Speedwell Infant School

Inspection of Speedwell Infant School College Avenue, Staveley, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S43 3JJ

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 8 and 9 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love attending their school. From the moment they start, they get the help and support that they need to live up to the school’s high expectations. From their starting points, pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships are consistently positive. Staff know pupils well. They take good care of them. They help pupils to be independent and curious. In return, pupils appreciate the adults they work with. As one pupil said, ‘They are really nice. They help us to learn and to be clever’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. The school’s ‘Golden Rules’ are commonly understood and applied. These include aspirations for pupils to be gentle, kind and helpful. Other rules involve pupils listening, being honest, working hard and looking after property. They achieve this the vast majority of the time. Pupils are motivated by the incentives on offer, including earning ‘raffle tickets’ and being selected as ‘star of the week’ in the weekly celebrations assembly. Pupils who need extra help to follow the school’s rules receive good quality guidance and support.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils look after each other. They are eager to help if anyone is hurt or upset. They learn to value themselves and others. As one pupil explained, ‘We are all unique’.

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

The school’s curriculum is well-organised. It has been designed specifically for the pupils of the school. It takes good account of pupils’ starting points and experiences. It helps pupils to learn about themselves and the world around them. The ‘hands on’ approach to learning helps pupils to remember what they have learned. In the majority of cases, the school’s curriculum is organised in a logical manner. It builds cumulatively on what pupils know and can do. In most cases, pupils remember what they have learned. For example, a group of Year 2 pupils were able to recall what they had learned several terms previously about the different ways in which solid shapes can be changed. However, in some cases, the curriculum does not make clear the precise things that pupils are expected to know and remember. This means that the school cannot be sure that pupils’ knowledge builds securely over time.

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

Pupils develop a love of reading. They look forward to the daily story sessions and the ‘family reading’ sessions that parents and carers join them for. They are eager to read the wide range of books found in classes and around the school. Pupils are motivated by the recognition they receive for reading regularly, including working through the different coloured certificates and earning a prize from the gift box. The school’s phonics programme is well organised. It is taught well. From their starting points, pupils learn sounds well, helping them to become fluent and confident readers.

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

The school’s large proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. The school develops a detailed understanding of these pupils’ needs. Adults provide well-tailored support, both in class and around the school. Pupils 8 and 9 October 2024

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who need help with their social, emotional and mental health development are supported well. They learn to understand and manage their feelings and emotions. Pupils with SEND achieve well.

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The early years is an exciting place. Children are happy and busy. They enjoy learning a broad range of songs, nursey rhymes and stories. The activities on offer are well-designed to help children to learn the curriculum. The early years’ curriculum is, on the whole, well- planned. In most areas, it sets out the milestones that children are expected to reach at each stage of their education. However, in a small number of areas, the curriculum lacks this same level of detail.

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Pupils benefit from a well-structured programme for personal, social and health education. They are eager to take on some of the leadership roles on offer, including being lunchtime helpers and mini-sports leaders. They know that it is important to look after one another. However, some pupils’ knowledge of fundamental British values and different faiths is inconsistent. Although they know to respect difference, some are not as aware as they should be of what these differences may be.

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Leaders, including governors, know pupils and their families well. This underpins and permeates everything that happens at the school. Leaders are not afraid to make bold choices if they believe it to be the right thing for their pupils. Staff share leaders’ high ambitions for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. Everyone feels well- supported and proud to work at the school. Pupils, staff and the majority of parents hold the school in high esteem.

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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, the curriculum lacks precision about the key knowledge that pupils are expected to acquire and retain. In these subjects, pupils may not know and remember key content over time. The school should make sure that all subjects are clearly defined with the content that pupils are expected to know and commit to their long-term memory.  In a small number of areas, the early years curriculum is not fully planned and sequenced. In these places, it does not make clear the important milestones that children are expected to achieve as they progress through the Nursery and Reception Years. The school should ensure that, across all areas of learning, the early years curriculum is fully planned, sequenced and makes clear the milestones that children are expected to achieve. 8 and 9 October 2024

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 Some pupils’ knowledge of British values and different faiths is inconsistent. Although they know to respect difference, some are not as aware as they should be of what these differences may be. Leaders should ensure that pupils have the necessary knowledge and understanding of British values and different faiths.

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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 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). 8 and 9 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 20 and 21 November 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been no significant changes since the last inspection.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 8 and 9 October 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection that 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.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, curriculum leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, the early years leader and groups of staff and pupils.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in four subjects: reading, mathematics, science and physical education. To do this, they met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and met with teachers and pupils. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the governing body, including the chair and vice-chair. He also met with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey. They also

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considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 reviewed school documents, including those relating to governance, behaviour and attendance. Inspectors scrutinised leaders’ plans for improvement and their assessment of the school’s effectiveness.  An inspector spoke informally to pupils at breaktimes, in the dining hall and on the playground. An inspector spoke informally to parents outside the school.

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Inspection team

Vic Wilkinson, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Mark Mallender Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 October 2024

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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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