Forest Glade Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Forest Glade Primary School Mansfield Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire NG17 4FL

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school’s work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Steven Champion. This school is part of Flying High Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Chris Wheatley, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Neil Robinson.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Forest Glade Primary is an exceptional place for pupils to learn. The school has made substantial progress in developing its work over the last few years. This progress is the result of high-quality leadership and teaching. By the end of key stage 2, pupils’ outcomes are very strong. All staff are committed to doing the very best for pupils. The thoughtful passion and positive energy of leaders, teachers and support staff are striking.

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What is it like to attend this school?

High expectations are the cornerstone of the school’s success. Decisions are made in the best interests of pupils. Pupils are keen to learn and are engrossed in their studies. Pupils and staff have respectful relationships. As a result, pupils’ behaviour is exceptional. The values of the trust have been adopted and adapted well by the school. Leaders’ commitment to instilling aspiration, confidence and kindness in pupils are fully realised. The school ‘flies high’ and has much exemplary practice to share with others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe. They adore their school. Pupils are especially proud of their appealing playground, which effectively supports their learning of the wider curriculum. There are designated areas for exercise, climbing, activities and socialising. The school’s classrooms, corridors and outside space are very well maintained by skilled staff. 18 and 19 March 2025

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

The curriculum is carefully designed to give pupils the very best opportunities and experiences. All pupils love to learn. Leaders have used educational research and their expertise to build a curriculum that identifies important knowledge and skills for pupils to learn. Over time, pupils learn a very broad range of curriculum content. It helps them to answer complex ‘enquiry’ questions effectively.

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

Foundational knowledge and skills in reading, writing and mathematics are prioritised carefully by teachers. The teaching of early reading is a key strength of the school. In early years, children quickly begin to crack the phonics code. Pupils become fluent readers through key stages 1 and 2 and speak enthusiastically about the books that they read. Where needed, pupils receive extra support from staff for their reading. Pupils also make secure progress in their understanding of other subjects, including mathematics. Staff make sure that pupils master curriculum content and gain increasing confidence.

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

Teaching is highly effective. Staff have designed a special approach to teaching that ensures that pupils revisit previous learning and receive the very best explanations. Teachers adapt these explanations effectively so that all pupils deepen their understanding of essential information.

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

The school’s strengths in terms of the curriculum and teaching are rooted in the early years. Staff use the latest educational research to ensure that every aspect of learning in the early years has purpose. Interactions with children are of the highest quality. Staff are clear about the progression that children will make in their knowledge across each term. Outdoor space is very well designed and used expertly by staff to boost learning opportunities further for children.

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

The school works in partnership with parents and carers to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities successfully. Leaders have developed effective ways to help identify pupils’ needs and provide the right support. Staff provide effective support to all pupils. The school has designed an impressive range of programmes to target specific pupils’ needs and help pupils to thrive, both academically and socially.

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

The culmination of a strong curriculum and effective teaching is excellent outcomes for pupils. By the end of key stage 2, results across all subjects are well above national averages. Pupils are very well equipped for their learning at secondary school.

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

Pupils are proud of their very positive behaviour. They say that they all get along with one another well. Older pupils particularly value opportunities to have leadership roles. Many pupils are subject ambassadors, play leaders and monitors. These roles help to build pupils’ character and resilience. Pupils also love the wide range of clubs, which are overseen by dedicated staff. Pupils’ attendance is above national averages. Any drops in attendance are responded to quickly and effectively by staff. As a result of strong attendance and a comprehensive personal development programme, pupils are very well prepared for life beyond the school and the next stages of their learning. 18 and 19 March 2025

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Leaders at all levels are committed to the school and have considerable drive. The school’s leadership team are ably supported by leaders from the trust and other partner schools to secure continual improvement. The cornerstone of this improvement is staff training and development. The trust’s professional learning communities ensure that all staff have time to share their thinking and learn from one another. The collective commitment of the trust and school has resulted in improved performance and the highest standards.

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Trustees and governors offer effective challenge and support to leaders. Governors have dedicated time throughout the school year to meet with trust leaders and talk in detail about school improvement. These discussions are valued and help all leaders to focus well on school priorities. Governors know Forest Glade exceptionally well and share the high expectations of leaders and staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Forest Glade Primary, to be good for overall effectiveness in November 2014.

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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. 18 and 19 March 2025

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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). 18 and 19 March 2025

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Academy converter

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School details

Headteacher Steven Champion Website www.forestglade.notts.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Flying High Partnership.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  Forest Glade Primary School converted to become an academy school in March 2020. When its predecessor school, Forest Glade Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good for overall effectiveness.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school. 18 and 19 March 2025

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 The inspector met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, acting deputy headteacher, office manager, school improvement partner, lead practitioner for early years, the chair and vice-chair of the local governing board and the CEO.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at pupils’ work across the curriculum.  The inspector met with the special educational needs coordinator, the curriculum leader, and the leaders of reading, history, geography and religious education.  The inspector spoke with staff and some parents. The inspector took account of responses to Ofsted Parent View. He also considered survey responses from staff and pupils.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Jonathan Keay, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 March 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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