Chellaston Infant School

Inspection of Chellaston Infant School School Lane, Chellaston, Derby, Derbyshire DE73 6TA

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 February 2025

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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

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The headteacher of this school is Lisa Turner-Rowe. This school is part of the East Midlands Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Rob McDonough, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ann Witheford. The headteacher is also responsible for this school and one other. 11 and 12 February 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Chellaston Infant School is a united school. The school makes sure that there is a culture of ambition. Pupils and staff are restless to become even better. The school works hard to make sure that all pupils do well, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are keen to talk of their achievements. The school is rightly proud of its progress since the last inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils to behave well. The school rules of ‘be kind, be ready, be safe’ guide pupils successfully in their actions. Pupils openly support one another. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm. Pupils know that all staff will look out for them. One parent’s comment, typical of many, captured the ‘homely feel’ that permeates the school. Playtimes are exciting times. Pupils learn how to take risks and look after their own and others’ safety. Pupils are happy at this school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school celebrates its values of ‘PRIDE - partnership, risk taking, integrity, determination, effort’. Pupils strive to achieve pride stickers. Pupils receive rewards such as the golden broom, the golden table and afternoon tea with the deputy headteacher for demonstrating good citizenship.

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

The school has improved significantly since the last inspection. Leaders have ensured that the pace of change is appropriate. This makes sure that the work undertaken is successful. The school has a real sense of clarity and purpose. However, the school is still developing some aspects of leadership, particularly checking how well the curriculum is being implemented. Subject leaders do not always provide clear guidance on how to improve the teaching of their curriculum subjects. As a consequence, a few pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

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

Staff have worked hard to ensure that the school’s curriculum is well structured and ambitious. Teachers receive training so that they have the requisite subject knowledge to teach effectively. Strategies to remind pupils of what they have learned before connect learning over time. However, in a few subjects there is not yet an established and consistent approach to identifying gaps in pupils’ learning. This means that not all teachers adapt tasks suitably to support pupils’ needs. This limits learning. Across the school key vocabulary is used well and enables pupils to explain what they have learned.

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

Learning to read is prioritised at the school. The phonics programme makes it clear what sounds pupils should know at key points. Staff apply a consistent approach to the teaching of reading. Regular checks by teachers make sure that they identify when pupils fall behind. These pupils receive the support they need. They soon catch up. A variety of books support teaching in the wider curriculum. Pupils appreciate the range of books they have. Beyond phonics the reading curriculum has the same rigour. Pupils say they enjoy reading. 11 and 12 February 2025

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Children settle quickly into the early years. Transition arrangements help parents to understand what to expect when their child starts. The early years foundation stage (EYFS) curriculum sets out the key knowledge children must learn and by when. Teachers create activities which consider children’s interests and stimulate them. Developing children’s vocabulary and language skills is a priority. Children work well together. However, opportunities are sometimes missed to deepen children’s understanding or help them to develop their independence. This is because staff can be overly supportive. When this happens, this holds children back.

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The schools provision to support pupils with SEND is highly effective. The school ensures that it understands pupils’ needs quickly. Clear, personalised objectives enable staff to support these pupils well. Where additional bespoke support is needed, these pupils receive it in ‘The Hive’, a quiet learning place within school. This support enables them to achieve in line with others in their class. Pupils with SEND say that they feel well supported. They achieve well.

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Pupils benefit from a range of experiences to support their personal development. Pupils learn the importance of looking after themselves and how to keep safe. This includes when working online. Pupils are respectful and recognise that we are all different. Pupils learn about other cultures and religions.

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Leaders have established a culture of high ambition and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Staff recognise it has been a challenging time for them. However, they feel well supported. They are united in the school’s vision. Governance is a strength. They ensure that the expertise on the board is focused on what needs to improve. Support from the trust has been highly effective.

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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 school has not yet established a consistent approach to identifying gaps in pupils’ learning. As a result, teachers are sometimes not able to identify what pupils need to do to improve and design appropriate next steps. The school should ensure that teachers check pupils’ learning in each subject closely and have the expertise to use this information to inform what comes next.  In the early years, opportunities are sometimes missed to deepen pupils’ understanding or help them to develop their independence. Staff can be overly supportive and do not always challenge children’s thinking. The school should ensure that all staff have the expertise to maximise opportunities to develop children’s thinking further and build their resilience. 11 and 12 February 2025

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 The school is still developing some aspects of leadership skills, particularly checking how well the curriculum is implemented. As a result, leaders are not always providing clear guidance on how to improve the teaching of the curriculum in some subjects. The school should ensure that all subject leaders have the skills and expertise they need to evaluate the success of their subjects so that they support teachers more effectively to improve the quality of teaching and learning.

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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). 11 and 12 February 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 May 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school became an academy in April 2019. It joined the East Midlands Education Trust (EMET) in June 2021.  Since the last inspection there has been a new headteacher and assistant headteacher in post. The current headteacher is also the headteacher at Chellaston Junior School.  The school does not make use of 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). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 11 and 12 February 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education pro- vision.  This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO).  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history, 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. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer and the deputy chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust. The lead inspector me with the chair of trustees and

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also met with representatives of the local governing body, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors took account of the responses to the Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses and Ofsted’s survey for school staff. An inspector spoke informally with parents outside the school.  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 considered 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

Amanda Greaves Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 February 2025

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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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