Nightingale Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching in mathematics by ensuring that work consistently challenges pupils’ thinking and stretches their understanding, especially for the most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils.
• Develop the skills and expertise of subject leaders so that they have a greater impact on improving teaching and raising standards.
• Improve pupils’ outcomes by ensuring that:
  • the difference between the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and other pupils in the school and those nationally, who have similar starting points, continues to narrow
  • both progress and standards in mathematics improve for pupils at the end of key stage 2.

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Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since his appointment, the headteacher has been uncompromising in his drive for continuous school improvement. Governors, staff, parents and carers, and pupils hold him in high regard. Staff who were at the school before his appointment report how the school has been invigorated and say they feel privileged to work with him.
• Senior leaders have a clear and thorough understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Self-evaluation is thorough, detailed and accurately identifies the next steps needed to take forward improvements. Leaders have set about addressing these areas tenaciously.
• Senior leaders identified a lack of consistency in teachers’ assessment of pupils’ progress and attainment. As a result, new procedures have been introduced to make teachers more accountable for their pupils’ progress. For example, there is regular monitoring of the quality of teaching, meetings take place with staff to discuss pupils’ progress and a new system is in place for recording information about achievement. These systems are having a positive impact on school improvement, with both progress and attainment improving across all year groups.
• Leaders of both English and mathematics have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. For example, after reviewing the teaching of mathematics, leaders discovered that, because of previous gaps in pupils’ learning, work was not always pitched at the right level for some pupils. Further staff training has been arranged and the mathematics curriculum altered to address this.
• Many subject leaders are new to these roles and do not yet possess the skills to have a significant impact on the teaching or assessment of their subject across the school. Leaders are aware of this and training is in place during the coming year.
• Pupil premium funding is used effectively to reduce the difference between the outcomes attained by disadvantaged pupils and those of other pupils nationally. Leaders use the funding to provide additional teaching and emotional support and to ensure full participation in all aspects of school life for these pupils.
• Additional funding for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is used to good effect. The special educational needs coordinator has a sound understanding of pupils’ individual needs. Learning support assistants have received training to enable them to deliver effective intervention programmes. Work in books, interviews with pupils and extensive progress data linked to their individual programmes confirm that most current pupils make good progress from their starting points.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Pupils demonstrate the values they learn through the ways in which they show respect to adults and their peers. A wide range of leaders from different faiths are invited into school to lead assemblies and enhance pupils’ awareness of different cultures and beliefs.
• Opportunities for pupils to be elected as a pupil governor or to be appointed to one of many areas of responsibility in the school provide them with experience of democracy

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in action. Fundamental British values are promoted successfully in many ways, for example by inviting the local community into school to celebrate the royal wedding together, and by sharing soup made from vegetables grown at the school with elderly neighbours.

• The additional funding the school receives for physical education (PE) and sport is used effectively. Pupils take part in events and competitions involving other local schools and attend lunchtime and after-school clubs, such as table tennis and cross-country. The funding is also used to support the development of staff who, for example, work alongside a specialist teacher to deliver dance lessons. The school holds the ‘Gold Games Mark’ for increasing participation in school games and developing competitive opportunities.
• The curriculum is suitably broad, balanced and accessible to all. Where needed, planning is adjusted to ensure that all pupils are able to participate fully in all lessons. For example, stretches that pupils need to do as part of their occupational therapy are incorporated into whole-class PE sessions. Evidence in lessons and books shows that skills learned in subjects, such as mathematics or English, are applied in other curriculum areas. The curriculum is enriched by educational visits, for example to an Iron Age farm, and by visitors to the school, such as ‘Samuel Pepys’ who introduced the Fire of London topic.
• A wide range of extra-curricular activities is available for pupils, including sports clubs, singing, construction and Morris dancing. These clubs are well attended and popular with the pupils.
• Parents are very positive about school life and nearly all would recommend the school to others. One parent, reflecting the views of many, describes the school as ‘very well led with fantastic staff; it’s a bright and happy place to be taught’.
• The local authority has an accurate view of the school and the actions required to support further improvement. It provides timely and productive support to leaders, staff and governors.

Governance of the school

• Governors are enthusiastic, well informed and have a realistic view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Governors regularly visit the school to talk to pupils about their learning and to question leaders. They attend teacher training days and help on school trips. Governors say that these activities help them to gain an accurate overview of what happens at the school.
• Governors both support and challenge school leaders. Minutes of meetings show that they ask leaders challenging questions, for example about the impact of pupil premium funding.
• All governors are suitably trained in safeguarding. Two governors are trained in safer recruitment and are present at interviews for new staff. The safeguarding governor regularly visits the school to ensure that safeguarding procedures are robust.
• Governors carefully monitor and review the use of additional funding, including the pupil premium and the school’s sports grant. They check that these funds are used to make a positive impact on pupils’ progress.

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Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Rigorous systems ensure that staff and volunteers are suitable to work with children. Visitors to the school are checked thoroughly and made aware of the school’s safeguarding arrangements. The single central register is compliant with statutory requirements.
• Leaders ensure that pupils’ well-being is at the heart of the school’s work. All staff receive regular training and they understand their roles and responsibilities for keeping pupils safe. There are efficient systems to protect pupils who might be at risk. Good links with outside agencies ensure that concerns are followed up quickly.
• Pupils are safe in school. Parents, pupils and staff agree that this is true.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• There has been a significant change in teaching staff since the appointment of the present headteacher. Leaders have made sure that professional development for all teachers has been targeted and supportive. This has resulted in good teaching throughout the school and a rapid improvement in pupils’ progress across the curriculum.
• Relationships are strong between adults and pupils. Staff have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and of how well they will behave. Pupils show positive attitudes to their work and are keen to learn. As a result, most pupils are making at least good progress.
• The improved quality of monitoring and deeper analysis of information about pupils’ progress have resulted in better teaching and assessment across the school. These improvements are evident in discussions with pupils, observations of work in pupils’ books, visits to lessons, and information from the school’s systems for tracking pupils’ progress.
• Teachers use their good subject knowledge to structure learning effectively. For example, by the end of a Year 4 geography lesson pupils were able to explain the difference between human and physical features in a landscape. In Year 2, pupils could explain the meaning of the greater-than and less-than symbols in mathematics.
• The introduction of high-quality texts is having a positive effect on the development of pupils’ understanding of more sophisticated vocabulary and their skills of inference and deduction.
• Learning support assistants play an important role in helping pupils succeed. They are well trained and provide good support for all pupils. Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, and some with challenging behaviour, are often given work tailored to their individual needs. Adults ensure that these pupils are fully included in all classroom activities.
• The teaching of phonics is strong. Pupils can apply their phonic knowledge to decode unknown words. When reading aloud, however, pupils, particularly in key stage 2, do not use punctuation cues to help them read with fluency.

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• Work is usually pitched well to pupils’ abilities. In mathematics, however, work does not consistently provide appropriate challenge, especially for the most able and the most able disadvantaged pupils.
• Homework is set in accordance with school policy. Pupils say that they enjoy the home projects; for example, making a bird box to bring in and share at school.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils welcome visitors and are keen to engage them in conversation. Pupils are polite and courteous, for example waiting for an adult to pass through a doorway.
• Staff work tirelessly to ensure that all pupils are safe and well cared for. Adults work closely with families and outside agencies, such as for behavioural support, to ensure that pupils are given the best possible opportunities to develop both socially and academically.
• Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They settle well in lessons, and incidents of low-level disruption are extremely rare.
• Pupils feel very safe in school. They place great trust in all staff and say that, ‘Every adult in school is someone you can talk to.’ Pupils understand what bullying and cyber bullying are. They say that bullying happens very occasionally at the school and that any incidents are sorted out quickly.
• Pupils take on a range of responsibilities that they clearly enjoy, such as becoming a playground ‘eagle’ or young governor. The ‘eagles’ help to organise breaktime games and are the ‘go-to’ people to sort out minor upsets at playtimes. Young governors organise a range of activities throughout the year; for example, the popular ‘bling-up your scooter’, which raises money for charity.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• The strong relationships that are nurtured between adults and pupils ensure that conduct is usually good around the school and during lessons. Pupils are polite to both adults and their peers. During the inspection, behaviour was good at lunchtimes and playtimes.
• Pupils enjoy their learning and talk positively about the staff.
• The approach of rewarding pupils’ good behaviour throughout the school is having a positive impact. The proportion of pupils who receive a fixed-term exclusion from school has fallen dramatically and is now below the average for schools nationally.
• Attendance for all pupils is at least in line with national averages. The school’s welfare officer has established a good relationship with parents, offering support, advice and, at times, collecting pupils from home. Consequently, the proportion of pupils who are

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persistently absent has fallen and is now below that found nationally.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils’ work, the school’s own information about progress, and moderation undertaken by the local authority show that disadvantaged pupils are making strong progress and the difference between themselves and other pupils nationally is diminishing.
• Phonics teaching is a strength of the school. Standards achieved in the national phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 have been above the national average for the past three years. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in 2018 was well above the national average.
• Provisional information for 2018 indicates that the proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard at the end of key stage 1, in both reading and mathematics, was broadly in line with other pupils nationally. The proportion of pupils demonstrating greater understanding in reading, writing and mathematics was also broadly in line with national averages.
• Progress in writing is good across all year groups and all ability groups. This is evident in pupils’ work, the school’s information about pupils’ progress, and from pupils’ reflections on the progress they have made.
• Provisional information for 2018 indicates that progress made by the most able pupils is improving. This is reflected, for example, by the increased proportion of pupils reaching the higher standard at the end of Year 6 in reading and writing. Across the school, however, some of the most able and most-able disadvantaged pupils are given work that is too easy for them. As a result, these pupils do not fulfil their potential.
• Provisional information for the end of key stage 2 shows that the proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading has risen substantially since 2016 and is now in line with that found nationally.
• Progress in mathematics at the end of key stage 2 has been well below the national average for the past three years. Leaders have taken action to address this. Work in pupils’ books and the school’s progress information confirm that pupils are now making much stronger progress in mathematics.

Early years provision Good

• The early years provision is well led and managed. Teachers plan interesting activities to enhance children’s learning and development across the curriculum, both indoors and outside of the classroom. Children who have only recently started school were keen to explain about their numbers game and demonstrated an understanding of numbers up to six by accurately recording scores on a whiteboard.
• Children make good progress in early years. There has been a three-year upward trend in the proportion of children achieving a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year. In 2018, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development was above the average achieved nationally. However, the proportion exceeding a good level of development was below that found nationally. Leaders have

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identified this as an area for further improvement.

• Disadvantaged children and those who have SEN and/or disabilities are supported well and make good progress. The early years funding for disadvantaged pupils is used effectively, especially in numeracy, to diminish the difference between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally.
• Safeguarding in the early years is highly effective. All adults in early years are suitably trained in paediatric first aid and child protection. Children are supported well. Routines and rules are quickly established, children settle well and respond positively to adults.
• Leaders involve parents well in the education of their children. Parents appreciate the information they receive and the ability to respond to the school’s online program which tracks their children’s development. Parents also regularly come into school to work with small groups of children in the extensive outdoor area.
• There are good links with local nurseries. The information nurseries enter into the school’s online system enables staff to have a good understanding of the needs of the children they are receiving.
• At the end of the Reception Year, early years outcomes are moderated with Year 1 teachers. This supports a smooth transition into Year 1, as the receiving teacher is able to plan effectively for children’s individual needs.

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School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 116256 Hampshire 10040723 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 451 Appropriate authority Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Local authority Mr Kevin Coen Mr Jon James 02380 613588 www.nightingale.hants.sch.uk adminoffice@nightingale.hants.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 15–16 July 2014

Information about this school

• The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who receive support for SEN and/or disabilities is well above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan is broadly in line with the national average.
• The current headteacher was appointed in September 2016 and a new leadership team was formed.
• Children in early years are taught in two Reception classes.

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Information about this inspection

• Inspectors carried out observations of learning in all year groups except Year 6, who were away on a residential trip. Some of these observations were conducted jointly with senior leaders. Some classes were visited more than once.
• Inspectors scrutinised documents, including: minutes of governing body meetings, the school’s self-evaluation, the development plan, monitoring and assessment information, school policies, behaviour and safety records, safeguarding policies and procedures, and reports from visits by the local authority.
• Meetings were held with senior leaders, subject leaders, members of staff, and two members of the governing body.
• Inspectors met with pupils, as well as having informal conversations with pupils during lessons and playtimes. Inspectors listened to pupils read and talked to them about their work.
• Inspectors considered 42 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 41 free-text comments. They also met with parents before school.
• Inspectors considered 14 responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire.

Inspection team

Brian Macdonald, lead inspector Kusum Trikha Hilary Goddard

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector

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