few subjects, including in the early years, the school’s curriculum thinking is less well developed. At times, the school does not ensure that some pupils learn the essential information that they need to know. Sometimes, pupils find some complex learning a step too much.

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Staff use assessment strategies to identify and support the needs of pupils, including those with SEND, quickly and effectively. The school keeps a watchful eye on the effectiveness of the support that it provides. It removes barriers to pupils’ learning and development as much as possible.

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With pupils so thrilled about their learning, it is little wonder that they behave sensibly. Pupils are keen learners. Disruptions to lessons are rare and staff can focus their attention on teaching.

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The school makes certain that pupils benefit from a wide-ranging programme to develop their personal skills. For instance, pupils learn how to debate important topics and how to present one’s views and ideas to an audience. Through many well-thought-out opportunities, pupils learn to respect human rights and to understand important issues, such as homelessness.

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Governors check the quality of what the school provides, for instance about safeguarding, the curriculum and the provision for pupils with SEND. They challenge and support the school’s work effectively.

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The school takes many successful steps to ensure that staff have a work-life balance. This means, for instance, that the amount of assessment records that it asks staff to complete has been reduced. Nevertheless, as part of the many changes to re-organising classrooms on the school site in recent months, teachers and teaching assistants have experienced a busy workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some of the curriculum, including in the early years, the school has not thought enough about the essential knowledge that pupils should be taught. Sometimes, pupils do not learn all the information that they need to know, to be ready for more complex learning. The school should ensure that all its curriculum helps pupils to build their knowledge, from the simple to the complex. 8 and 9 November 2023

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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). 8 and 9 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Judith Davenport

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School details

Headteacher Shirley Brown (acting headteacher)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 March 2009, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 Most staff are new to the school since the previous inspection.  Since September 2023, the school has been led by an acting headteacher.  The Nursery and Reception classes have recently moved into a new, separate building on the same site.  The school provides breakfast, after-school and holiday provision for pupils.  The school does not use alternative provision for pupils.

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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. 8 and 9 November 2023

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors completed deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. They met with leaders, visited lessons and learning activities, including in the early years, and spoke with some pupils. The inspectors also spoke with staff about the curriculum. An inspector listened to some pupils read to staff.  Inspectors discussed with the school some other curriculum subjects and considered curriculum information.  Inspectors discussed with the school the provision for pupils’ personal development, behaviour and SEND.  The inspectors spoke with staff about their experience of working at the school. They considered responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

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 The inspectors reviewed the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments.  An inspector spoke by telephone with a representative of the local authority.  The lead inspector met with six members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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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Inspection team

Tim Vaughan, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Juliet Francis Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 November 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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