The Nettleham Infant and Nursery School

Inspection of The Nettleham Infant and Nursery School All Saints Lane, Nettleham, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN2 2NT

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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 Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Catherine Jollands. This school is part of Nettleham Infant and Nursery School trust, which is a single academy trust. This means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the headteacher, who is also the chief executive officer, and overseen by a board of trustees, who at the time of the inspection was chaired by Charlene Griffiths.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected Nettleham Infant and Nursery School as an academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. 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 of the predecessor school. 6 and 7 December 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a kind and respectful ethos. Pupils enjoy coming to this school and attend regularly. They are caring and well mannered. Pupils benefit from warm, positive relationships with staff and each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are taught by committed and passionate staff. The school is ambitious for all pupils. Pupils achieve well, particularly in phonics.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is calm and orderly. Pupils behave well. Staff have high expectations for all pupils’ behaviour. Pupils rise to these expectations and appreciate the celebrations of their success. Pupils confidently talk about their emotions using the ‘colour monsters’ to help them articulate their feelings. The ‘Little Leaders’ engage with the views of their peers, including how safe they feel. Pupils say they feel safe in school and know there are trusted adults to whom they can talk.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending ‘The Treehouse’ and the wide range of extra-curricular opportunities available to them, such as Aikido and street dance. The vast majority of parents and carers are full of praise for the school, with one comment typical of many: ‘My child has thrived and excelled in school. They are happy, confident and love coming into school every morning.’

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better?

A well-considered curriculum provides children in the Nursery Year with a firm foundation for later learning. Across the school, the curriculum is well sequenced. The school has planned carefully the knowledge and skills that pupils need to gain in different subjects. The early years foundation stage (EYFS) curriculum is new and is embedding. The environment in the nursery is not yet as rich as it could be in order to support children’s learning and their experience of this new curriculum. The key stage 1 curriculum prepares pupils well for their transition to junior school.

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better?

From the start of the Nursery Year, staff work swiftly and accurately to identify children’s needs. They put in place precise, bespoke plans for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They ensure that the school acts on the advice of specialists. This continues throughout the school, where pupils’ needs are met well through the use of different adaptations. Staff provide effective help through carefully chosen activities to promote communication and language development. Staff manage pupils with complex needs with care and sensitivity. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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better?

Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong. In lessons, teachers present information clearly. Staff regularly check what pupils have learned. However, in some subjects, checks on how well pupils are retaining key knowledge over time are not as well developed as in others. 6 and 7 December 2023

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The school has prioritised reading. Children learn about letters and the sounds they make. Right from the start of the Reception Year, children learn to read using a well- structured phonics programme. Pupils read books that are closely matched to the sounds that they know. Regular checks on pupils’ understanding ensures that those at risk of falling behind in reading receive highly effective support to help them to keep up. As a result, pupils quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident, fluent readers. Pupils enjoy reading and writing.

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Pupils, including the very youngest, behave well. From the EYFS, there is a focus on being patient, taking turns and self-regulation. By setting clear routines, staff make sure that pupils know how to manage their own behaviour. Pupils are confident to talk about their feelings, and they trust staff to help them to manage negative emotions. As a result, the school has an atmosphere that supports and values learning. In lessons, pupils want to learn. Pupils move around the school calmly and line up sensibly. Pupils are polite and friendly.

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Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of fundamental British values. They learn about democracy through voting for the ‘Little Leaders’. Pupils know the school values which build their character. Pupils have a good understanding of the importance of tolerance and respect. They learn about different faiths and cultures. Pupils develop their sense of how to be active citizens through clubs such as gardening club, by raising money for charities and becoming pen pals with local senior citizens.

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Trustees provide effective challenge and support in equal measure. However, the school’s monitoring of some subjects is not yet as effective as it could be. Staff value the care leaders show for their well-being and workload. Teachers in the early stages of their career are very well supported. Staff are happy and proud to work at this school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, checks on how well pupils are retaining key knowledge over time are not as well developed as in others. This means the school does not have a sufficiently accurate picture of how securely pupils are learning the whole curriculum in the detail intended. The school needs to adapt and strengthen assessment processes in these subjects to identify any gaps in pupils’ learning and plan future curriculum adaptions to ensure that pupils learn well across the full range of subjects.  The monitoring of some subjects is not yet as effective as it could be. The effectiveness of the curriculum is not routinely checked by all leaders. This means 6 and 7 December 2023

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the school cannot be sure staff are delivering the intended curriculum in all subjects as well as they could. The school should support all subject leaders to monitor and evaluate their subjects skilfully.  The EYFS curriculum is new and is embedding. The environment in the nursery is not yet as rich as it could be to support children’s learning and their experience of this new curriculum. The school should ensure that staff create an environment in the nursery that supports the intent of this ambitious, coherently planned and sequenced curriculum.

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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 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). 6 and 7 December 2023

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School details

Headteacher and CEO of the trust Catherine Jollands

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This school is part of Nettleham Infant and Nursery School trust, which is a single academy trust. It converted to become and academy and opened in September 2012. When the predecessor school, The Nettleham Infant school, was last inspected by Ofsted in November 2008, it was judged to be outstanding overall.  The school does not use any alternative providers.  Since the inspection, a new chair of the board of trustees has been appointed.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 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. 6 and 7 December 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading; mathematics; science; and art and design. 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 further look at the curriculum, inspectors met with leaders to discuss the curriculums in design and technology, English and physical education.  Inspectors examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation, school improvement plans, records of governance and documentation relating to pupils’ attendance and behaviour. Inspectors also reviewed the information available on the school website.  Inspectors met with pupils to gather their views about the school.  Inspectors observed informal times, including arrival at school, breaktimes and lunchtime.  Inspectors visited the before- and after-school club, ‘The Treehouse’.

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 The lead inspector met with trustees.  Inspectors took account of responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments, and the staff survey.  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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Inspection team

Anne Maingay, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Heather Hawkes Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 December 2023

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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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