Arnold View Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Arnold View Primary School Gedling Road, Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG5 6NW

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Outcome

Arnold View Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

From the youngest to the oldest, pupils are proud to attend Arnold View Primary School. Their positive attitudes to their learning are reflected in the quality of presentation in their work. They show care and consideration to each other. By Year 6, pupils understand the importance of their position in the school. As one pupil explained: ‘In Year 6, you feel special because you have responsibilities at home and at school. You have to show a good example because younger children look up to you.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe at school. They tell how regular assemblies, school council presentations, external visitors, a well-being club, and classroom worry boxes help to minimise any risk of bullying. So, pupils are confident that bullying is rare and say that adults will deal with any fallouts quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Right from the start, the school’s high expectations are clear. For example, children in the early years learn the right way to hold a pencil so that this becomes second nature. The school is constantly striving to improve so that every pupil receives a ‘world class education’. It lives up to its motto of ‘Aspire; Believe; Achieve’.

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

Children make a good start to school in the Nursery and Reception classes. They settle quickly into routines. They become independent learners who can concentrate for extended periods. Teachers plan activities that prepare children well for later learning. All staff are skilled in asking questions. This helps children’s learning and builds their vocabulary. On a chilly morning, children excitedly investigated the icy conditions, using appropriate scientific words like freezing and melting.

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

The school prioritises early reading. In the Nursery, children enjoy and eagerly participate in songs like ‘Wind the Bobbin Up’. They listen carefully and learn about rhyming. All staff teach the school’s phonics programme consistently well. They model sounds accurately 5 and 6 December 2023

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and ensure pupils do the same. Teachers assess pupils regularly. They spot any pupils who fall behind and put support in place to accelerate their progress. Teachers check that pupils’ reading books are well matched to their ability. This promotes the fluency they need to become accomplished and willing readers.

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The school has high ambitions for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers make adjustments to ensure that these pupils are not disadvantaged in lessons. In mathematics, pupils with SEND use additional resources to help them learn. Adults support them well, sometimes with extra teaching to help them catch up and keep up. Teachers make sure that this help is well matched to pupils’ needs. Work in the books of pupils with SEND shows they achieve well from their starting points. Concerns about SEND expressed by some parents reflect issues beyond the school’s control.

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The school’s curriculum is well thought through. The curriculum plans are very clear about what pupils will learn and how this will build on prior knowledge. Over time, pupils know more and remember more. The school makes sure teachers receive the training they need to deliver each subject well. Nevertheless, in some subjects, teachers’ subject knowledge is not as strong as it could be. Sometimes, teachers miss opportunities to enhance pupils’ learning, for example through practical activities.

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Pupils attend well. They enjoy coming to school and know how it benefits them. They have very positive attitudes towards their learning. There is no low-level disruption in lessons. Pupils are courteous and respectful to each other and adults. By Year 6, they show great maturity in their words and actions. Pupils behave well at all times of the school day, including playtimes. The school keeps comprehensive records of any incidents, but these are few. Records show the efforts of the school to make sure it is a safe environment for every pupil.

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The school has planned many activities and experiences to support pupils’ social and cultural development. One pupil said that the school ‘had changed in a better way’. Pupils appreciate that there are now ‘more clubs, more visitors and more opportunities’. Older pupils talk knowledgeably about British values. They know this includes respect for people with family or religious backgrounds different from their own. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, for example when they are online.

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The school is well led. Leaders monitor teachers’ workload, and their well-being is considered. Staff feel listened to and involved in decision-making. For example, they feel they have been part of the improvements recently made to the school’s curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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 The school’s curriculum is not as strong in some subjects as it is in early reading and mathematics. Sometimes, teachers do not plan tasks well enough to help pupils learn as well as they could in lessons. This is because teachers’ subject knowledge is not as secure in these subjects as it is in mathematics, for example. The school should continue its work to develop teachers’ subject knowledge across the curriculum and develop how best to deliver it in lessons.

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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 March 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 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). 5 and 6 December 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

Co-chairs of governing body Colin Shepherd and Steven McNichol

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 March 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been changes in leadership since the previous inspection.  The school does not use any form of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education 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 the school and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, who is also the subject leader for mathematics, and the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator. The inspector met with a number of other school leaders as well as speaking to a representative of the local authority. He spoke with parents at the start of the school day and considered the responses of parents to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, and comments gathered through the free-text box. 5 and 6 December 2023

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and science. For each deep dive, he visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; reviewed documents, 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

Stephen McMullan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 December 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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