Parklands Infant and Nursery School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Parklands Infant and Nursery School Derby Road, Long Eaton, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG10 4BJ

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Outcome

Parklands Infant and Nursery School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school is one big happy family. Pupils’ behaviour around the school is of a very high standard. They are keen to demonstrate that they are ‘Parklands People’ by being respectful, positive, safe, polite, kind and important.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils use a shared language to help them express their feelings. They have strong relationships with staff and know they can talk to one of them if they need help. Pupils are confident that staff will resolve any issues they may have. As a result, pupils feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that the school has high expectations of them. They rise to the challenge of always doing their best. They know that learning helps to ‘grow your brain’ so that you can know more. Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the extensive range of extra-curricular clubs. As well as several sport clubs, they relish the chance to take part in axe throwing, fire building and developing their sculpting skills.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many parents and carers appreciate the support and the learning opportunities that the school provides. One parent, typical of many, commented that, ‘Both my children have made fantastic progress, have been challenged academically and have thrived in this brilliant school.’

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The school has designed an effective curriculum. It has been well ordered from the Nursery Year to Year 2. The school has identified the knowledge in each subject that pupils need to gain over time. Many pupils can recall important learning from previous topics. For example, in design and technology, pupils know the claw and bridge holds when cutting fruit and vegetables. They understand the importance of hygiene to ‘stop germs spreading.’ However, in some subjects, pupils do not remember important knowledge well enough. In these subjects, pupils do not get sufficient opportunities to rehearse what they know and to practise applying it, to help them prepare for their next steps.

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The school has taken decisive action to improve how well pupils learn phonics. There is a keen focus on reading, starting in the early years. Staff deliver the reading curriculum effectively. Pupils enjoy learning new sounds. In each lesson, they practise writing the new sound they have learned carefully in their books and use it with sounds they know already. The school checks frequently on which sounds pupils have learned and what they need to revisit. Extra help for pupils who have fallen behind helps them to catch up. Pupils love reading from books that are well matched to their knowledge.

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The early years setting is a happy and enjoyable place to be. Children make a strong start. They enjoy learning through a range of well-planned and purposeful activities. Staff work skilfully alongside children, weaving in key vocabulary and modelling important skills. Consequently, children learn how to play together, maintain their focus and practise using new words. They are keen and eager. For example, after playtime, a group of boys rushed over to the writing table to complete their writing about their visit to the local toy shop.

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The school spots pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly. These pupils’ individual needs are identified precisely. They benefit from a well-adapted curriculum. This is because, teachers think carefully about how to ensure that all pupils can learn the intended curriculum. Teachers use a range of strategies to make sure that no pupil with SEND gets left behind in their learning. As a result, these pupils achieve well.

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The school places much importance on promoting pupils’ personal development. It is a significant strength. Pupils appreciate a variety of different faiths and the importance of places of worship. They know about different relationships and explain that pupils from a variety of backgrounds ‘would be fine here.’ Pupils play an active role in helping the school to improve. The pupil council has helped to improve school dinners, while the eco-council has ordered composting bins to support the local ecosystem.

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The school monitors absence very closely. Weekly records identify any pupils who miss important learning time. Families are offered close support and help to overcome any barriers that prevent pupils attending school each day. Pupils’ attendance has improved.

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The school has developed an effective team of leaders. Since the previous inspection, training has helped to ensure that leaders know what an effective curriculum needs to include. They check on the quality of the school’s work carefully and have a clear 11 and 12 March 2025

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understanding of what is working well and what needs to improve further. Governors fulfil their statutory duties and play an active role in ensuring that the school continues to develop.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Opportunities for pupils to remember and revisit what they have learned have only been introduced recently. These strategies are not used consistently by staff to support pupils’ learning. As a consequence, in some subjects, pupils cannot recall key information that they need for their next steps. The school needs to ensure that staff make consistent and effective use of the agreed strategies to help pupils remember what they have learned in every subject.

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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 to be 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in 14 and 15 January 2020.

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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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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 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 14 and 15 January 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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 the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held discussions the headteacher and other members of the senior leadership team. The inspector also met with members of the local governing body, including the chair of governors, and spoke with a representative of the local authority  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 11 and 12 March 2025

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extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector considered the views of parents and carers through Ofsted’s Parent view, including the free-text comments. He also took account of staff and pupils’ views through their responses to Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Andy Lakatos, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 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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