Clover Leys Spencer Academy

Inspection of Clover Leys Spencer Academy C/O Chellaston Fields Spencer Academy, Riber Drive, Derby, Derbyshire DE73 6WS

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The principal of this school is Rebecca Chapman. This school is part of Spencer Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Paul West, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Donna Kinderman. 4 and 5 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s motto, ‘growing together, learning forever’, could not be more appropriate for this new school. The school has focused on developing a family culture, with a big heart. This sense of family is felt strongly by the older pupils who have been part of the school’s growth. They recognise and fulfil their responsibilities as role models.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a calm atmosphere, yet buzzes with positive energy. Pupils live up to the high expectations of their behaviour. Pupils enjoy school and attend regularly. As one parent commented, which was typical of many: ‘I feel my child is thriving in a safe and positive environment.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are highly respectful. They explore differing points of view with maturity and sensitivity. The school’s key curriculum principles of ‘people, place and point’ are well established. This ensures that pupils develop a strong understanding of tolerance and diversity. Typically, a pupil commented: ‘Even if someone is different you should always respect them equally.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Central to the school are the values of ‘respect, tolerance, forgiveness and friendship’. The values are lived daily. Pupils deepen their understanding of right and wrong. Anti-bullying ambassadors support pupils when this may be needed.

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better?

The school has an ambitious curriculum that sets out what pupils need to learn and when. For example, the curriculum identifies the key vocabulary to be acquired, understood and used to deepen pupils’ spoken and written communication. However, while the key knowledge that pupils must know and remember is set out clearly, in some lessons, staff do not reliably focus sharply on the knowledge that pupils must learn. For some pupils, this leads to confusion.

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better?

Where the focus is suitably sharp, well-chosen resources support pupils’ thinking, develop their curiosity and enable them to learn well. Activities are carefully thought through. Pupils revisit prior knowledge to make strong connections with their recent learning. However, systems for checking what pupils have learned over time are not fully established in all subjects. Where this is the case, staff do not know for certain what pupils have learned so that they can make adaptations to future learning to address any gaps. The school adapts teaching to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. For example, staff break down tasks and ask focused questions. Systems for identifying pupils with SEND are effective. The school works well with other professionals to provide the support that these pupils need.

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better?

Reading is at the heart of all that the school does. Carefully selected texts support learning in the wider curriculum. This includes learning about artists and important people from history. Pupils appreciate the range of texts they can read. Teachers 4 and 5 June 2024

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bring characters to life when they read to pupils, making story time a joy. A pupil typically commented: ‘I like reading because it helps you get smarter and tells you about the world. I like to be the person in the book.’ Children begin to learn to read as soon as they start in Reception. Throughout the school, adults teach reading well. Regular checks ensure that any gaps in pupils’ knowledge are identified quickly. Pupils who need support are swiftly helped to catch up.

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Children settle quickly and well when they start in early years. Well-planned activities ensure that children focus on their learning for sustained periods of time. Activities are adapted to suit children’s needs and interests. Children learn to get on with each other. They learn how to share their feelings. They play and learn well together. For example, they take turns and score each other’s performance in games they make up. Adults model language well. They encourage children to use increasingly complex vocabulary.

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The school’s ambition for pupils’ personal development is underpinned by its five experiences: visits and visitors, speech scenarios, active citizenship, lines of enquiry, and be creative and expressive. It aims to provide pupils with experiences to become positive and active citizens. Pupils engage well with discussion and debate, developing a greater understanding of their own, and others’, views and opinions. They actively participate in the life of the school through taking on different roles, such as being reading buddies and school councillors. Outdoor learning activities enable pupils to explore the world around them and understand themselves. Pastoral support is of high quality. Pupils speak positively about this support. It helps them overcome barriers to learning.

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The school knows its strengths and priorities for development. It is well placed to continue its journey of growth. The school works closely with the multi-academy trust to obtain helpful support as the number of pupils on roll increases. Those with responsibility for governance support and challenge in equal measure. The school is mindful of staff well-being. Staff morale is positive. The school is working hard to ensure that parents and carers receive the information they need to support their child’s learning at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 While the key knowledge that pupils must learn is clearly set out in the curriculum, staff do not reliably focus on the most important content in some lessons. When this is the case, pupils do not fully gain the knowledge, understanding and skills that they could. The school should ensure that all 4 and 5 June 2024

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lessons focus sharply on the knowledge that pupils must acquire, thus enabling them to gain a greater breadth and depth of learning.  Approaches to summative assessment are not well established in some foundation subjects. Consequently, the school is not consistently identifying gaps in pupils’ learning. The school should make sure that summative assessment in foundation subjects is effective and is used to inform what pupils need to learn next.

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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). 4 and 5 June 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is a part of the Spencer Academies Trust.  The school opened in September 2021 and currently shares a site with Chellaston Fields Spencer Academy.  The school currently has pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2.  The school does not make use of any alternative providers.

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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.  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. 4 and 5 June 2024

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 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and the special educational needs coordinator.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, art and design, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. They listened to pupils read.  Inspectors reviewed curriculum documentation for science, religious education and personal, social, health and economic education. They met with the science subject leader.  The lead inspector met with members of the board of trustees, including the chair. He met with the chair of the local governing board.  The lead inspector met with trust officers.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free- text responses. They reviewed responses to Ofsted’s survey for school staff. An

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inspector spoke with parents at the end of the school day.  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.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at various times of day, including in lessons, around the school site and at lunchtime. They scrutinised the school’s records for attendance and behaviour.

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Inspection team

Mark Anderson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jason Brooks Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 June 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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