St William's Primary School

St William's Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 120859 Local Authority Norfolk Inspection number 358861 Inspection dates 31 January 2011–1 February 2011 Reporting inspector Judi Bedawi

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

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 457 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sandra Whitney Headteacher Nigel Wood Date of previous school inspection 28 January 2008 School address Williams Loke Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich NR7 0AJ Telephone number 01603 434128 Fax number 01603 439206 Email address office@st-williams.norfolk.sch.uk

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Inspection dates

31 January 2011–1 February 2011 Inspection number 358861 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection dates

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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection dates

You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the documentation in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to 'Subscribe'. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by four additional inspectors. The inspectors observed 16 teachers in 29 lessons or parts of lessons. The inspection team talked to parents informally and had meetings with pupils, representatives of the governing body, staff and a telephone discussion with the school improvement partner. They observed the school's work, and looked in detail at pupils' books, a range of documentation, policies, monitoring records and data on pupils' attainment. Inspectors received and analysed 126 parental questionnaires. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.  The team checked how well different groups of pupils achieve, particularly boys and the more able in Years 3 to 6, who had been identified as not making the expected progress in the past.  Inspectors investigated the impact of improvements made in the Early Years

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Introduction

Foundation Stage.  Pupils' behaviour and attitudes in lessons and at play were observed to follow up various parental comments.

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Information about the school

St William's is larger than the average-sized primary school. Almost all pupils have a White British background. A low proportion of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals. The Early Years Foundation Stage provision comprises two Reception classes. Most pupils have attended local Nurseries or pre-schools. A below-average proportion of pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities and, of these, an above-average proportion have a statement of special educational needs. Moderate learning difficulties predominate followed by behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, speech language and communication difficulties and autistic spectrum disorders. The Hillbillies breakfast and after-school club has designated accommodation on the school site with childcare provision for 48 pupils from 4 to 11 years old. A few pupils from two nearby schools attend. In 2009, the governing body took over the management of Hillbillies so it was

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Main findings

The school provides its pupils with a satisfactory quality of education. Parents and carers feel secure in knowing that their children feel safe and are well cared for. They like the positive pastoral care focused on pupils' well-being. Pupils' progress and academic standards have remained steady in recent years, although progress improved slightly in 2010. The expansion of the senior leadership team and the appointment of a new deputy headteacher have brought renewed determination to raise standards and increase pupils' progress. Several new initiatives have been introduced but it is too early for the school to show evidence of their impact on pupils' learning. Current standards in Years 1 to 6 are broadly average and pupils make satisfactory progress. In the two Reception classes, children make good progress, especially in speaking, listening and early reading. Progress in Years 1 and 2, although still satisfactory,

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Main findings

is slightly better than in Years 3 to 6. Across the school, pupils including boys, speak confidently using good vocabulary in their explanations. They listen well, building on each other's ideas. However, those identified as not making the progress they should are not always supported promptly to make up shortcomings in their learning. This includes more- able pupils, who say that work is easy. Teaching assistants are sometimes not used flexibly enough to have most impact on supporting different groups of pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make satisfactory progress but their progress can be uneven. By Year 6, some pupils do better than expected but too many, including the more able, do not achieve expected levels in English and mathematics. Too many boys do not make the progress they should. This is because staff have low expectations of pupils' abilities, planning work that lacks challenge. Limited teaching strategies and a slow

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Main findings

pace in lessons also dampen progress. There is an increasing proportion of good teaching enabling rapid learning but this is not yet consistent. Assessment is still developing and, although tracking is improved, not all teachers use it to monitor pupils' progress or to set challenging targets. Marking varies and is inconsistent so pupils are unsure how to improve work; some do not know their targets. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning even when they find it 'boring'. Given the opportunity, they rise to challenges and show accelerated progress. Their attendance is consistently above average and their behaviour in lessons and at play are good. Their adoption of healthy lifestyles is good; they enjoy sporting activities. Pupils do not always work independently across the curriculum because they are unsure what they are expected to learn; this slows their progress in writing, reading and mathematics.

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Main findings

In recent years, leadership and management at all levels have been insufficiently robust in making improvements to pupils' achievement. Senior leaders now ensure pupils' progress accelerates rapidly enough. The governing body has worked successfully to manage the reduction in pupils' numbers and staffing as the school 'downsizes'. They manage the

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Hillbillies Breakfast and After School Club well. It offers good childcare provision and is well staffed and led. The governing body has not yet developed its skills in rigorously challenging senior leaders over academic standards and pupils' progress. Issues from the previous inspection have been addressed satisfactorily. Although some aspects of pupils' personal development are good, given the broadly average standards, satisfactory progress, teaching, and self-evaluation, the capacity for improvement is satisfactory. About 40% of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate the progress of pupils in Years 1 to 6, to good or better in English and mathematics, by: using tracking information more frequently to ensure shortcomings in learning are quickly eliminated, particularly for boys, more-able pupils and those individuals whose progress is identified as being slow having high expectations of all pupils' capabilities, setting consistently challenging activities in writing, reading and mathematical work across the curriculum ensuring, in Years 3 to 6 particularly, that pupils have good understanding of reading, handwriting, spelling, and mathematical concepts and skills, so they learn faster with more independence and responsibility.  Take immediate steps to raise the quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 to 6, by: ensuring all teachers set challenging activities building on pupils' prior learning, using different teaching styles and strategies with sharp time-scaled tasks so

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

pupils sustain interest and learning accelerates ensuring teaching assistants know what to do to support learning and are involved proactively in helping pupils of differing abilities embedding the new assessment and target setting systems; developing consistently informative marking so that pupils know their targets and how to improve their work.  Urgently improve leadership and management at all levels to secure the drive and ambition to raise standards and school performance by: ensuring the headteacher and senior leaders are proactive and focus rapidly to secure higher standards and consistently good learning, through sharper monitoring, review and evaluation of teaching and learning communicating this drive to leaders and managers at all levels so that there are agreed, clearly defined lines of staff accountability and responsibility with short time-scales for raising pupils' attainment and achievement

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

training the governing body to develop its skills in monitoring and evaluating the quality of learning and academic targets, empowering them to rigorously challenge senior leaders.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Pupils enter the school with attainment that is below expectations. They settle into school routines well and soon make friends. They want to learn and respect their teachers. However, work is not consistently challenging for pupils to make more than satisfactory progress in reading, writing and mathematics across the school. Attainment is broadly average. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 perform best in reading, building on the good work started with Reception children, but do less well in mathematics. In Years 3 to 6, too few pupils of all abilities reach their targets in English, writing and mathematics. When teaching is good and a fast pace is set, good progress is made, as was seen in a Year 6 'guided reading' lesson. Pupils gave mature reviews of books they had read with good explanations of why they had enjoyed them or not. One pupil found that 'The Gargoyle' was 'a scary book'. The class then read 'Stormbreaker,' to prepare pupils for writing their

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

own stories in the next lesson. The teacher skilfully checked pupils' understanding of the text and vocabulary and boys responded particularly well to questions. All pupils enjoyed the lesson with opportunity for all abilities, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities to read aloud. Behaviour is good. Very occasional instances of challenging behaviour are managed well by teachers so that learning is not disrupted. Year 6 pupils act as playtime 'buddies' and enjoy helping younger pupils. They eat sensibly, have fruit available and are taught how to stay safe in and outside school. Links within the local community are good; pupils visit the library regularly and participate in local events and fundraising. However, they have only limited awareness of communities across the United Kingdom and globally.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 3

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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3

Taking into account: Pupils' attendance¹

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The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4

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How effective is the provision?

All teachers have secure subject knowledge and questioning skills. Where teaching is satisfactory, teachers' expectations are set too low so some pupils are insufficiently challenged, occasionally doing work more appropriate for younger pupils. Planning is not precise enough in setting work for different ability groups or ensuring that pupils know what to do. Some teachers do not give pupils enough time to be actively involved in tasks. Teaching assistants are sometimes insufficiently involved in supporting pupils who need help. In the best lessons, work is well-planned and challenging targets set with a rapid pace so progress is good and pupils enjoy learning. The new progress tracking program is embedding well but teachers lack confidence in using it. Assessment is at an early stage of development and marking varies in quality so that pupils do not all know their targets or how to improve their work.

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How effective is the provision?

The curriculum provides good enrichment activities through use of visits and visitors, with some activities shared with local schools. Cross-curricular learning in English, mathematics and information and communication technology is not yet fully embedded. Too many pupils, including some with special educational needs and/or disabilities, have still to consolidate basic learning skills. Music and creative arts are strong features. Hillbillies club has a good uptake of pupils attending the after-school activities, although fewer attend for breakfast. Staff are well qualified in play-leading and provide a good range of well-

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

supervised activities indoors and outside. Security and attention to safeguarding, health and safety, and pupils' well-being are good. Staff know their families well. Parents and carers value the attention given to make their children feel settled and secure. Arrangements to support families who find themselves in more vulnerable circumstances are good; the school enables them to access the right kind of support so that their children can concentrate on learning. Monitoring of attendance and behaviour is good but the guidance offered to pupils, parents and carers about learning and progress is satisfactory. Transition arrangements to secondary education are soundly embedded.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching 3

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

Leadership and management at all levels are satisfactory. Over time there has been too little rigor in embedding ambition, and driving up standards and pupils' progress. This is now changing and the school is no longer complacent; it is starting to make urgent, positive changes to secure and sustain required improvements, for example, in developing learning strategies in writing and number work across the school. The headteacher and senior managers have still to communicate their ideas and vision for improvement clearly to staff, who are keen to be involved and to play their part in ensuring rapid improvement in standards and pupils' progress. Subject leaders already have good quality action plans focused on improvement. The governing body is strongly committed to raising the school's performance and ask questions about it. However, they do not yet have the skills and confidence to challenge the senior leadership team rigorously about standards, academic

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How effective are leadership and management?

progress and setting targets to drive improvement. Partnerships with parents, carers and with others to promote learning are good. The Parents' Association raises additional funds for resources and parents are welcomed to help in school and can attend workshops to extend their understanding of pupils' learning. Use of other partners has led to successful support for the Early Years Foundation Stage so that children now benefit from good provision. There are close links with several other schools in the area. Leadership and management of the Hillbillies club are good and all requirements and standards are fully met, including safeguarding arrangements. Safeguarding is satisfactory with strengths in the support offered to pupils who find themselves to be more vulnerable. The governing body's effectiveness is satisfactory and members are trained in safer recruitment. It has yet to establish regular safeguarding

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How effective are leadership and management?

meetings with the headteacher. The promotion of community cohesion is satisfactory. Links with the local community are well-embedded so that pupils are fully involved in local

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

events. Links with other communities and schools across the United Kingdom and around the world are at an early stage of development. Equality of opportunity is satisfactory. Pupils are treated fairly and know that discrimination of any kind is unacceptable. However, not all pupils achieve as well as they could, and the school has made only limited headway in eliminating these differences.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for leadership and management

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3

Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Parents and carers are pleased, and children are happy with their early learning experiences. A parent said, 'I am really happy with how my child is progressing.' A child said, 'The teachers are lovely and we do lots of nice things.' Children get a happy start and settle quickly to make good progress in developing their early learning skills, particularly in communication, reading, and linking sounds and letters. They find writing and calculating numbers more difficult and make satisfactory progress in these areas. They have good learning attitudes stimulated by the rich learning environment so that they can learn and discover for themselves, indoors and out. There is a good balance of child-led and adult-directed learning through play. Children say they feel safe because adults look after them well. Their behaviour is good and they consider the needs of others, developing good friendships. Staff understand the needs of young

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Early Years Foundation Stage

children well, and encourage them to be independent; this develops their confidence in 'having a go'. As a result, most children reach and some exceed age-related expectations in all areas of learning by the time they move into Year1. Overall, standards are average. Leadership and management are good, as are arrangements for safeguarding and welfare. Occasionally, adults are not deployed as well as they could be, especially to support boys' learning. There is a strong focus on improvement from the staff team who plan together

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

and keep parents well informed of their children's progress through ongoing daily assessment of key steps.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

The parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire were generally positive about all aspects of their children's education. A small proportion felt that behaviour, pupils' progress and the information they receive about it are not good enough. The inspection team judged behaviour to be good and pupils' progress to be satisfactory.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at St William's Primary School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school. The inspection team received 126 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 457 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 58 46 56 44 11 9 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 71 56 50 40 1 1 2 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 34 27 74 59 13 10 2 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 39 31 59 47 20 16 6 5

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 37 29 69 55 8 6 2 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 44 35 66 52 11 9 5 4

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 36 29 87 69 2 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 35 28 63 50 7 6 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 42 33 63 50 13 10 3 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 21 17 74 59 14 11 3 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 29 23 77 61 11 9 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 34 27 71 56 11 9 4 3

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 44 35 67 53 8 6 4 3

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils' needs.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2009 to 31 August 2010 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspec tion outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2009/10 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils' work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school's overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

 The school's capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils' attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of St William's Primary School, Norwich, NR7 0AJ

Thank you for giving us all such a friendly welcome when we visited your school recently. You told us a lot about your school and this helped us to do our job. There is not much you don't like. You particularly enjoy art, music, going on visits and after-school activities. You enjoy it when teaching challenges you a lot. We are impressed with your good behaviour and attendance, keep it up! You go to a satisfactory school and make similar progress to pupils in most other schools. The adults in school look after you well so you feel safe and you like your teachers. The headteacher and staff want to make your school even better and you can help them do this. I have asked them to do the following: Use the information they have about your progress to help you to catch up with your learning and to set more challenging work so it is never too easy and you make faster progress. Tell your teacher if it is too easy, you have done the work before, or need more

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Inspection of St William's Primary School, Norwich, NR7 0AJ

work. Help those of you in Years 3 to 6 especially, and those of you who find learning easy, to get better at reading, writing , spelling and mathematics across the curriculum so you reach standards that are above average and make at least good progress. You can help with this. Improve their teaching skills in planning challenging work and give you more time to be actively involved. Use set time limits to complete your work. Use teaching assistants more to help when you find learning difficult. Get the headteacher, senior teachers and the governing body to regularly check that you always make good progress in your learning and enable you to reach higher standards. I hope you continue to enjoy the rest of your time at St. William's.

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www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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