Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 14–15 June 2012 Inspection number 395738 Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 121110 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 395738 Inspection dates 14–15 June 2012 Lead inspector Rob McKeown

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 63 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Neil Parsons Headteacher Julie Sandford Date of previous school inspection 13 October 2008 School address Church Road Carleton Rode Norwich NR16 1RW Telephone number 01953 789384 Fax number 01953 789384 Email address office@carletonrode-primary.norfolk.sch.uk Inspection report: Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 14–15 June 2012 2 of 12

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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. 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

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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 Inspection report: Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School14–15 June 2012 3 of 12

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. The inspector spent time observing teaching, which included visiting nine lessons taught by three teachers, and observing group activities taught by teaching assistants. The inspector heard some pupils read from Years 1 and 2, and held meetings with pupils and staff, the headteacher and members of the governing body. The inspector observed the school’s work, and looked at the school development plan, monitoring reports, attainment and progress data, teachers’ planning and pupils’ work. He observed pupils’ behaviour and scrutinised the school’s safeguarding procedures. The inspector also analysed 37 completed questionnaires from parents and carers, 52 from pupils and 13 from staff.

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Information about the school

Carleton Rode is a rural primary school that is much smaller than average. Pupils are taught in three mixed-aged classes and year group sizes vary from five to twelve pupils. Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds. There are no pupils who speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above average. The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is similar to the national average. The school has had a change of headteacher since its last inspection. Since September 2011, the school has been in partnership with another small local primary school with which it shares the same headteacher. It achieved Healthy School Status and the Artsmark in 2012.

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Information about the school

In 2011, the school failed to meet the current floor standard, which are the minimum standards expected by the government. Inspection report: Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 14–15 June 2012 4 of 12

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Information about the school

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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Key findings

 This is a satisfactory school that is quickly improving some key aspects of provision. It is not yet a good school because: attainment in writing in Key Stage 1 and achievement in mathematics in Key Stage 2 are not high enough; teaching is not consistently good in all classes; and some aspects of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage are weaker than others. Schools whose overall effectiveness is judged to be satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Key findings

 Achievement is satisfactory. Attainment and progress are generally better in English than in mathematics, although this varies across the classes. Pupils in Key Stage 2 make good progress in writing and reach above-average levels of attainment.

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Key findings

 Teaching is satisfactory. There is some good teaching, but not enough of it to ensure that pupils make consistently good progress in all subjects. Some positive improvements are starting to enhance the quality of teaching, for example in early reading and writing for younger pupils and in mathematics in Key Stage 2. However, work is not consistently well-matched to pupils’ needs and assessment in lessons is not always sharp enough.

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Key findings

 Behaviour and safety are satisfactory. Pupils generally get on well together in a safe and secure learning environment. The school sets appropriately high expectations and these are met by most pupils in lessons and at break times. Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory.

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Key findings

 Leadership and management are satisfactory. Strong, dedicated and determined leadership is provided by the headteacher and this has brought about positive improvements in teaching and the curriculum. Teamwork among staff is good and adults provide a suitable level of care and guidance for pupils. The governing body supports the school effectively and has recently established more rigorous procedures for monitoring and evaluating the school’s Inspection report: Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 14–15 June 2012 5 of 12

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Key findings

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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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment in writing in Key Stage 1 and achievement in mathematics in Key Stage 2 by:  introducing regular, assessed writing opportunities for younger pupils  consolidating the changes introduced to improve pupils’ calculation and number skills.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good in all classes by:  making sure that the pace of learning is brisk and all pupils are engaged in lessons  ensuring that learning activities are always matched accurately to pupils’ abilities  targeting questioning more precisely to assess pupils’ learning and identify any misunderstandings  monitoring pupils’ progress during lessons, including those supported in groups.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Enhance the quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage by;  establishing a coherent system for assessing children’s attainment and progress when they start in Reception and as they go through the year, which involves all adults working in the class  extending the range of resources for indoor and outdoor learning activities which Reception children can access independently. Inspection report: Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 14–15 June 2012 6 of 12

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

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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Achievement of pupils

Achievement is satisfactory. Most parents and carers believe that their children are making good progress but evidence in lessons, in pupils’ work and from the school’s tracking data indicate that progress is satisfactory. Children start school with skills and aptitudes that are broadly as expected for their age, although this varies from year to year and often shows a wide range of ability across a single year group. Pupils reach broadly average attainment in English and mathematics by the time they leave in Year 6, although outcomes in English have been typically higher than in mathematics. The government floor target was not met last year because of the below average attainment and less than expected progress of a few pupils.

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Achievement of pupils

As seen in pupils’ writing books, positive improvements in the teaching and assessment of writing in Key Stage 2 have resulted in better progress and higher attainment in this aspect of English. Further improvements are underway in accelerating pupils’ progress in mathematics, particularly in Key Stage 2. For example, tightly-structured daily number sessions are taught in each class and these are helping to sharpen pupils’ mental and written calculation skills. Improving pupils’ writing in Key Stage 1, which has been the weaker aspect of broadly average standards, is also a priority. More regular assessed writing opportunities have been introduced to match those already proving successful in Key Stage 2. Reception children make satisfactory progress; better progress is impeded by the lack of opportunities for them to engage in independent learning, both in the classroom and outdoors. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make similar

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Achievement of pupils

progress to other pupils. Progress for some of these pupils is good and reflects the good quality of care, guidance and support they receive to help them achieve well.

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Achievement of pupils

A systematic approach to teaching phonics (the sounds that letters make) is enabling younger pupils to develop their early reading skills, although some pupils’ word decoding skills indicate they have not received the same systematic and precise teaching in the past. The school positively promotes the importance of reading and younger pupils are paired with older pupils who act as reading mentors. Individual pupils who have fallen well behind in their reading receive good support to help improve their skills and confidence. Pupils reach broadly average standards in reading by the end of Year 2 and by the time they leave in Year 6, most have become competent readers, reaching average or above average attainment.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching is not consistently good enough to ensure all pupils make good progress. The school has experienced several changes in teaching staff in the last three years and this has affected the continuity in pupils’ learning and resulted in dips in progress. Although most parents and carers believe that the teaching is good, the inspection found the teaching to be satisfactory. Clear leadership and guidance from Inspection report: Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 14–15 June 2012 7 of 12

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Quality of teaching

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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Quality of teaching

the headteacher are helping the current teaching team to provide pupils with lessons that are at least satisfactory and sometimes good. There is a strong focus on developing pupils’ skills in reading, writing and mathematics, and also on linking learning across subjects through thematic whole school topics.

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Quality of teaching

Where the teaching is good, work is matched well to pupils’ abilities, learning develops at a good pace and carefully selected resources are used effectively to engage pupils in practical learning tasks. This was seen during a mathematics lesson in Key Stage 1 in which pupils were estimating the capacity, weight and length of different objects. In this lesson, pupils were clearly shown how they could make their learning successful and they worked enthusiastically together completing and recording their measurements. Support provided by other adults is usually good, for example in teaching phonics or supporting disabled pupils and those with special educational needs with reading. There are occasions, however, when the youngest pupils are not allowed enough independence or insufficient emphasis is placed on challenging pupils to improve their responses. Where the teaching is less effective: tasks and questions are not matched precisely enough to the individual abilities of

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Quality of teaching

pupils; pupils are not fully engaged and teaching moves too slowly; and the learning of all groups is not monitored tightly enough to pick up on any misunderstandings.

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Quality of teaching

Pupils’ attainment and progress are assessed regularly and systematically recorded. Progress meetings are held each term in which staff discuss how well pupils are doing and what action they will take to tackle any underachievement. Assessments made in Reception are an improvement priority this year, including establishing a precise evaluation of children’s attainment on entry. Currently, all the assessments are completed by the teacher rather than shared by all the adults working in the class. The marking seen in older pupils’ books is helping them to improve their work, particularly in writing. A scrutiny of writing books for pupils in Years 5 and 6 revealed a systematic and thorough approach that gives pupils good feedback on the quality of their writing and the steps they need to take to improve it further. Marking seen in mathematics books was not as meticulous, although a new approach has recently

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Quality of teaching

been introduced which gives pupils the chance to evaluate the success of their own learning.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils usually behave well and get on together successfully. In lessons, most pupils show positive attitudes, work hard and do their best. There are occasions when a few pupils are less engaged and lack concentration. This is because they are asked to listen for too long or the tasks they are given are not suitably matched to their interests or abilities. At break times pupils have several different areas in which to play, and games equipment encourages purposeful activity.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Most parents and carers are positive about pupils’ behaviour and believe that the school keeps their child safe. A small minority of parents and carers who returned the inspection questionnaire were less positive, including about how the school deals with any incidents of bullying. The inspection looked closely at this and found that Inspection report: Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 14–15 June 2012 8 of 12

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

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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Behaviour and safety of pupils

there are good systems for dealing with and recording any incidents of unacceptable behaviour, including bullying. Older pupils know about most of the different types of bullying, including cyber bullying, and the importance of preventing them. Pupils say they feel safe in school and, in discussion, show their awareness of how to keep themselves safe. Pupils value the whole-school assemblies which promote perseverance, politeness and positive attitudes to learning and friendship. Positive adult role models and opportunities for cooperative learning help children in Reception to develop good personal and social skills. Attendance is average and systems to monitor absence and lateness are satisfactory.

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Leadership and management

The impact of leadership and management is satisfactory. Much of the vision and drive for improvement comes from the headteacher, as a majority of the teaching staff are newly qualified. Priorities for improvement are clearly set out in the school’s development plan and these stem from an accurate and rigorous evaluation of the school’s performance, including the quality of teaching. Observations of lessons are conducted regularly, with professional guidance and training provided to help secure more effective teaching. Successful changes in teaching approaches have helped improve writing in Key Stage 2 and are currently starting to accelerate progress in mathematics. Improvements in the procedures for identifying and supporting disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, to ensure that all pupils have an equal chance to be successful, are having a positive impact. Good links are established with local support agencies, for example the parent support adviser, to

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Leadership and management

guide and advise parents and carers on how to do the best for their children. The school provides a good level of care and support for individuals whose circumstances might make them vulnerable.

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Leadership and management

Staff work well together on planning whole-school thematic topics, which successfully capture the interests of pupils and enable them to develop key learning skills across the full range of subjects. Evidence seen in pupils’ books, in photographs and in displays of their work illustrates their enjoyment and positive learning experiences in topics such as recycling and transport. There are many opportunities for pupils to take part in creative, artistic, sporting and musical activities. Pupils’ satisfactory, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted in lessons and in the day-to-day life of the school. Improvements have been made since the last inspection on raising pupils’ awareness of the cultures of different global communities. The governing body has sharpened its approach to monitoring the work of the school. Key governors visit regularly to evaluate and report back on the improvements being made. Along with the headteacher, they ensure that

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Leadership and management

safeguarding procedures meet requirements and provide a secure capacity to bring about further improvements. Inspection report: Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 14–15 June 2012 9 of 12

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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 54 42 2 2 Primary schools 14 49 32 6 Secondary schools 20 39 34 7 Special schools 33 45 20 3 Pupil referral units 9 55 28 8 All schools 16 47 31 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 to 31 December 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. Inspection report: Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 14–15 June 2012 10 of 12

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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

Floor standards: the national minimum expectation of attainment and progression measures.

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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. Inspection report: Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 14–15 June 2012 11 of 12

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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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School, Norwich, NR16 1RW

Thank you for making me welcome when I visited your school recently. Thank you also to everyone who returned questionnaires about your school. I enjoyed visiting your lessons, observing your break times, talking with you about your learning and looking at your work. This helped me decide that you attend a satisfactory school. Some things are good and some things need improving. I found that:

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School, Norwich, NR16 1RW

 you are making satisfactory progress in reading and mathematics and some of you are making good progress in writing  the teaching is satisfactory and sometimes good  some of the learning you do in topic work looks exciting, for example the recycling and transport projects  most of you behave well and get on together successfully  the staff care about you and keep you safe  your headteacher and the governing body are determined to make your school even better.

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School, Norwich, NR16 1RW

I asked your headteacher and the governing body to improve some things, such as:

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School, Norwich, NR16 1RW

 helping some of you do even better in mathematics and in writing  making sure that more teaching is good, so that the work you do is right for you, keeps you interested and helps you to learn quickly.

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School, Norwich, NR16 1RW

You can do your bit to help by coming to school regularly, working hard and doing your best at all times.

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School, Norwich, NR16 1RW

Rob McKeown Lead inspector Inspection report: Carleton Rode Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 14–15 June 2012 12 of 12

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School, Norwich, NR16 1RW

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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