Carrington Primary and Nursery School

Carrington Primary and Nursery School Inspection report

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122414 Unique Reference Number CITY OF NOTTINGHAM Local Authority 292392 Inspection number 22 °23 May 2007 Inspection dates Martin Newell Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 254 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr James Urquhart Chair Mrs Michele Bailey Headteacher 25 June 2002 Date of previous school inspection Jenner Street School address Carrington Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG5 1AB

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0115 9156825 Telephone number 01159156824 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 22 °23 May 2007 Inspection dates 292392 Inspection number .

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is an over subscribed average sized primary school. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is broadly in line with the national average. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities and or a statement of special educational need are similar to the picture found nationally. Close to half the pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds and a high proportion speak English as an additional language. In some year groups, the number of pupils who have changed schools is high.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Carrington Primary and Nursery School, 22 °23 May 2007

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Grade: 2

Carrington is a good school with some outstanding features and meets the diverse needs of its pupils well. Inspection findings endorse the school's view of its own effectiveness. The school benefits from strong support from most of its parents, one of whom said, 'I am sure the school will pass with flying colours.' This statement has proved spot on. No hint of complacency exists under the very good leadership of the headteacher and all staff share a determination to make the school even better. This together with a good track record for tackling weaknesses means that the school is set up well for further success and good value for money is evident. Attainment when pupils start at the school varies significantly although, overall, it is broadly at the nationally expected level. By the time that pupils leave school, standards are well above average, although pupils' writing is not as strong as other subjects. The picture that emerges,

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Grade: 2

however, is that all pupils regardless of ability, gender or ethnicity make good progress and achieve well. Good teaching, rigorous tracking of pupils' progress and a rich and varied curriculum that motivates and enthuses them are the main reasons. Teaching is often challenging, moves along at a rapid pace and leaves pupils under no illusions as to what is expected of them. Pupils' personal development is good and pupils' outstanding cultural development adds much to the very impressive racial harmony that wraps around the school. Nearly all pupils behave well and are keen and enthusiastic learners. Attendance is satisfactory. Pupils are always ready to make a telling contribution to the school community but opportunities for them to do so are a little limited. The involvement of pupils in setting and reviewing their own academic targets is not yet consistent enough to impact fully on helping them to make even better

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Grade: 2

progress. Pupils get off to a good start in the Foundation Stage because of the vibrant learning opportunities that are on offer. This is built on well throughout the school. Pupils acquire skills and qualities that will hold them in good stead in the future. Care and guidance for pupils is good. Pastoral care is outstanding, as all staff know the social and emotional needs of their pupils and meet them very well. Pupils have a good awareness of what is needed to follow a healthy lifestyle and manage risks in their lives well. Central to the school's successes lies good leadership and management and the pivotal role played by the headteacher and other key staff. All the staff work together very well and there is no sense of 'resting on laurels.' Instead the mission is to always move forward. Governors play their part too and are a proactive and effective force in evaluating and influencing the work of the school.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Provide more opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills across different subjects and other innovative curriculum initiatives. • Provide more opportunities for pupils to make a telling contribution to the school community and for them to play a more active role in setting and reviewing their own academic targets.

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Grade: 2

Attainment on entry broadly matches what is normally found. Good teaching and learning experiences in the Foundation Stage result in standards rising to a little above expected levels by the end of the Reception year. Standards by the end of Year 2 are above average and they 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Carrington Primary and Nursery School, 22 °23 May 2007 are well above average by the end of Year 6. This paints an overall picture of good progress and achievement for pupils of all abilities and ethnicities. Writing standards lag a little behind reading standards but improvement is increasingly apparent. National test and assessment data show that the progress made from Year 2 to Year 6 is better than found in most schools nationally. Much of this is due to the good quality of teaching, particularly in Years 5 and 6, and the rigorous use of assessment systems to set challenging targets that are often met and

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being, including spiritual, moral and social development, is good. Cultural development is outstanding, Pupils' commitment to and understanding of the importance of racial harmony is exceptional. They forge good relationships with one another and most are confident that any bullying is dealt with effectively. Pupils have positive attitudes towards school, speaking enthusiastically about it and how much they enjoy attending, which is reflected in attendance figures that are in line with averages. Behaviour is generally good inside and outside classrooms. Pupils have a good understanding of what being healthy means, although they do not always bring healthy snacks for break-time. They have a good awareness of what is needed to keep safe. The school council provides pupils with a voice but pupils are right in their belief that more exciting opportunities could be provided for them to contribute

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Grade: 2

more to the life of the school. Pupils make a positive contribution to the local community. Good examples are seen in their charitable fund raising and singing at different events and venues. They acquire effectively those skills and qualities needed for their future beyond school.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Teachers plan well and in most instances ensure that learning is well matched to the varying abilities of pupils. Across the school teaching assistants and learning mentors strongly influence how well pupils learn and achieve. At times teaching in Years 5 and 6 is outstanding, because lessons are packed full of pace and challenge and learning tasks captivate the interest of the pupils. This leaves them hanging on to their teacher's every word, so they are disappointed when the lesson ends. When teaching does not reach such heights, it is because pupils are not managed well enough and rates of progress are slowed a little. Such instances are the exception rather than the norm. Assessment is good and information is used well to set challenging targets and track pupils' progress robustly. Any underachievement is tackled effectively. While marking is sometimes highly informative in offering pointers for

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Grade: 2

improvement, this is not consistently the case.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. It is rich and varied and well matched to the diverse needs and interests of all pupils. Literacy and numeracy skills are developed well but opportunities to develop pupils' writing skills in different subjects or through more innovative curriculum initiatives are not always capitalised on. Computers are now being used more than previously to add impact and interest to lessons. A comprehensive programme for personal, social and health education 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Carrington Primary and Nursery School, 22 °23 May 2007 informs pupils about healthy choices and helps develop life skills very well. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage is good as are the transition arrangements that help pupils move into Year 1. A range of activities to extend learning enriches greatly what is taught. The introduction of Spanish lessons, opportunities to learn a musical instrument and many sporting activities

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Grade: 2

both during and after school are good examples. In addition, a large number of visits and visitors help to bring subjects alive and contribute significantly to pupils' enjoyment. A residential trip for Year 6 pupils helps build up their social skills, team building and independence.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. The school provides outstanding pastoral care that helps pupils thrive. A comprehensive programme encourages pupils to think about their relationships, health and personal safety. Very good support is on hand for pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities, pupils whose first language is not English and for those considered to be vulnerable. Pupils' learning needs are identified early and addressed promptly. Individual education plans are sharply focused and reviewed regularly to ensure needs are being met. Excellent links with outside agencies support this process and as a result most pupils make good progress and participate fully in school activities. Parents are very positive in their views of the school. They say they feel welcome and appreciate what the school is doing for their children. Statutory procedures for safeguarding pupils, child protection, health and safety, and

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Grade: 2

assessing risk are all in place. Academic support and guidance are good. Pupils regularly meet and sometimes exceed the challenging targets that are set for them. However, pupils do not yet consistently play an active enough role in setting and reviewing their own targets.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher leads and manages the school very well. She has played a pivotal role in moving it forward apace and in creating a learning environment which exudes racial harmony and embraces cultural diversity. She has an excellent grasp of the school's strengths and areas for development. Changes she has made have led to strong improvements in standards, teaching and assessment. She is well supported by an effective leadership team who share her desire to set the bar higher and make the school even better. A strong sense of team spirit amongst all staff is tangible. Good procedures are in place for monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning in core subjects. The school recognises that these models of good practice need to be developed across other subjects and that existing aspects of good and better teaching need to be shared more. Governance is good because

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Grade: 2

governors are adept in being supportive while monitoring and challenging performance. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Carrington Primary and Nursery School, 22 °23 May 2007 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Carrington Primary and Nursery School, 22 °23 May 2007

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Carrington Primary and Nursery School, 22 °23 May 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Carrington Primary and Nursery School, 22 °23 May 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

24 May 2007 Dear Children Inspection of Carrington Primary and Nursery School, Carrington, Nottingham, NG5 1AB. You will probably remember that we visited your school not too long ago and I am now writing to let you know what we found out. Before I do, I would first of all like to say thank you for making us feel so welcome and making our visit one that we will remember. We have told your teachers how you were all so helpful and polite and that you said many positive things about your school. We managed to talk to lots of you and it was good to hear how much you enjoy school, the after school clubs and all the other activities that are on offer. We found many good things about your school and, like you, we think it is a good school. Teachers and other staff make learning enjoyable and help you to achieve well and to reach very good standards by the time that you leave. The way in which the school helps you to learn

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

about different cultures and how it promotes racial harmony are very impressive. The school is also good because it helps you to learn about the importance of keeping fit, healthy and safe. Everyone works very hard at making sure you are well cared for. Another strength is the way in which your headteacher runs the school and helps to make it such an exciting place for learning. Yet another strength of your school is ... you! Nearly all of you behave well, are keen and enthusiastic and get on with each other really well. We have talked to your teachers about how they can help make the school even better. They are going to help you improve your writing skills; give you more opportunities to take on responsibilities in the school and they will give you the chance to set some of your own targets for improvement. The headteacher and all the staff and governors want the school to carry on getting better and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

better. Having met you I know you will continue to play your part by continuing to work as hard and to behave well. We wish you every success in the future. It was a pleasure and privilege to meet you. Martin Newell Wendy Harrison Additional Inspectors 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Carrington Primary and Nursery School, 22 °23 May 2007

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