Bolsover Infant SchoolOfsted report card, 15 Sept 2026

Bolsover Infant School

Address: Welbeck Road, Bolsover, Welbeck Road Bolsover, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S44 6DE Unique reference number (URN): 112511

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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 Expected standard

Attendance is improving for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils, although it remains below the national average. Persistent absence is reducing. Leaders’ sustained actions are securing these improvements. They monitor attendance and act quickly when concerns arise. Leaders use attendance information to identify patterns and work closely with families to understand why pupils are absent. They provide practical support when needed, including home visits, help with morning routines and support from external services. Leaders maintain regular contact with families and continue to address barriers that prevent pupils from attending school regularly.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They understand the school’s expectations and respond well to established routines. Pupils arrive calmly and are ready to learn. They play positively together during social times and enjoy the activities available to them. Staff take time to understand the reasons behind pupils’ behaviour and help them to reflect when they make poor choices. Pupils who find managing their behaviour more difficult receive appropriate support. Serious incidents of poor behaviour have significantly reduced over time. Pupils say that bullying is rare and trust adults to deal with it if it happens.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed a broad and well-sequenced curriculum that builds from the early years into key stage 1. They refine aspects of the curriculum to reflect the changing needs of pupils. Teachers generally teach the curriculum well. They use assessment to identify gaps in pupils’ learning and understand what pupils know.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers have the knowledge and training they need to teach phonics well. They model sounds accurately and consistently. Pupils learn familiar strategies that help them to read unfamiliar words. Pupils who need additional help, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive timely support to catch up. Teachers identify gaps in pupils’ mathematical knowledge and use this information to inform future teaching.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers use questioning to identify what pupils know and understand across the curriculum. Pupils generally engage positively with their learning and use resources with increasing independence. Pupils have opportunities to develop their writing, including their vocabulary and composition.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Important knowledge and skills, including handwriting and pencil grip, are taught across the school. However, the reinforcement of these aspects is not yet consistently embedded in all classrooms. Leaders have identified this variation and are refining approaches to secure greater consistency for all pupils.

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Early years Expected standard

Children are happy and settle well in the early years. They are engaged in their learning and develop increasing independence. Leaders have a clear vision for the early years. Leaders understand children’s needs and use this knowledge to shape the provision. Leaders have designed a curriculum across all 7 areas of learning that builds towards the knowledge and skills children need for Year 1.

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Early years Expected standard

Teaching is generally effective. Adults establish clear routines and provide activities that help children to develop their knowledge, language and independence. Adults generally interact positively with children and support their communication and understanding. There is some variation in this practice across the early years rooms, which means that adults do not always make the most of opportunities to extend children’s learning.

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Early years Expected standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, generally achieve well from their starting points. Staff identify children’s needs early and provide appropriate support. Staff adapt provision for children with more complex needs so that they can participate in learning alongside others. Children develop positive relationships with adults and each other and feel safe and secure. Effective transition arrangements help children to settle confidently when they join the school. Children are generally well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have created an inclusive culture where pupils’ individual needs are understood and valued. Staff use clear processes to identify pupils who face barriers to their learning or well-being, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff know these pupils well and provide appropriate adjustments and support. This helps pupils with SEND, including those with complex needs, to access learning and participate fully in school life alongside their peers.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff receive appropriate training to meet pupils’ different needs. Pupils with specific plans have individual targets linked to their wider outcomes, which are reviewed regularly with parents and carers. Leaders work closely with external professionals to secure specialist advice and support when needed. This helps pupils to receive appropriate support as their needs change.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders understand the barriers faced by disadvantaged pupils and use additional funding to address them. Pupils receive support with learning and attendance and benefit from wider opportunities alongside their peers. Leaders can demonstrate the positive difference that some of this work makes, including to attendance. They recognise that evaluating the impact of additional funding more precisely will help them to refine their approaches further.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders understand the school’s strengths and the areas that need further improvement. They know the school and its community well and understand the changing needs of pupils. Leaders use this knowledge to identify appropriate priorities and make decisions in pupils’ best interests. They work constructively with the local authority, specialist professionals and other external partners. As a result of this, leaders are clearly focused on raising pupils' achievement in identified areas.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors are engaged in the life of the school and fulfil their statutory duties. They visit regularly and use these opportunities to find out about the school’s work. Governors provide appropriate support and challenge to leaders and monitor important aspects of the school, including safeguarding and attendance. Their oversight of some aspects of the school’s work is less detailed. Leaders and governors recognise where further improvement is needed.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff feel valued and supported by leaders. Leaders consider staff workload and wellbeing and provide opportunities for staff to work together and share expertise. Professional development is evident across the school. Leaders ensure that staff receive training that reflects the school’s priorities and the needs of pupils. Staff value these opportunities to develop their knowledge and expertise and improve their practice. Early career teachers receive appropriate support.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders work positively with parents and carers and the wider community. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly supportive of the school and value the care and support that their children receive. Leaders maintain positive relationships with families and work effectively with external professionals when pupils and families need additional help.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders prioritise pupils’ personal development and wellbeing. They have planned a coherent personal development curriculum from Nursery to Year 2 that supports pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development. Pupils learn about relationships, different beliefs and cultures and how to become positive members of their community. Assemblies and planned activities develop pupils’ understanding of diversity, respect and fundamental British values. Pupils understand the importance of treating others fairly and respectfully, and demonstrate this consistently.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy, including when they are online. Age- appropriate relationships and health education enables pupils to understand healthy relationships and how to recognise potential risks. Pupils learn to recognise and talk about their emotions. They know that trusted adults will listen and help if they are worried. This helps pupils to feel safe and cared for. Pupils also learn about making healthy choices.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils develop their understanding of different cultures and communities through a broad and varied range of experiences. These include Black History Month, Europe Day, dragon dancing and links with an international partner school in Mexico. Activities such as singing, dance and forest school help pupils to develop their interests and confidence. These experiences give pupils opportunities to learn beyond the classroom and develop their understanding of the world. Leaders seek to make these opportunities accessible to pupils regardless of their circumstances or additional needs.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils benefit from highly effective pastoral support. Staff know pupils and their families well and identify when additional help is needed. Trained staff provide targeted support for pupils experiencing emotional difficulties and work with families and external services when

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Needs attention

necessary. As a result, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive help that meets their individual needs. This helps them to manage their emotions, develop confidence and participate positively in school life.

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Achievement Needs attention

Not all pupils achieve as well as they should. Some pupils do not securely learn and remember some of the important knowledge and skills that they need for future learning. For example, some pupils are not always able to remember and explain what they have learned across the curriculum.

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Achievement Needs attention

Many pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve well from their starting points. Outcomes in the Year 1 phonics screening check have been broadly in line with national averages over time.

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Achievement Needs attention

In writing, some pupils do not develop their handwriting well enough. This can affect the quality of their work. Pupils generally develop their mathematical knowledge and skills well.

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Achievement Needs attention

Gaps in some pupils’ knowledge and recall, alongside difficulties with aspects of writing, mean that not all pupils are as well prepared as they should be for the next stage of their education.

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

Pupils are happy and feel safe at this welcoming and inclusive school. They feel cared for and valued. Pupils have positive and respectful relationships with adults and each other. They know that adults will listen if they have a worry or concern. This helps pupils to feel that they belong. Pupils understand the importance of kindness and respect and show these qualities in the way they treat others.

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

Pupils behave well. They understand what is expected of them and respond positively to well-established routines. Pupils arrive calmly and are ready to learn. They enjoy social times and play well together. Pupils say that bullying is rare and trust adults to deal with any such incidents.

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

Pupils are enthusiastic about learning and generally participate well in lessons. Many pupils achieve well from their starting points. However, some pupils do not securely learn and remember some of the important knowledge and skills they need. Consequently, some pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully included in school life. They learn alongside their peers and receive support that reflects their individual needs. Disadvantaged pupils enjoy the same curriculum and wider opportunities as their peers. This helps pupils to participate fully in school life.

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Team inspectors:

Katherine Chadbourne, Ofsted Inspector Linda Azemia, Ofsted Inspector Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy and understand the importance of treating others fairly and respectfully. They enjoy varied activities and experiences that broaden their interests and develop their confidence. Pupils benefit from effective pastoral support when they need it. Attendance is improving and persistent absence is reducing. As a result, more pupils attend regularly and benefit from all that school has to offer.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that teachers consistently identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge more precisely so that pupils secure the knowledge and skills they need to achieve well. Leaders should further improve attendance, particularly for pupils who are persistently absent, so that more pupils attend school well and benefit fully from their education.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Toni Buxton.

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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 spoke with the headteacher, other senior leaders and staff, and several groups of pupils. They also met with members of the governing board and representatives of the local authority.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following about the school:

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 15 September 2026

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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.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years. National average: 26.5%

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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 needs support 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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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) 11.8% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 16.9% 14.6% 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

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