The Carlton Infant Academy

The Carlton Infant Academy

Address: Garden Avenue, Foxhill Road, Carlton, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG4 1QS Unique reference number (URN): 145093

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders provide highly effective support for pupils and their families to ensure that pupils attend well. Their persistent striving to improve attendance has had a demonstrable impact on the attendance of individuals and groups of pupils. Attendance checks are regular and rigorous. Leaders have consistently high expectations that are understood by all. Staff engage effectively with families regarding attendance. Contact is swift and sensitively managed. When necessary, bespoke support is provided. For example, leaders work well with families to provide help for a smooth daily transition into school. Pupils enjoy the rewards for improved attendance. Over time, attendance has improved and is now above national averages.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders consistently model positive and appropriate behaviours. Behaviour across the school, in lessons and during social times, is excellent. Classrooms are calm, orderly and highly purposeful. Social times are well organised and engaging. Pupils show very positive attitudes to learning. Leaders monitor behaviour patterns judiciously and respond with timely, effective support. As a result, the number of behaviour incidents has reduced over time. The school does not tolerate any form of discrimination or bullying. All staff see behaviour as a form of communication and respond swiftly and sensitively when pupils need support.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders are committed to meeting the needs of every pupil. They see inclusion as a core entitlement. Leaders ensure that all activities are consistently well adapted to support the most vulnerable pupils and those who are disadvantaged. Leaders use additional funding through the pupil premium grant in a highly focused way to address any barriers to learning that disadvantaged pupils may have.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Pupils’ individual needs are identified and assessed with precision. Staff consistently provide timely and appropriate support for pupils. Leaders seek support from external agencies. They work closely with parents and carers to ensure that staff have the information that they need. Leaders skilfully reduce barriers to learning through highly effective support. Across all groups of pupils, leaders monitor pupils’ progress diligently and assess the impact of interventions. This considered, proactive approach ensures that pupils who may face barriers to their learning are very well supported and able to thrive. As a result, pupils make notable progress.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Pupils with significant barriers to learning benefit from high-quality, inclusive teaching. This is further evident with the impact of bespoke programmes that support pupils effectively to build confidence and independence.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff benefit from high-quality training that supports them to understand pupils’ needs better. The training in trauma and attachment has supported staff to understand and respond better to the needs of those pupils known to social care.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have created an exciting, positive and inclusive culture in the school. Leaders’ decisions are in the best interests of pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face additional barriers. Leaders want all pupils to succeed personally and academically. They achieve this through sensitive yet relentless support for pupils and their families.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders ensure that the priorities for development will have the best possible outcomes and experiences for pupils. Leaders take swift action to improve areas for development, for example in the expansion of the provision for 2-year-olds.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders benefit from the unwavering support of the trust. Staff also value the support and collaborative networks across the trust, where they can learn but also share their effective practice. Leaders take thoughtful steps to support staff's workload and wellbeing. Leaders ensure that staff feel valued and supported. Staff appreciate how leaders support them to develop as professionals.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Governors carry out their statutory duties with diligence. They hold leaders to account and maintain a clear focus on what is best for pupils. Governors know the school very well.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders make a positive contribution to schools beyond their own. This includes the teaching of the early years T level at a secondary school. Students then come to the school on placement to develop their learning and often choose to pursue a career in this field.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The vast majority of parents express confidence in the school, value the wider offer and appreciate the positive relationships staff build with their children.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The promotion of pupils' personal development and wellbeing is highly effective. The school offers an extensive range of enrichment activities to broaden experiences and opportunities for pupils. Pupils love celebrating when they achieve badges as rewards for completing pledges as part of the ‘grow with us’ value.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders take the time to identify interests and talents. They use this information to plan the enrichment activities, including, for example, the creation of the art club or supporting keen readers to attend poetry recitals. Pupils enjoy enrichment activities, including clubs, trips, residential visits and wider opportunities, to broaden their experiences. Leaders meticulously track provision. They ensure that all pupils, particularly those who may otherwise miss out, can take part fully in activities.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils are proud of their leadership roles. They talk about the importance of helping the younger children. Pupils apply for their roles in school. They take the application process seriously. This prepares them well for life beyond the infant school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils benefit from a carefully planned programme that promotes character, resilience and an understanding of the world. Pupils demonstrate a depth of understanding of fundamental British values. They sing the British values rap before going on a school trip. They

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Expected standard

understand the diverse communities that make up modern Britain. Pupils say, ‘everybody should be treated equally and with kindness’. Pupils know about world faiths and healthy relationships. They understand what makes a good friend. They know how to keep themselves safe when using the internet. Pupils demonstrate excellent social skills and work together well.

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Expected standard

High-quality pastoral support helps pupils to develop the communication skills and the confidence to work and learn with their peers. Pupils with a range of individual needs receive consistent and well-considered help that enables them to thrive.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Typically, they achieve well from their starting points. At the end of Year 1, outcomes in the phonics screening check are often above national averages. Most pupils, including pupils who are disadvantaged, make notable progress in their reading.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most pupils have the knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics that they need to make secure progress through the school's overall curriculum. Some pupils recall prior learning with accuracy and can talk confidently about what they have learned. For example, pupils in Year 1 talk about their learning of the Great Fire of London. However, a minority of pupils still have gaps in their knowledge when it comes to writing.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities make notable progress from their starting points. Children at the start of their learning journey, in the provision for 2-year-olds, make significant progress.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching across the school. They have accurately identified the areas where teaching needs to develop further. Leaders have rightly prioritised the teaching of writing. Leaders ensure that staff have appropriate professional development to support them. As a result, they have secured improvements in the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders have also secured improvements in developing pupils’ communication skills and vocabulary. The impact of this is evident across the school.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school’s curriculum identifies what pupils will learn and when. The curriculum is progressive, building on what pupils have learned before. This helps pupils to embed their learning. Learning is well sequenced and develops pupils' fluency, confidence and enjoyment.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers have detailed subject knowledge. In most lessons, they give clear instructions and demonstrate what pupils need to do. Teachers regularly check how well pupils are progressing with their learning. Where needed, they ensure that pupils get additional support. For example, they support pupils with their reading to help pupils keep up with their peers. That said, sometimes teachers do not use checks as well as they could to ensure that pupils improve their spelling or their letter formation when writing.

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Early years Expected standard

The early years curriculum supports learning from when children join the school in the 2- year-olds' provision. The curriculum identifies what children need to know and remember.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders ensure that children get off to a positive start in the early years. Leaders work effectively with parents and carers to ensure a smooth transition into school. Leaders also work with an array of providers to ensure that they understand children's needs from the start.

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Early years Expected standard

Children secure their knowledge of phonics, which helps them to be able to read and write. Staff support children who have gaps in their reading knowledge effectively. Some staff support children to develop their letter formation well. Children practise what they have learned in early mathematics. For example, they practise number sentences during their play.

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Early years Expected standard

Some staff interactions with children are of high quality and develop language and communication well. Leaders recognise the need to continue this work to ensure that all staff engage in high-quality interactions with children to develop their communication skills and vocabulary.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders identify the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) swiftly and put highly effective support in place. Children, including those with SEND, achieve well and are ready for their next steps.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils skip into school at The Carlton Infant Academy. Pupils are valued, respected and known well by staff and leaders. This leads to a high sense of belonging, where pupils are happy and attend well.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils thrive in a culture underpinned by the school’s values. They live out the value of ‘grow with us’ and want to succeed. Pupils show high levels of respect and care for one another. They take the time to look after each other. Although the pupils are young, they love to support others through their leadership roles. The play leaders understand they have an important role, and they enjoy wearing their high-visibility jackets and lanyards. The pupil plumbers, electricians and site manager all take their roles seriously. These roles help them to prepare to be a positive member of the community. Pupils fully engage in the wider enrichment opportunities. Leaders and staff have consistently high expectations of behaviour. Consequently, pupils behave very well. Bullying is rare. Pupils understand what bullying is but say that it does not happen. As a result, pupils feel safe in school. They have warm and positive relationships

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Children in early years, from the age of 2, get off to a positive start. They play, explore and become curious learners. Pupils, of all ages, engage enthusiastically with an ambitious curriculum that has been carefully planned out. They enjoy their learning. Most teachers make sure that pupils understand what they are learning. Most pupils are well prepared for the next stage of education.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Staff swiftly identify barriers to learning for pupils and provide the best possible support for them. They want all pupils to achieve well. Staff provide effective, tailored support. As a result, pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, those who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve well.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is taught consistently well in all subjects and year groups so that pupils secure the knowledge and skills they need for their next steps. Leaders should ensure that the checks made on pupils' learning are used by staff to improve and address any misconceptions pupils have, particularly in their handwriting and spelling. In the early years, leaders should ensure the consistent use of high-quality interactions from staff to extend children’s vocabulary and deepen their understanding of important knowledge.

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About this inspection

This school is part of the Redhill Academy Trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Andrew Burns OBE, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Simon Healy.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, trustees and governors, including the chairs of the trust and the local governing body. They also spoke to a range of teaching and non-teaching staff and a wide range of pupils.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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Team inspectors:

Tim Leah, Ofsted Inspector Deborah Tibble, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England. The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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What does this mean?

Headteacher: Anna Scrivens National average: 300

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 5.0% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.9% 5.5% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 6.3% 5.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 12.3% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 14.5% 14.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 15.6% 16.2% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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