Blakeney Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 11–12 July 2012 Inspection number 380166 Blakeney Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 121108 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 380166 Inspection dates 11–12 July 2012 Lead inspector Stephen Walker

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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 51 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul Veitch Headteacher John Marshall-Grint Date of previous school inspection 23 March 2009 School address Wiveton Road Blakeney Holt NR25 7NJ Telephone number 01263 740531 Fax number 01263 740531 Email address office@blakeney.norfolk.sch.uk Inspection report: Blakeney Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 11–12 July 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: Blakeney Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 11–12 July 2012 3 of 12

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. The inspector visited eight lessons and observed three teachers. Meetings were held with the headteacher, the Chair of the Governing Body, an additional governor, the lead teacher, staff and groups of pupils. The inspector took account of the responses to the on-line Parent View survey in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work and looked at a range of evidence, including the school development plan, the tracking system to monitor pupils’ progress, safeguarding documentation, and a sample of pupils’ work. He also analysed questionnaires completed by staff, pupils and 18 parents and carers.

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Information about the school

The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. It is housed in a Victorian building which has been extensively refurbished and extended. The great majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds, with a very small number from minority ethnic heritages. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is above average. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. Pupils are taught in three mixed-aged classes. The school has not met the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about the school

Reception-aged children are in a class which is taught with Year 1. The school has received the Eco Bronze Award and has achieved National Healthy Schools Status.

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Information about the school

The school is part of a partnership with Hindringham Primary School. The schools share a single headteacher and governing body. The current headteacher was appointed on an interim basis in January 2012. The school has completed the consultation process regarding the proposed formation of a federation with the partner school and two other local primary schools. Inspection report: Blakeney Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 11–12 July 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 satisfactory school provides a safe and happy environment. Despite some considerable improvements, it is not good because the quality of teaching and the actions of leaders and managers have not yet led to good progress in all classes, and attendance is low. 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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Key findings

 Pupils make satisfactory progress from low starting points and attainment is below-average overall by the end of Year 6. Attainment is improving in the school after a previous period of some underachievement. Although more pupils’ attainment is now in at the expected levels, they are not fully developing their confidence and skills in writing or mathematics. Pupils at risk of underachieving do not always get additional support quickly enough and attainment targets have not been sufficiently challenging to ensure high standards.

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Key findings

 Teaching is satisfactory. There is a positive atmosphere for learning in most lessons and some good practice in a number of classes. However, teachers do not always provide work which is appropriate for pupils’ different abilities, or encourage them to take responsibility for their own learning. Teachers are not fully engaging pupils in the evaluation or assessment of their own work.

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Key findings

 Pupils’ behaviour is now good although there were too many incidents of misbehaviour in the past. Pupils feel safe and are developing their awareness of how to keep themselves safe. There are clear procedures for monitoring and following up absences, although attendance is still below the national average.

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Key findings

 Leadership and management, including the leadership of teaching, are satisfactory. The headteacher, lead teacher and governing body have a clear understanding of the areas for development and are rigorously implementing a plan for improvement. Inspection report: Blakeney Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 11–12 July 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?

 Improve the achievement of pupils across the school so that attainment is at least in line with national averages in English and mathematics by:  building on the systems for tracking pupils’ progress and providing timely additional support for pupils identified as at risk of underachieving  increasing pupils’ abilities and confidence in speaking, reading and writing, and in understanding and applying their skills in mathematical calculation  ensuring that staff and pupils are working towards challenging attainment targets which will demonstrate good progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching so that it is good or better by making sure that all teachers are:  using assessment information effectively in their planning so that work in lessons is both challenging and matched to the learning needs of individuals  using every opportunity to encourage pupils to be more confident in taking greater responsibility for their own learning  involving pupils more in the evaluation and assessment of their own work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the attendance so that it is at least average, with a focus on the few families who persistently do not send their children to school by:  using external agencies to support parents and carers  developing strategies to further improve the attendance of all pupils.

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Achievement of pupils

Assessment data and lesson observations indicate that pupils are currently making satisfactory progress in English and mathematics across the year groups, as confirmed by parents and carers. While attainment in English and mathematics remains below average by the end of Year 6, there has been a significant rise in attainment at the school, particularly during the present year. The school has been successful in making up for previous underachievement and ensuring a greater emphasis on developing the basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Achievement of pupils

Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage start school with skills that are generally below those expected for their age. They are presently making satisfactory progress, thanks to a range of structured activities that have a positive impact on their personal development as well as promoting their number and language skills. Pupils make satisfactory progress in reading, although attainment at the ends of Years 2 and 6 remains below average. Reading is a now a key priority, and pupils read regularly in school, particularly through the paired reading period, and increasingly at home each day. The school has been particularly successful in developing a more structured phonics programme across the school to teach pupils how letters in words Inspection report: Blakeney Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 11–12 July 2012 6 of 12

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Achievement 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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Achievement of pupils

relate to sounds. The more coordinated approach to mathematics has also led to satisfactory progress as the school has been more active in teaching the key skills and supporting identified underachievers.

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Achievement of pupils

The school did not meet the government’s minimum expectations for attainment and progress in 2011. This was principally because there had been issues regarding persistent absence and family mobility for a number of pupils in a very small cohort. Pupils’ progress is now satisfactory and most pupils in the current Year 6 are on track to make satisfactory or better progress in English and mathematics. Most disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make satisfactory progress in line with their peers. This is because effective additional support helps them to overcome barriers to learning and take part in lessons with the other pupils. The very small number of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds also make satisfactory progress.

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Achievement of pupils

The skills and confidence of a number of pupils throughout the school in speaking, reading and writing have not been consistently developed. Similarly, a number of pupils’ key skills in mathematics are weak and therefore they have difficulties with calculations in their numeracy work. The new systems for tracking pupils’ progress, and additional help for underachieving pupils, are supporting improvements in achievement. Nevertheless, a small number of pupils are not fully benefiting from this extra support because they are not identified quickly enough for additional help. Attainment targets have been based on past performance but have not been sufficiently challenging for all pupils to demonstrate more than satisfactory progress over their time at school.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching is satisfactory with some examples of good practice, as is reflected in the views of parents and carers. Most teachers manage their classes well and create a positive learning atmosphere, as confirmed by the pupils. The emphasis on developing speaking through guided questioning or talking with partners in many lessons is gradually developing greater confidence in pupils, and subsequently improving their social skills. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are effectively supported and challenged by teaching assistants in class or withdrawn regularly, on an individual basis or in small groups, for extra help in reading, writing and numeracy. Teaching is satisfactory in these small group sessions, often with the effective use of technology. All pupils have daily periods of literacy and numeracy, and this teaching satisfactorily supports the development of basic skills, including reading. Teaching in the school is actively supporting the

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Quality of teaching

satisfactory spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils.

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Quality of teaching

Good teaching was generally seen when teachers set appropriate tasks for the different ability groups within the class and encouraged them to take more responsibility for their work. For example, ability related worksheets challenged and engaged pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 to work together on timetables for Olympic sailing events which gave them a better understanding of the 24-hour clock and time Inspection report: Blakeney Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 11–12 July 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

calculations. Similarly, children in the Reception and Year 1 class showed curiosity and enthusiasm as they were motivated by the range of structured activities in and out of the classroom which developed their number skills.

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Quality of teaching

However, teachers are not consistently using the assessment information effectively in their planning so that work in lessons is both challenging and matched to the learning needs of all the pupils. Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and provide guidance on how to improve it, but they do not sufficiently involve pupils in the evaluation and assessment of their own work. Teachers do not always encourage pupils to take enough responsibility for their own learning. In some lessons, pupils sit passively listening for too long without being actively involved, and some teachers tend to do the thinking and problem solving for the pupils.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Behaviour over time is satisfactory although there has been an improvement in behaviour at the school over the last year. The school has introduced new systems for promoting positive behaviour and pupils respond well to the rules of the school. There are now fewer incidences of misbehaviour and pupils confirm that any misbehaviour is dealt with appropriately by the teachers. The vast majority of parents and carers who returned questionnaires believe that behaviour is now good and that their children are safe in school. Pupils’ behaviour during the inspection was typically good in lessons and around the school, although this has not been the case in the past. Most pupils currently work hard in lessons and take pride in their achievements. There is some occasional inattention in class when the work does not fully engage the pupils. There are some opportunities for the senior pupils to contribute to the good order by acting as house captains and helping in the

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Although bullying of any kind is rare, pupils, parents and carers say any unkind behaviour, such as teasing and pushing, are dealt with quickly and effectively. Pupils develop a satisfactory awareness of the different forms of possible bullying such as cyber-bullying and prejudice-based bullying related to sexual orientation, gender, race and disability. The younger pupils appreciate the buddy system, which links them to an older pupil. Teachers and other adults take good steps to ensure that all groups of pupils have an equal chance to thrive in an atmosphere of fairness and trust, and without fear. Consequently, pupils feel safe and secure in the school. Pupils have an adequate awareness of issues relating to safety and how they would keep themselves safe in a variety of situations.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The school has been active in monitoring absences and encouraging better attendance from pupils, but attendance is still below average. There are frequent absences during term time due to family holidays. In addition, the attendance of a few pupils is well-below average and this is adversely affecting their progress in school. Inspection report: Blakeney Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 11–12 July 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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Leadership and management

The school development plan is a comprehensive working document, sharply focused on improving pupils’ attainment and progress. There are clear signs of improvement in the school, particularly in terms of pupils’ behaviour, achievement and attendance. This shows the school is satisfactorily placed to improve further. The senior leaders are regularly monitoring the quality of teaching and have already organised appropriate professional development to improve particular aspects of teaching, as identified in lesson observations and performance reviews.

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Leadership and management

The governors are well informed and are effective in their evaluating and monitoring roles. They have been particularly active in addressing the recent financial and staffing issues in the school. They are fully involved in the strategic planning for the proposed federation of the four small schools in the local area. The arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet statutory requirements and underpin its very caring approach. There is a successful commitment to promoting equal opportunities and tackling discrimination.

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Leadership and management

The school has developed an appropriate curriculum that is relevant to pupils’ needs and provides a satisfactory range of enrichment activities. For example, visits such as those to Whitwell Hall, Norwich and Blakeney Point increase pupils’ enjoyment and experience of school. Pupils benefit from the wide range of extra-curricular activities and clubs which are shared within the partnership. The school is introducing a more integrated curriculum to link the different subjects and support better progress in the key skills of literacy and numeracy. The range of experiences within the curriculum contributes adequately to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils develop a clear sense of right and wrong, and are beginning to develop an awareness of the multicultural diversity of British society. Inspection report: Blakeney Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 11–12 July 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: Blakeney Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 11–12 July 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: Blakeney Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 11–12 July 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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Holt NR25 7NJ

Thank you for making me so welcome and for sharing your views with me during the inspection and through your questionnaires. I greatly enjoyed watching your lessons and looking at your work. It was also good to see you during assembly, playtime and lunch. Your school is satisfactory. Your parents and carers are very pleased with the improvements in the school and praise the work of the headteacher and staff. There are many positive things about your school.

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Holt NR25 7NJ

 You enjoy school and feel safe.  You show kindness and consideration to others.  You work hard in your lessons.  Your behaviour is improving.  Your teachers and their support staff care greatly for you as individuals.  Your school has a wide range of extra-curricular activities and clubs.

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Holt NR25 7NJ

I have asked the headteacher, staff and governing body to do the following things to make the school even better.  Help and challenge all of you to make good progress in English and mathematics.  Encourage you to take greater responsibility for your own learning and be more involved in the assessment of your own work.  Keep a close watch on how well everyone is doing so they can quickly help anyone who needs it.  Ensure that work is neither too easy nor too hard for you.  Improve the overall level of attendance in the school.

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Holt NR25 7NJ

You can all help by making sure that you attend school regularly, behave well and try hard when you are asked to work on your own. I wish you every success during your time at Blakeney Primary School and in your future education.

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Holt NR25 7NJ

Stephen Walker Lead inspector Inspection report: Blakeney Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 11–12 July 2012 12 of 12

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Holt NR25 7NJ

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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