Lakenham Primary School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 23–24 February 2012 Inspection number 381767 Lakenham Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 134965 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 381767 Inspection dates 23–24 February 2012 Lead inspector Cheryl Thompson

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 329 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Richard Allen Headteacher Oriana Dalton Date of previous school inspection 6 May 2009 School address City Road Norwich NR1 2HL Telephone number 01603 877780 Fax number 01603 877781 Email address office@lakenham.norfolk.sch.uk 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

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. 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 . 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 information 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’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Inspectors observed nineteen lessons taught by eleven teachers. The work of learning support assistants supporting small groups of pupils and individuals was also observed. Meetings were held with staff, members of the governing body and groups of pupils. Inspectors heard a small number of pupils read in Years 1, 2 and 5. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, they observed the school’s work, and looked at school evaluation documents, safeguarding documentation, data on pupils’ progress and development planning. Responses from questionnaires completed by 107 parents and carers were analysed, as well as those from pupils and staff.

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Information about the school

This is a larger than average sized primary school. The proportions of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are much higher than usually found. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is also high at almost two fifths of the school. The large majority of pupils are White British with an average number from minority ethnic groups, a few are at the early stages of learning English as an additional language. The school has a higher than average and increasing, proportion of pupils joining and leaving the school part-way through their education. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage attend part-time in a morning or afternoon Nursery or full-time in the Reception classes.

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Information about the school

In 2011 the school met government floor standards for attainment in English and mathematics in Year 6 national tests. The school has achieved National Healthy School status, ICT mark, the Activemark for high quality physical education provision and the Basic Skills award. The school provides a breakfast and after-school club. Since the last inspection, there has been a change of seven teachers.

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Key findings

 This is a satisfactory and improving school. The pastoral support for pupils and their families is strong. The school is not judged to be a good because there are inconsistencies in pupils’ progress. There are four main reasons for this. Teachers are not always routinely planning work to challenge more-able pupils. A few disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs do not have the precise support to help them make good progress. In the Early Years Foundation Stage the teaching of letter-sounds (phonics) to help children learn to read and write does not always meet the needs of children who struggle with their learning. Senior teachers’ monitoring does not always identify precisely what needs to be improved.  Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Attainment at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 is low in all subjects but pupils are currently making satisfactory progress. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes make particularly good progress

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Key findings

in their personal, social and emotional development.  Teaching is satisfactory. Relationships are good and contribute well to the effective management of pupils’ behaviour and encourage positive attitudes to learning. Pupils feel safe and happy at school and say that their teachers will help them should they have any worries.  Behaviour and safety are satisfactory in lessons and around the school. The school takes a very firm line on any unacceptable behaviour so that exclusions and racist incidents have decreased considerably over time.  Leadership and management are satisfactory, as is the capacity for further improvement. The quality of teaching and pupils’ learning is monitored regularly and data used to check on pupils’ progress. These measures highlight areas or subjects to improve and where teachers need support to improve or refine their practice. The governing body ensures the school meets statutory requirements

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Key findings

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?

 Increase the rate of pupils’ progress to a consistently good level, especially in writing, and raise standards by:  ensuring disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs have appropriate support to address their precise needs  ensuring teachers consistently plan work to challenge and extend the learning of more-able pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, increase the rate of progress children make in learning letter-sounds by:  making sure children who are struggling with the early stages of learning have very regular, well targeted support in a quiet area  ensuring letter-sound sessions are brisk and well-focused  making sure that strong emphasis is given to teaching children to break words up into sounds in order to help them to spell.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the effectiveness of monitoring by:  ensuring that senior teachers’ monitoring and evaluation is more rigorous so that there is more precision in identifying what exactly needs to be done to increase pupils’ progress.

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Achievement of pupils

Parents and carers are correct in their view that their children make satisfactory progress in developing skills in communication, reading, writing and mathematics and achieve satisfactorily.

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Achievement of pupils

On entry to the Nursery, children’s skills and aptitudes are a lot lower than those typically found for their age, and are generally low in communication skills. Attainment in national assessments and tests in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 is low. However, school data and inspection evidence shows that attainment is rising, particularly at Key Stage 1 and in mathematics. Gaps between different groups of pupils’ attainment are beginning to close.

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Achievement of pupils

In the Nursery and Reception classes, children make good progress in their personal, social and emotional development. Strong links with parents and clear expectations help children settle quickly to school routines. Staff’s clear focus on ensuring that their high expectations for behaviour and kindness to one another are met, provide a calm, purposeful environment.

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Achievement of pupils

Data supplied by the school and inspection evidence indicate that staffing is now more stable, and as a consequence progress for the large majority of pupils is satisfactory and improving. The proportion of pupils making expected progress is increasing in both English and mathematics. The large majority of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs also make satisfactory progress. The majority of pupils from minority ethnic groups, and those for whom English is an additional language, make good progress mainly because they are well supported at home. The school has correctly identified that progress in writing is not good enough and recent measures to improve this are beginning to make a difference. Pupils generally make satisfactory progress, although in several observed lessons, a few more-able pupils were not always provided with work to make them think hard and extend their learning. Pupils are positive about reading but the extra support

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Achievement of pupils

provided for struggling readers is not always closely matched to their specific needs. Additionally, there is no consistent method to ensure that these pupils build up their reading vocabulary in a systematic and cumulative way, through reading and practising the same words in different books.

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Quality of teaching

Almost all parents and carers consider that their children are taught well. Inspectors found teaching to be satisfactory. Pupils say they like their teachers and think they make them work hard. There are good relationships in all classes. Teachers are very aware of each pupil’s personal circumstances and are always ready to provide support. Teaching has a positive impact on pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, pupils have worked together to agree on an illustration to portray specific rights and responsibilities. Most have a good understanding of the rules needed for a harmonious community and enjoy being considered a ‘trusted pupil’ so that they can take advantage of a range of special break-time activities. When working with ‘talk partners’ they generally listen well to each other and respect each other’s ideas. Pupils are known very well and are very confident that their ideas

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Quality of teaching

and contributions to discussions are valued.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching in the Nursery and Reception classes is satisfactory with considerable strengths in promoting children’s personal development. Early literacy skills are taught satisfactorily. However, in the Reception classes, there is insufficient, highly structured and regular provision for the small minority of children who are struggling to remember the sounds letters make and how to use them to read and spell. Their difficulties are not helped by the high level of noise and movement around them when they are working in a group with a teaching assistant.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching in other classes is satisfactory. Teachers’ use of a newly-introduced initiative, ‘assertive mentoring’ is a key strength. This initiative is having a good impact on pupils’ progress and motivation to do better; their work is marked and they are given a very clear understanding of how well they have done and what they need to improve through regular individual conferences with their teacher. In a Year 2 class, when their teacher gave out their topic books, pupils were extremely keen to see how well they had done and all were aiming for ‘green’ which means ‘good’.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

From their start in school, children in the Nursery and Reception classes develop positive attitudes to learning and behave satisfactorily. Pupils say they like coming to school. The school works tirelessly to improve attendance. The school’s attendance rate is below average, mainly because a few parents do not support the school in ensuring their children attend regularly and on time. Pupils say they feel safe in school. Bullying of any type is dealt with effectively. Pupils know about types of bullying, such as that which is cyber or racist. They acknowledge that while there is some rough play, they do not consider this to be bullying. They know that, should they have concerns, their teachers would always help them. For their ages, pupils have a satisfactory understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Most parents and carers feel the school looks after their children well. The school is very quick to

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

respond to any concerns raised by parents and carers, pupils or teachers. Pupils new to the school say that they have been welcomed and helped to settle in quickly because staff and pupils are friendly. Most parents and carers and pupils think behaviour is good. Inspectors consider that pupils’ behaviour around the school and in lessons is satisfactory. In lessons, pupils respect the opinions of others and usually work together sensibly. When the pace of learning is too slow, the majority of pupils lose concentration quickly. The relatively newly-appointed school council enjoy the responsibility of gathering views from their classes and presenting these at meetings with staff.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher has sustained her tenacious vision and ambition for the school. This vision is shared by staff and the governing body and is evident in the wide range of creative work, visits and visitors to the school to widen pupils’ horizons. Leaders and managers have worked hard to develop confident, enthusiastic and motivated learners who try their best in all they do. However, the curriculum is satisfactory because provision for a minority of disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and more-able pupils is not helping them to make the best possible progress from their starting points.

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Leadership and management

The school’s capacity for further improvement is satisfactory and improving as staffing stability and systems such as ‘assertive mentoring’ become embedded and improve pupils’ progress. Since the last inspection the rate at which standards of attainment are improving, has been slowed because of high staff turnover. Now there is a noticeable improvement in the proportion of pupils making the expected progress from Year 2 to Year 6, especially in mathematics. Pupils’ current rate of progress is accelerating, for instance just over half of the current Year 5 are making good progress from their starting points.

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Leadership and management

The school tackles discrimination robustly and equality of opportunity is promoted satisfactorily, for example, the attainment and progress of different groups of pupils, such those for whom English is an additional language and those who are known to be eligible for free school meals, are tracked effectively to ensure they have equality of provision. The governing body is very supportive of the school and makes sure safeguarding systems follow recommended good practice.

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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. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. 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

Nursery schools 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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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

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and 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 governors and 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.

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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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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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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 Lakenham Primary School, Norwich, NR1 2HL

Thank you for welcoming us to your school and for sharing your thoughts and ideas. This helped us to decide that your school is providing you with a satisfactory education. These are some of its strengths.

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Inspection of Lakenham Primary School, Norwich, NR1 2HL

 You say you enjoy school and feel happy and safe.  You make satisfactory progress in your learning  You enjoy your art work and trips.  Nursery children settle into school very well.  Your headteacher and senior teacher have ambitious plans for your school’s future.

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Inspection of Lakenham Primary School, Norwich, NR1 2HL

There are some key areas where the school can improve.

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Inspection of Lakenham Primary School, Norwich, NR1 2HL

 I have asked your teachers to make sure that when they plan work for you they make sure that, for those of you who find learning quite easy, there is always work to make you think hard.  I have asked your teachers to make sure that if you are having problems reading and writing, the extra help you get is just the right sort of help.  I have asked the teachers in the Early Years Foundation Stage to make sure that, children who are finding it difficult to remember letter-sounds have more and better help.  I have asked your headteacher and senior teachers to check on your lessons really carefully so that they pick out exactly where there needs to be improvement to help you make even better progress.

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Inspection of Lakenham Primary School, Norwich, NR1 2HL

You can all help your school to improve further by making sure you come to school regularly.

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Inspection of Lakenham Primary School, Norwich, NR1 2HL

Cheryl Thompson Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: 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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