Nonsuch Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Nonsuch Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this school.

There is a strong sense of community where pupils are known and feel safe. Pupils value their education and are eager to meet the expectations set. They rarely miss a day of school and work hard in lessons.

Overall, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Pupils are kind to one another and behave well. The school's values encourage pupils to appreciate and respect diversity within and beyond the school community.

This creates an environment wher...e everyone feels a sense of belonging and unkind behaviours are rare. This begins in the early years where children develop healthy relationships with other children and adults, sharing and taking turns well.

Pupils care about one another and their school community.

They seek out opportunities to support others. For example, older pupils enjoy the responsibility to read to younger pupils and many are keen members of the school council. There are lots of opportunities that support pupils' talents and interests, such as ballroom dancing, computer club and football for both girls and boys.

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

The school has established a broad curriculum. Teachers have thought carefully about the knowledge and skills pupils must know and understand. Learning is well ordered, and teaching emphasises building on prior knowledge.

Pupils demonstrate their understanding through precise use of language and high-quality writing. This is because the school prioritises the development of communication and language from the early years.

Teachers set high expectations and systematically check understanding through carefully considered activities.

They prioritise early identification of gaps in learning. Where there are gaps, targeted support is delivered through expertly delivered interventions. This ensures that teachers know and understand pupils' needs well and that learning is adapted to meet their needs, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Adults supporting pupils with SEND work effectively alongside teachers to make learning accessible. As a result, pupils learn well and make good progress in learning curriculum content.

Pupils regularly recall and apply their learning with increasing accuracy and confidence.

In some subjects, staff have considered how the curriculum can be strengthened so that pupils acquire a deeper understanding of the concepts taught. For example, pupils make excellent progress through the mathematics curriculum. This is because of the high expectations set in how pupils apply methods consistently and explain their answers.

In history pupils' learning is checked through 'contentious questioning'. Pupils make links and explain how events have shaped history over time. Where the school has developed the curriculum, pupils demonstrate strong knowledge and understanding through their writing.

In a small number of subjects, the school continues to build staff expertise. Pupils' learning is not as secure in these subjects.

There is a focus on reading across the curriculum, including in the early years, ensuring pupils learn to read well.

Staff receive training and deliver the school's reading programme well. The school provides effective support for pupils who find reading difficult. Pupils have access to a diverse range of books and poetry that are linked to curriculum learning.

Additional opportunities, such as visits to literacy festivals, promote positive attitudes to reading.

Pupils benefit from, and enjoy, the wider opportunities that enrich and promote their learning, talents and interests. A range of clubs and school trips are enjoyed by many pupils.

The school ensures pupils learn about diversity and tolerance, actively celebrating difference. The curriculum draws on diverse inspirational figures to support pupils' learning about fundamental British values and equalities. Pupils learn about safe and healthy behaviours within and beyond school.

They are polite, respectful and play well together. Pupils and staff say that poor behaviour is rare and dealt with swiftly. Attitudes and behaviours are consistently positive across the school.

Pupils are encouraged to be active citizens. Older pupils organise activities for younger children in the role of 'Sports Supremos' and 'Reading Rangers'. Pupils value the school taking their views and ideas seriously through the school council.

Pupils attendance rates are high. Where pupils struggle to attend well, the school takes timely and effective action to encourage improved attendance.

Governors are actively involved in the school's work ensuring decisions are made in the best interests of the children.

Governors hold leaders to account and seek appropriate assurance.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The foundation curriculum is not fully embedded in some subjects.

This means that the impact is not reflected fully in what pupils know and remember. The school should ensure that the curriculum is fully embedded across all subjects and that pupils fully secure their subject-specific knowledge and skills. This will further expand and deepen pupils' knowledge and understanding in preparation for their next steps in education.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in October and November 2018.

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