Somercotes Infant and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This school is improving. Parents and carers have noticed the positive changes in school.

As one parent commented, leaders 'have turned the school around'.

Most pupils say they feel safe and enjoy coming to school. Pupils learn to talk about their emotions.

For example, in one lesson, pupils talked about their achievements and how they made them feel proud.

Pupils like the rewards they receive for good behaviour. They understand that if they make the wrong choices, an adult will help them understand their feelings and the consequences of their actions.

Pupils said bullying is rare but during social times, behaviour is sometimes unkind. Pupil...s know whom to report these incidents to and are confident that staff will deal with them.

Pupils like to share their work with their families.

However, their understanding of different faiths and cultures is less secure.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders' actions are bringing rapid improvements to the school. They know their school well and know what the next steps are to continue to improve the school.

The trust is supporting leaders through this period of transition. Staff say that leaders are supporting their workload and well-being through this period of change.

Pupils enjoy listening to and sharing books.

In one class, pupils enjoyed the humour of 'The Twits'. Pupils enjoy visiting the school library. Leaders ensure that high-quality literature is part of the school's curriculum.

However, the school's current system for teaching early reading does not ensure that all pupils learn to read quickly and efficiently. Sometimes adults do not use accurate teaching methods to ensure that pupils remember the words they sound out. Sometimes, books do not match the stage of pupils' reading development.

Leaders are in the process of moving to a new phonics programme. This programme will include training for all staff.

Leaders have started to map out the curriculum with the knowledge they want pupils to know.

However, these plans do not identify the key knowledge pupils need to know from early years to Year 2. The plans do not help teachers to identify the key subject-specific knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember.

In early years, children develop strong relationships with their peers and with adults.

Adults purposefully help children with their spoken language and vocabulary development. For example, pupils learn the story of 'Goldilocks' by retelling the story repeatedly, using images. Adults use stories to help pupils use language related to size and materials.

However, curriculum plans in early years do not show how each area of learning links to what pupils need to know as they move into Year 1.

Leaders think carefully about how they can support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They give extra help to these pupils.

Some pupils with SEND study the same subjects as other pupils. Others receive a curriculum that is more bespoke to their needs. This tailored approach enables pupils with SEND to know more of the school's planned curriculum.

There have been significant improvements in behaviour. Pupils who require additional support to understand their emotions are given strategies to help them regulate their behaviour. Pupils in the Reception Year are proud to wear their wristbands because it shows they follow the school rules.

However, pupils commented that behaviour during social times is not of a high standard. Many pupils said that low-level behaviour was still an issue at lunchtime.

Pupils enjoy the clubs that the school has to offer.

Teachers help pupils to develop their resilience and perseverance. Pupils understand how to stay safe online. They know how to be a good friend.

However, pupils were not as confident in their understanding of other faiths and cultures.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders prioritise pupils' safety.

Leaders organise regular safeguarding training and updates for staff around safeguarding. Leaders ensure they understand the needs of each family so they can provide the right support. This includes helping families with routines at home so pupils can come to school ready to learn.

Leaders use all information available to them to look for patterns that may indicate that pupils or families need additional support.

All staff are vigilant for signs of abuse. They know how to report concerns.

Safeguarding concerns are dealt with quickly. Where needed, leaders challenge other agencies to get the right support for their families.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Not all pupils at the early stages of reading learn to read quickly and fluently because the reading programme is not used consistently by all staff.

Sometimes pupils receive books that are not well matched to the sounds they know. This results in some pupils not having the necessary knowledge to help them to learn to read efficiently. Leaders need to implement the new phonics programme so that all staff have accurate knowledge of how to support pupils at the early stages of reading to read quickly and fluently.

• Not all subjects set out the important knowledge that pupils must learn and the order in which they must learn it. This does not help teachers to build securely on what pupils have learned in the past and pupils do not gain a secure knowledge of the subject. Leaders must ensure that the curriculum plans in all subjects set out what all pupils, including pupils with SEND and pupils in the early years, must learn and the order in which they should learn it.

• Pupils' behaviour is inconsistent during some parts of the school day. This means some pupils make choices in behaviour that do not reflect the school's expectations and values. Leaders need to ensure that all adults use effective strategies to ensure that pupils' behaviour is consistent throughout the school day.

• Pupils' understanding of other faiths and cultures is not sufficiently developed. This does not prepare pupils for life beyond their immediate community. Leaders need to ensure that pupils have a well-developed understanding of diversity, so they are well prepared for life in modern Britain.