Netherton Infant and Nursery School

Inspection of a good school: Netherton Infant and Nursery School Netherton Moor Road, Netherton, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD4 7JE

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Inspection dates: 23 and 24 January 2024

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Outcome

Netherton Infant and Nursery School continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Emma Barker. This school is part of Together Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, David Lord, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Jan Wallis.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy, enjoy learning and flourish at this friendly and inclusive school. They are polite and eager to talk about the things they enjoy doing at school. Pupils enjoy their lessons and they attend school regularly. They are proud to represent their school in leadership roles, such as student councillors and ‘buzzing buddies’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

School leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils. They encourage pupils to work hard in their lessons and pupils aim to achieve this. Although the school has high expectations for how pupils present their work, sometimes this is not always met. Leaders of individual subjects are knowledgeable and pupils are taught a wide range of important concepts in lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are generally kind to one another and bullying is rare. They know if they have a problem, that staff in school will support them. At social times, pupils play safely with one another. There is a wide range of clubs, including Lego club, art club and choir, that pupils enjoy attending after school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is an important part of the local community. Pupils take part in many events such as the Christmas carol concert and visits to the local old peoples’ home. Most parents and carers say they would recommend the school to others. 23 and 24 January 2024

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

The school has created a broad and rich curriculum. The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Most pupils display positive attitudes to their learning during their lessons.

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

It is clear that reading is a priority. Children begin to learn to read as soon as they start school. The phonics programme is suitably resourced. All adults teach phonics sessions effectively, as a result of relevant training. Pupils read books containing sounds they know to help develop their confidence. They practise reading daily. Additional sessions are provided for pupils who need extra help. Leaders have created reading areas in classes and developed a library in school, which pupils visit every week.

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

The mathematics curriculum is carefully planned and ambitious. Planned activities engage pupils and help them understand mathematical concepts. For example, children in the Reception class weigh objects to find out what is light, heavy and equal in weight. Teachers have good subject knowledge and think carefully how to present mathematical ideas or concepts, so that pupils will understand them.

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

The school has created curriculum plans, which set out the order in which new learning is taught. In design technology, for example, it is clear to see how the designing skills, developed in Year 2, build on prior learning. Pupils are given opportunities to refine and improve their work when making their hand-sewn puppets. However, assessment in some subjects is, sometimes, not used effectively and leaders’ checks on learning are limited, so they are unable to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills. Leaders know this and are working to improve assessment across these subjects and provide time for leaders to make the necessary checks.

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

Most pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. Teachers make sure that the curriculum is adapted and pupils are supported sensitively to meet any specific needs they might have. Staff are well trained to recognise and help those pupils who need any additional support.

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

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Behaviour in lessons is calm and orderly. This is also the case at social times of the school day. Pupils know and follow the school rules - ‘kind hands, kind feet, kind mouths’. They are considerate of others. Pupils who need extra support with their behaviour are supported sensitively.

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

Pupils learn about keeping safe and how to be kind and respectful to others. Pupils say the school helps them learn about ‘how to be a better person’. Staff teach and promote fundamental British values. They have been successful in ensuring that pupils understand some core values, such as tolerance and respect at an age-appropriate level.

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

Staff are proud to work at the school and for the trust. They say leaders are very mindful of their professional development and personal well-being. Parents are very supportive of the school. 23 and 24 January 2024

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Trustees and governors provide strong support for the school. They understand the different responsibilities they have and have an accurate view of the school’s strengths. They are clear about the areas to focus on to make it even better.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Subject leaders do not routinely check pupils’ learning in some subjects. As a result, they are not aware if pupils are learning the knowledge and skills they want them to know. The school should ensure that subject leaders review the curriculum they have planned and regularly check pupils’ work and understanding of what they have learned in order to plan subsequent steps in learning.  Teachers do not consistently address the quality of the presentation of pupils’ work. Consequently, in some classes, pupils’ writing and number formation is incorrect and not addressed. The school needs to ensure that teachers are clear about their expectations for the presentation of work, including correct letter and number formation, and that these expectations and standards are applied consistently.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school to be good in April 2018.

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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. 23 and 24 January 2024

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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). 23 and 24 January 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is a member of Together Learning Trust.  Netherton Infant and Nursery School converted to become an academy school in September 2019. When its predecessor school, Netherton Infant and Nursery School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  Since the last inspection, there have been a number of staffing changes, including a new headteacher, special educational needs coordinator and several teachers.  The school runs a governor-led nursery.  The school provides wraparound provision for pupils, including a breakfast and after- school club.  The school does not use any 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. 23 and 24 January 2024

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 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 their evaluation of the school.  Prior to the inspection, the inspector reviewed documents on the school’s website, as well as published information about the school’s performance and previous Ofsted inspections.  The inspector met with the headteacher, curriculum leaders, members of the governing body, members of the board of trustees and the chief executive officer.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and design technology. For each deep dive, the inspector 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, the inspector: reviewed the single

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central record; looked at records and information; took account of the views of leaders, staff, pupils and parents; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The views of staff and pupils were considered from conversations and through responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.  The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection. The responses to Ofsted’s Parent View, including written responses, were considered.

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Inspection team

Nicola Shipman, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 January 2024

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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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