Toton Bispham Drive Junior School

Inspection of Toton Bispham Drive Junior School Bispham Drive, Toton, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG9 6GJ

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Inspection dates: 23 and 24 January 2024

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good 23 and 24 January 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a highly inclusive school where all pupils feel welcome. Central to the school are the values of: ‘DRIVE – determination, resilience, innovation, valuing others and empathy towards others’. The school seeks every opportunity to teach the life skills pupils need to become active citizens. As one pupil typically stated, ‘Our values are really important to us to enable us to be a hero.’ Pupils enjoy coming to school and behave well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of the leadership responsibilities they undertake. They know these roles impact on the lives of those in school and beyond. Science ambassadors work hard to reduce plastic waste. As one pupil said, ‘We only have one world to live in and we don’t have a plan B, so we can’t waste this one.’ The school makes sure pupils are considerate of others who may be less fortunate. For example, following an assembly by a local homeless charity, pupils independently raised money for this charity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils to achieve well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils rise to the school’s ambition and expectations. They know the importance of working hard. Pupils achieve well.

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better?

The school ensures all pupils learn to read well. Comprehensive systems identify when pupils need more help to learn to read. Skilled adults provide the necessary support for pupils to swiftly catch up. Books match the needs of all pupils. A broad range of books support the curriculum. They deepen pupils’ understanding of principles such as diversity and inclusion. The school ‘Book Worms’ work with pupils and staff to purchase quality books to enhance the offer in the school library. Pupils say they ‘love’ reading.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is well thought out. The school values weave throughout each subject. The curriculum sets out clearly what must be taught. However, in a few subjects the curriculum is not yet implemented consistently in the way it was intended. Learning is not as reliably consolidated as it could be. Foundation subjects are well resourced. Teachers use these resources effectively to enhance learning opportunities. Forest school reinforces learning, bringing purpose to what pupils do in lessons. In most subjects, the school checks how well pupils are doing. However, these systems are not well established in all subjects. Staff are not aware of some gaps in pupils’ knowledge.

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better?

The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND well. Individual plans provide the details needed to ensure these pupils receive support in lessons. Adaptations to learning enable pupils to achieve in line with others in the class. The school frequently checks how well pupils with SEND are doing. When necessary, the school provides further support. 23 and 24 January 2024

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Pupils behave well. Recent changes to the behaviour policy have improved behaviour further. The school is calm and orderly. Routines are well established. Pupils say that behaviour is good in school. Bullying rarely happens. Relationships between adults and pupils in the school are strong.

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The provision for personal development threads throughout all the pupils do in school. This is deeply rooted in the ‘life skills’ curriculum. The teaching of philosophy helps pupils to develop their character and sense of being in the world. Pupils debate and explore difficult and challenging concepts, such as race and gender. The school council provides a ‘voice’ for all pupils, including those with SEND. They said it ensured the school had a robust understanding of the needs of pupils with SEND. Individual talents are not only nurtured and celebrated but actively developed. Pupils set up their own clubs, sharing with others how to dance, while others create rock bands. ‘YouBees’ exemplify the school values through short videos and radio broadcasts.

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Governors understand their roles and responsibilities. They undertake them diligently and with enthusiasm. The well-being of staff is a high priority. Staff feel cared for and supported.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the curriculum is not yet implemented consistently in the way it was intended. Learning is not as reliably consolidated as it could be. The school needs to check that its curriculum intentions are implemented effectively to ensure that all pupils achieve as well as they can across all curriculum subjects.  The school is developing the way in which checks are made on what pupils know and remember from the curriculum. However, these systems are not well established in all subjects. This means that teachers are not aware of some gaps in pupils’ knowledge. The school should ensure that there are suitable systems in place to check what pupils do not remember and make appropriate adaptations to learning sequences so that gaps in knowledge are filled. 23 and 24 January 2024

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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). 23 and 24 January 2024

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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

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 November 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative providers.  There is a breakfast and after-school club managed by the school.

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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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and the SEND coordinator.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in four subjects: reading, mathematics, physical education and science. To do this, they met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and met with teachers and 23 and 24 January 2024

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pupils. They also looked at curriculum documentation for geography and personal, social, health and economic education.  The lead inspector met with three members of the governing body, including the chair.  The lead inspector met with a local authority representative.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free- text responses, Ofsted’s survey for school staff and the pupil survey. An inspector spoke informally to parents at the beginning and end of the school day.  Inspectors considered records of attendance, behaviour and safeguarding, including the school’s single central record. Inspectors met with leaders to discuss the safeguarding of pupils.  Inspectors considered pupils’ behaviour at various times of day, including in lessons, around the school site and at lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Mark Anderson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Karen Slack Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 January 2024

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