St William's Primary School

St William's Primary School Williams Loke, Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich, NR7 0AJ

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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

 Standards in reading and writing are not as high as they should be.  Too few pupils reach the highest levels in writing at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2.  Pupils do not achieve well because teaching is not consistently good. Teachers do not always use what they know about individual pupils to set work that builds on their skills or fills gaps in their knowledge.  In some lessons when activities are not thought through well, pupils lose concentration and so learning time is wasted.  Marking in books and feedback in lessons does not always help pupils to know what they need to do to improve their work.  Most middle leaders are new to their roles and are not yet securing better teaching and higher standards in the subjects they are responsible for.  Not all members of the governing body have the expertise required to drive improvements in teaching and learning.

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The school has the following strengths

 Actions taken to eliminate inadequate teaching have been effective.  Actions taken to raise standards in mathematics are resulting in better achievement.  School leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and know the areas where improvement is required.  School leaders have introduced new ways of checking pupils’ progress through regular meetings. This had led to improvements in teachers’ lesson planning.  Pupils behave well around the school and feel extremely safe.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection took place with one day’s notice.  Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 20 lessons, of which ten were joint observations with the interim headteacher and deputy headteacher. They also listened to pupils read.  Meetings were held with the school’s senior and middle leaders, groups of pupils, three members of the governing body and two representatives of the local authority.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of evidence including the school’s documents for self-evaluation and safeguarding. They also studied standards in pupils’ workbooks and the school’s own assessment data.  Inspectors took account of the 60 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and met some parents informally at the start of the school day. Inspectors also analysed the responses made by parents to a recent survey undertaken by the school. Staff questionnaire responses

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Information about this inspection

were checked.  During this inspection, inspectors asked additional questions designed to ascertain the school’s view of the impact and effectiveness of local authority services to support school improvement. This information will contribute to work being carried out by Ofsted to assess the use, quality and impact of those services.

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Inspection team

Marilyn Mottram, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Edwin Powell Additional Inspector Alan Brewerton Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average. (This is additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those in local authority care and pupils with parents in the armed forces.)  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is very low.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs or who are supported at school action plus is below average.  The large majority of pupils are White British.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set minimum expectations of pupils’ attainment and progress.  A before-and after-school club, The Hillbillies, runs on site every day and is managed by the

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Information about this school

governing body.  An interim headteacher has been in post since April 2012. She is a member of the local authority county team.  A new interim headteacher from the local authority county team will take up post in April 2013. He will support the school until a substantive headteacher is appointed.  The local authority has appointed two additional governors to strengthen the governing body.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching, so that more is good or better by:  providing activities that meet individual pupils’ needs more precisely and offer the right amount of challenge  giving feedback to pupils in lessons and written comments in their books that help them understand how well they are doing and how they can improve  providing opportunities for teachers to learn from the best in the school and highly effective teachers in other schools.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise standards in writing by:  increasing the opportunities pupils have to write at length in subjects other than English  ensuring that pupils understand the features of good writing and that teachers clearly demonstrate this more often.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Take the next steps in strengthening the school’s leadership by ensuring that:  all middle leaders are securing better teaching and higher standards in the subjects they are responsible for  the governing body undergoes an external review to identify what further training is necessary.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In 2012 pupils’ writing skills were below average at the end of Year 2 and at the end of Year 6. Teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to practise their skills across a range of subjects. Pupils are not always clear about what they need to do to improve their writing. As a result, pupils do not make as much progress in writing as they should.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Too few pupils are working at the higher levels in writing. There are not enough challenging opportunities for pupils to write at length and in a range of styles on topics that capture their imagination and interest. This means that pupils are not writing independently often enough or making choices about how to organise and present their writing. This prevents pupils from practising the skills they need to achieve higher levels.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Lesson observations and pupils’ work show that pupils’ progress in reading is better in Year 5 and Year 6 than in other year groups. Some teachers do not check pupils’ progress frequently enough in guided reading lessons. Reading books and tasks are not always well matched to pupils’ abilities. As a result, some pupils struggle to get on with work set while others find it too easy. This means that some pupils need to catch-up later in Key Stage 2.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In the Year 1 reading check in 2012, pupils’ reading skills were below average. Training for staff means that pupils are now being taught the sounds that letters make effectively; this is helping them to improve their early reading skills.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils are making rapid gains in mathematics. This is because teachers have had good support for planning mathematics and more teachers are providing pupils with opportunities to discuss their learning and solve challenging problems independently. More pupils are reaching the higher levels in mathematics than in English.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding across the school achieve standards in English and mathematics that are typically over a year below others in the school. To tackle this, the school has used additional funding to purchase additional support and resources for these pupils. The gap between the attainment of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding and others in the school is closing rapidly.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive good additional support. Observations of one-to-one work and small group sessions show that they have good opportunities to work independently and use practical resources to help increase their understanding. However, in some whole class lessons their needs are not met as successfully. They make the expected progress against their individual targets.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 There is not enough good and outstanding teaching to promote good progress. However, there are teachers in the school who have the skills to help those who require improvement to become more effective.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In some lessons, expectations of what pupils are capable of are too low. For example, in one reading session pupils were all working from the same activity sheet and tasks were not well- matched to their reading abilities. As a result, the activity did not develop reading skills or widen pupils’ vocabulary and there was very little opportunity for higher-ability pupils to be challenged.  Teachers do not always give clear guidance and feedback to pupils during lessons. For example, in one literacy lesson pupils were given tasks to work on but the teacher did not check whether all pupils understood what they needed to do. Some did not and their progress was very limited.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In some lessons teachers spend too long talking and a few pupils lose interest. For example, in a mathematics lesson the pupils spent too long listening to the teacher and following instructions. There was little time for pupils to apply their mathematical skills and solve problems independently and learning time was wasted.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teachers’ marking varies across the school. Some marking does not tell pupils how well they have learnt the skills being taught and how they can improve. The best examples give clear feedback to pupils and they have the chance to respond and improve their work.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In the best lessons pupils are clear about the tasks set and they know how to check whether or not they are achieving well. For example, in one lesson very young pupils were checking their own writing using a three-step check list. They could talk clearly about their learning and they knew what they needed to do to make their writing better.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Evidence in pupils’ books and in lessons observed show that some teachers plan imaginative activities for the pupils. For example, in one class pupils were writing letters of complaint about inferior quality shopping bags and poor restaurant service. They were writing for a purpose and for a real audience. They were very clear about what they needed to do to make their writing effective. As a result pupils worked enthusiastically and made good progress.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers make very effective use of the new library. Pupils enjoy visiting the library and are becoming familiar with a range of children’s authors. There is evidence that this is beginning to increase pupils’ enjoyment of reading and improve rates of progress in reading.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 Pupils behave well around the school. School records and comments made by parents and carers confirm this. Pupils feel that behaviour has improved over the last year and they feel that staff sort out any problems quickly. Pupils are clear about the systems in place to support good behaviour, such as the zone boards and the reward systems.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 Pupils know how to keep safe in a range of situations including when using the internet. They are well equipped to deal with risk and know what to do if they are worried about anything. They say that bullying is rare and understand about different forms of bullying. They talk very sensibly about anti-bullying week, assemblies and religious education lessons and demonstrate a good sense of right and wrong.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 Occasionally, in lessons that required improvement, a handful of pupils became bored and did not demonstrate good attitudes to learning. They worked slowly and talked about things unconnected with the lesson. Occasionally they distracted others.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 Attendance is above average. The school has taken effective actions to support the small number of pupils and families who have had low attendance in the past.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 Pupils are proud of their school. They are aware of the changes that have been made over the last twelve months. They are particularly proud of the new library. They are very supportive of each other and are eager to welcome other children and adults into their school.  The school takes every opportunity to celebrate the range of faiths and cultures in the world. Pupils talk very sensibly about their studies of world religions and art, music and language from other cultures. They are eager to share the displays of their work around the school with visitors and they demonstrate a strong understanding of fairness and respect for others.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 The before-and after-school club is very popular. Pupils are offered a range of enjoyable and purposeful activities. During the inspection they were working on a project involving safety. Pupils were keen to share the safety poster they had made with parents and carers.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The interim headteacher, well supported by the deputy headteacher, has tackled inadequate teaching very effectively. This has led to an improvement in teaching and learning despite a high turnover of staff. The great majority of parents and carers who shared their views are very positive about the headteacher’s leadership.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The interim headteacher has restructured staff roles and responsibilities. She has ensured that teachers are held to account for the progress pupils make. Decisions about increases in teachers’ pay are directly linked to the impact of their work on pupils’ achievement.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Working with the governing body, senior leaders have ensured that pupil premium funding is used to purchase resources and additional support for pupils at risk of underachievement. Evidence shows that these pupils are beginning to catch up with their classmates in reading and mathematics. This is one example of the school’s strong commitment to equal opportunity.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The middle leadership team is very new and not yet playing a significant role in raising achievement and improving teaching. Senior leaders are covering some of the responsibilities of middle leaders who have either just joined the school or have yet to be appointed.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The interim headteacher and deputy headteacher are accurate in their assessment of the quality of teaching. They arrange support and training for teachers who require improvement. The majority of teaching staff are positive about the impact of this help and judge that it is helping them teach more effectively.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The curriculum promotes spiritual, moral and social development well. Assembly time is used effectively to share strong moral and spiritual messages in ways that encourage tolerance and an understanding of world faiths and beliefs. Pupils talk about assembly and value it as important time to think and learn.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Safeguarding meets statutory requirements.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority has played a key role in the school’s recent improvements. It intervened decisively when it judged that the school’s response to a previous Ofsted inspection was not good enough. In April 2012 it provided the school with an experienced interim headteacher from the county headteacher team. It is local authority policy to re-assign its County Headteachers every two or three terms. Therefore, a new interim headteacher will be appointed to St William’s in April 2013. This person is already known to staff and pupils. The local authority has provided additional governors to support the governing body. Its training programme has increased the effectiveness of the governing body and has helped to identify the areas where improvement is still required. The local authority’s human resources department has helped governors deal successfully with personnel issues. It has supported the school’s leaders in challenging weak

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The leadership and management requires improvement

teaching and raising pupils’ achievement. It has also helped the school to establish successful partnerships with other local schools and share best practice. Staff and governors speak positively about the quality of support they are receiving from the local authority. Senior officers of the local authority meet regularly with the school’s leaders to monitor closely how successfully the support it is providing is helping to raise achievement.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  A number of changes have been made to the governing body since the appointment of the interim headteacher. The addition of two local authority appointees has strengthened the governing body and gone some way towards ensuring that it has the capacity to govern the school effectively.  A small group of governors met the inspection team. They know the school’s strengths and areas for development well. They have a sharp awareness of the school’s performance data and know how it compares to that of other schools. This helps them to support and challenge the interim headteacher and to discuss the performance of staff.  Governors have been fully involved in decisions about how the school spends the pupil premium funding. They are knowledgeable about the additional support now in place. They are closely involved in checking how well this is making a difference to pupils’ achievement.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 With additional support and training from the local authority, the governing body has the capacity to support the school in its drive for improvement. However, a further external audit of skills is required to ensure that all members of the governing body can drive improvements in teaching and learning.

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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 120859 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 405971

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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 Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 417 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sandra Whitney Headteacher Marion Dawe Date of previous school inspection 31 January 2011 Telephone number 01603 434128 Fax number 01603 439206 Email address office@st-williams.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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