Neatishead Church of England Primary School

Neatishead Church of England Primary School School Road, Neatishead, Norwich, NR12 8XN

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Until recently, pupils in the youngest class have not been making sufficient gains in their learning.  In some lessons more-able pupils of all ages make slower progress than others.  The standards pupils reach in writing and mathematics are not as good as in reading.  Important elements of teaching require improvement. For example, teachers do not show pupils clearly enough how to improve their work, and do not always keep them busy and involved in lessons.  Governors are not sufficiently clear about the features of a really good school, so they do not know exactly what to focus on when making plans for improvement.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils’ personal development is good because staff know and care for each individual.  Pupils feel very safe in the school.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. They work and play together harmoniously.  The partnership with parents and carers is strong. They say they feel very welcome in the school, and particularly appreciate that the staff will always make time to listen to them.  Clear and consistent management is moving the school forward.  Good systems for regularly checking and improving the quality of teaching and learning are succeeding, despite the staffing changes.  The use of individual notebook computers has helped to better motivate the older pupils and is boosting their learning.  All staff who completed questionnaires say they are proud to work at Neatishead.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching in both classes. He visited 11 lessons and also listened to pupils read.  The inspector held discussions with pupils, teachers, the headteacher, members of the governing body, parents and a local authority officer.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation. He also examined work in pupils’ books.  The views of 12 parents were analysed through the online Parent View survey. Other parents’ views were taken into account during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Robert Greatrex, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much smaller than the average primary school. Because of its size, pupils learn in two classes with four age groups in each.  The proportion of pupils from ethnic minority groups is very low. All of the pupils speak English as their first language.  A below-average proportion of the pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in local authority care and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus, or with a statement of special educational needs, is also below average.  In the recent past, a relatively high proportion of pupils have joined partway through the year.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ progress and attainment.  The school has been through many changes recently, not least the high number of temporary

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Information about this school

headteachers. It is in the second year of a partnership with another local primary school, and shares their headteacher.  A temporary teacher in the youngest class is soon to be joined by another in the eldest class. This arrangement is planned to last until Summer 2013.  A nursery shares the school site, but it is independently managed and is inspected separately.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 By September 2013, ensure teaching is at least consistently good by:  giving more-able pupils, in particular, clearer and more regular feedback so that they make quicker gains in learning  ensuring pupils are more actively involved and learning is more purposeful during whole-class teaching sessions  systematically teaching key learning skills to enable pupils to learn better, both independently and when in a group  ensuring all teachers fully and consistently apply school policies and procedures, including those for managing pupils’ behaviour.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 By July 2013, increase the pace of learning in writing and mathematics by:  giving pupils more regular feedback on precisely what they need to do next to progress  using tracking data better to plan interventions so that pupils catch up when they fall behind.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase governors’ understanding of what high-quality education looks like, so that they:  make more accurate assessments about the impact teaching has on pupils’ learning and progress  are clearer in their understanding of what the school must do to fulfil their aspirations.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because pupils have generally made slower progress than they should from when they enter the school until the end of Year 2. This was true of all pupils, but particularly the more able. Starting in Year 3, progress has been better and pupils generally catch up so that, by the time they leave the school at the end of Year 6, they reach broadly average standards. Only a relatively small proportion have reached levels above those expected for their age.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The school has very small year groups and not too much should be read into any one set of data. The trend over time is that standards on entry are improving, although they cover a wide range. Over the last few years they have steadily moved from below to above average.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ acquisition of skills in linking letters and sounds (phonics) is currently much improved and good overall. Consequently, reading is a relative strength. Accuracy and fluency increase at a good rate. Older pupils have a broad knowledge of books and can talk about a range of authors.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, and those for whom the pupil premium provides extra support, do as well as other pupils. Funds are used appropriately on additional resources to meet these pupils’ specific targets.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Older pupils’ standards are enhanced because they have individual electronic notebooks, so learning in school can be completed or extended at home. These are used in a wide range of relevant activities and subjects. Pupils enjoy this method of working and, consequently, try hard.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils who join the school during the term settle quickly because of the high-quality care. They quickly make friends, and they do as well as other pupils.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Teachers keep a good check on the levels at which pupils are working, but do not use the resulting information effectively to plan modifications to their work so they make the best possible progress. For example, when pupils in a year group are identified as falling behind the level expected for their age, tasks are sometimes not changed enough to match their precise needs and ensure that they catch up.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Lesson planning is good and improving. The school tries to make each pupil’s learning unique to that pupil. However, planning is based on previous lesson assessments that are not always sharp enough to give clear and precise starting points for the lesson to come.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Many activities are well thought out and offer good learning opportunities, but pupils have not been taught enough about some fundamental skills such as how to work effectively as a team. This limits their progress.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Partly because of changes in teaching staff, school policies and procedures are applied inconsistently. This is detrimental as pupils, in their behaviour for example, are left unclear about precisely what is expected of them.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The pace of learning is good now in the youngest class because a very purposeful atmosphere ensures no time is wasted. In the eldest class, teaching points are sometimes over-elaborated and unnecessarily repetitive so that more-able pupils become bored and restless.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Questioning is used well. With four year groups present, all pupils are sufficiently engaged in learning in the youngest class because questions are matched to pupils’ levels so that all work is at the right level of difficulty. The quick-fire style keeps everyone on their toes.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Marking gives pupils an understanding of what they have achieved but advice on the next steps in learning is a less regular feature. Comments that are given are rarely sufficiently precise to enable pupils, particularly the more able, to move on quickly enough in their learning.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Pupils’ awareness of their own learning is in its infancy. Lessons include good opportunities for this. For example, activities will ask pupils to complete their own evaluations, such as ‘I learned how to...’ However, pupils’ broad and vague answers indicate that they still need to be taught the skills to be able to check their own progress effectively.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Pupils say that targets ‘give us something to work at’ because ‘you know what you are weak at and strong at’. In the younger class in particular, targets are presented in a very child-friendly way that pupils can readily understand. Parents also appreciate the clarity.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Homework is used inconsistently. It includes a good range of activities for practising and reinforcing tasks done in school, or preparing for other activities to come. However, parents are not given the information they need to fully support their children’s learning at home.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Superb use is made of outside expertise to widen opportunities and deepen understanding. Pupils explain that a scientist ‘makes science fun and easy to understand’. A boat-builder teaches skills so pupils make their own boats, and a sports coach expertly leads lessons so pupils’ skills develop at a fast rate.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is good in the youngest class, and likewise for most pupils in the eldest class. Their positive attitudes and curiosity help them to learn.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are beginning to understand what learning is, partly because they help to select material for their ‘learning logs’ and see that it can include activities they do at home and with other organisations. Pupils are proud of their achievements.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ knowledge of themselves is enhanced because they are encouraged to lead the discussion at parents’ evening.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ personal development and relationships are good. Each day a different pupil is chosen to be ‘pupil of the day’. The rest of the class compliment this pupil, in a very positive atmosphere.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 In the playground, older pupils often choose to play with and help younger pupils. All are generally considerate to the needs of others.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils who join partway through the term are made to feel welcome and quickly become part of the school community. ‘He was given a buddy and within a week it was like he had always been here,’ a parent stated. Good links to the on-site nursery ensure a smooth transition so children settle quickly.  Pupils fully contribute to the school and local communities. They generously support charities. Occasional events like ‘Global Awareness Week’ are beneficial but pupils remain insufficiently prepared for life in our multicultural society.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school looks carefully at the specific needs of every pupil, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, and pupils for whom the pupil premium provides support. Staff analyse any needs and seek all adults’ views before drawing up a comprehensive support plan.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 All parents who responded to the survey say their children feel safe in the school and are happy to be there. Pupils say they are confident that staff will look after them. They are taught how to stay safe, including when using the internet.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 School leaders, staff and governors clearly share a common vision for the school, with high aspirations for the quality of education. However, although they know where they want to be, they are less clear about how to get there.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Since the last inspection, the school has improved the opportunities for outdoor learning for Reception children. Also, teachers’ planning is clearer and pupils’ targets are used more consistently.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher fully understands the importance of high-quality teaching and learning but is hampered because long-term planning is affected by the temporary staffing. Even so, teachers benefit from training that is closely linked to their identified needs.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The strengths of each partnership school are used effectively in both. Staff at all levels have begun to work together to share expertise and learn from each other. Staff feel that this is increasingly beneficial.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school’s aspiration is for the curriculum to be individualised for each pupil, but as tasks are not always correctly matched to each pupil’s levels there are times when this does not lead to activities that take the pupil forward sufficiently.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Pupils and parents remark on the very good links with the partnership school, and other schools in the locality, which enable pupils to experience a much wider range of opportunities. The headteacher benefits greatly from close links to headteachers of similar schools so that common challenges can be discussed and effective solutions shared.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority strongly supports the school. Able, experienced personnel and excellent resources have been put at the disposal of the school and have formed the basis of several recent improvements.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Safeguarding arrangements are good. The school ensures pupils are safe and carries out all the right checks on adults working with pupils and the places pupils visit.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  shares a strong commitment to the school, for example completing a detailed and thorough monitoring cycle which gives the governing body information about how the school is progressing  is yet to develop a clear understanding of what high-quality education looks like and, consequently, thinks aspects of the school such as teaching are better than they are  has helped to create a positive ethos in the school, with a ‘family-feel’, but now needs to give pupils’ academic achievements as much importance.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 121090 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 402002

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 31 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sandra Ellison Headteacher Karen Dukes Date of previous school inspection 10–11 March 2010 Telephone number 01692 630241 Fax number 01692 630241 Email address office@neatishead.norfolk.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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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School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

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School details

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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School details

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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School details

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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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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