Hopton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Hopton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Thelnetham Road, Hopton, Diss, IP22 2QY

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Pupils make accelerated progress in all year groups. They consistently achieve above- average standards in English and mathematics.  Most teaching is outstanding and it is never less than good. Teachers are highly skilled at asking questions so that pupils make rapid progress in lessons.  Pupils love to learn. They enjoy all their activities and approach tasks with great enthusiasm.  Teaching assistants are highly skilled and provide excellent support for pupils who need extra help.  Behaviour is exemplary. Pupils of all ages work and play together harmoniously. They have an excellent understanding of how to stay safe.  Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the schools’ work. They appreciate the excellent communication they enjoy with the school.  The interesting curriculum provides numerous opportunities to enrich learning and this contributes to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and cultural development extremely well.  The headteacher is an inspirational leader. He has considerable ambition for the school and a clear focus on improving already high standards.  The governing body works closely and effectively with the headteacher to make plans for the school’s future.  Procedures to check how well the school is doing and identify areas for improvement are outstanding. Action taken to bring about improvement is rigorously assessed to see if it is proving successful.  Leaders and managers have a very accurate view of the quality of the school’s work.  The school is in an excellent position to secure further improvements. Inspection report: Hopton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22–23 May 2013 2 of 10

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed six lessons, all of which were joint observations with the headteacher.  She listened to pupils read in Year 1 and Year 4, and observed the teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make) in every class.  She held meetings with the headteacher, subject leaders, the Chair of the Governing Body and three other governors. She also spoke to a representative from the local authority on the telephone. She met with a group of pupils and spoke informally to many pupils during the inspection.  The inspector considered 11 responses to the online Parent View survey and spoke to parents at the beginning of the school day to gather their views about the school. She also considered 10 responses to the staff questionnaire.  The inspector looked at pupils’ books with the headteacher.  The inspector looked at a number of documents including the school’s self-evaluation, school improvement plans, minutes of meetings of the governing body, safeguarding files, data on

p.2

Information about this inspection

pupils’ current progress, information on the management of teachers’ performance and the monitoring of teaching.

p.2

Inspection team

Emily Simpson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Inspection report: Hopton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22–23 May 2013 3 of 10

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is a smaller-than-average sized primary school. Pupils are taught in three classes.  A small minority of pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs 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.  A below-average proportion of the pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding to be used for children in local authority care, pupils with a parent in the armed services and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  Pupils attend the school until the end of Year 4 so government floor standards do not apply.  Under proposals for the reorganisation of schools in Suffolk the school will become an all- through primary by September 2014, retaining its present Year 4 pupils until they become Year

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of written feedback in mathematics so it matches the outstanding written feedback given to pupils in English. Inspection report: Hopton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22–23 May 2013 4 of 10

p.3

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children join the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills below those expected for their age. They make outstanding progress in all areas of their learning and leave Reception with skills at least expected for their age, many exceeding this. This gives children a secure start to the next steps in their learning.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils, including those from minority ethnic backgrounds, achieve very well in all year groups and more pupils are now making accelerated progress. Consequently a large majority of pupils attain higher levels of attainment by the end of Key Stage 1 in reading, writing and mathematics.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 This excellent progress is maintained as pupils enter Key Stage 2 so that by the time pupils leave the school at the end of Year 4 they reach high levels of attainment having made better than expected progress during their five years in school.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils in all classes are taught phonics (the sounds that letters make) according to their ability. They move rapidly through the ability groups due to outstanding teaching and monitoring. Year 1 pupils have a secure knowledge of key words and use phonic strategies to self-correct when reading. Pupils read widely and often and talk enthusiastically about their favourite books and authors.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs achieve well. They are very well supported by adults and their classmates and are fully included in all learning. Their progress is carefully reviewed by the special educational needs co-ordinator and appropriate changes are made to the support these pupils receive when necessary.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 A small group of pupils is eligible for the pupil premium. The school uses the money to fund additional adult support and one-to-one tuition in English and mathematics. This group of pupils achieve extremely well and make rapid progress in all subjects. Their attainment is similar to that of other pupils in the school and there are no gaps in English and mathematics.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils love learning and are eager to make their work even better. In Year 1 pupils were correcting a piece of work written by their teacher containing deliberate mistakes. They loved thinking their teacher had got things wrong. Pupils confidently explained what they have recently improved in their own writing and what they still need to improve. They then began to improve their own work which enabled them to make rapid progress in their learning.

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers make lessons interesting and fun for pupils so they can all achieve well. Their teaching is never less than good and most is outstanding.

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers are highly skilled when asking questions to check and deepen pupils’ understanding. In a Year 3 and 4 mathematics lesson, the teacher did not just accept correct answers from pupils but encouraged them to explain their calculation methods by asking specific and probing questions. Pupils responded positively to this and many volunteer such information in class discussion without being asked. Inspection report: Hopton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22–23 May 2013 5 of 10

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Pupils enthuse about their learning. Teachers plan activities that pupils will be excited to complete while enabling rapid progress in their learning. In a Year 1 and 2 English lesson, pupils were creating mythological creatures to describe in their writing. The teacher and pupils visibly enjoyed composing descriptive phrases together. Pupils then approached their writing with dedication and effort. Careful monitoring by the teacher during the writing process challenged individual pupils to improve their work.

p.5

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers have extremely high expectations of pupils and they all respond positively to this. As a result, pupils are hard working in all subjects, able to get on by themselves.

p.5

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Lesson time is used very effectively to make the most of every moment. Teachers’ explanations are clear and concise, giving maximum opportunity for pupils to show their learning either by themselves or by working with other pupils.

p.5

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Each week every pupil has a different ‘weekly partner’ to talk about their work with. This approach makes sure nobody feels left out and gives all pupils the chance to work together and share good ideas with a different classmate.

p.5

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching assistants are highly skilled. They provide excellent support to all groups of pupils. They make useful assessments when teachers are leading introductions to lessons that check pupils’ understanding. This information is then used by teachers to plan future learning.

p.5

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Specialist teaching in physical education and music is of a very high quality. Pupils enjoy these lessons immensely and develop excellent skills.

p.5

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers’ marking in English is exemplary. Pupils write at length every week and teachers highlight two parts of the writing they are ‘tickled pink’ with and one part which is ‘green for growth’ and includes a specific target for improvement. Pupils use these targets effectively and significant improvements are evident in their work. Marking in mathematics is not as strong as it does not show pupils how to improve their work so regularly.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ attitudes to learning are exemplary. One boy commented ‘I love every single hour, of every single day, of every single term, of every single year at this school’ and the other pupils unanimously agreed with his view.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ support for each other is outstanding. There is an incredibly strong sense of community. Pupils of all ages work and play together. At lunchtime pupils sit on mixed-aged tables and lunch is served at the table by the oldest pupils. All pupils talk happily to each other and display excellent manners.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils of different ages have the opportunity to learn together during ‘Tuesday Woodland Afternoons’. These weekly sessions outside are resoundingly popular with pupils, staff and parents.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Behaviour on the playground is impeccable. There are a wide range of resources and activities for pupils to play with and nobody is left out.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils report there is no bullying and school records show there have been no incidents. They feel safe in school and are confident that should an issue arise adults would swiftly help. Inspection report: Hopton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22–23 May 2013 6 of 10

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school places a high priority on e-safety and leaders and managers have introduced a policy and scheme of work that teaches pupils in all year groups how to keep safe when using computers and the internet.

p.6

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 All pupils arrive at school on time in the morning. Attendance is average and improving. Some parents take their children out of school for unauthorised holidays.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher’s determined leadership has inspired all members of the school community to work their hardest to develop an outstanding school. He leads by example and everyone who works with the school gives their full support to the headteacher and his plans for further improvement.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 Subject leaders work effectively to bring about rapid improvements by carefully monitoring pupil progress data, planning and teaching. The impact is evident in very high levels of attainment in reading and fast improvements in pupils’ achievement in writing and mathematics.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher has an extremely accurate view of the school’s strengths and areas for development. He is astute at identifying areas for staff development. All staff have received considerable training. Staff are encouraged to lead new initiatives and monitor their impact. They value these opportunities and the unanimously positive response to the staff questionnaire shows morale is very high.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 Excellent systems monitor pupils’ progress every half term. Data is accurate and used to target interventions to help pupils who fall slightly behind in their learning. These are effective and pupils catch up very quickly.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school development plan is rightly focused on improving pupil achievement as well as carefully planning school reorganisation for when it will include pupils in Years 5 and 6 in two years’ time.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school curriculum is based on learning through practical experiences, which pupils enjoy. They contribute extremely well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. There is a wide range of after-school clubs, including gymnastics, textiles and gardening. Clubs are so popular that many have waiting lists.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 New systems to manage teachers’ performance are robust and targets show the ambition for the school. Progress is reviewed frequently and teachers are positive about the process.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination extremely well. The progress of different groups of pupils is checked very carefully to identify if any of them require extra support. Prompt action is taken if such support is necessary.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 All safeguarding requirements are met. Policies and procedures are comprehensive and all staff and governor training is up to date.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The local authority has provided ‘light-touch’ support which has confirmed the judgements of the headteacher when observing lessons.

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

 Parental engagement with the school has improved recently and many parents commented that Inspection report: Hopton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22–23 May 2013 7 of 10

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

the school could not do anything better for their children. They appreciate the excellent information they receive about their children’s progress and school developments.

p.7

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school:  The governing body provides excellent support and challenge to the school. It works closely with the headteacher to evaluate the schools’ performance and plan for improvement. Governors analyse data and understand the performance of different groups of pupils and use this information to check the quality of teaching. They know what the school is doing to reward good teaching and tackle any underperformance. They manage the school’s finances well and review the impact of the pupil premium on the achievement of eligible pupils. They fulfil their responsibilities towards safeguarding very well. Governors understand how salary progression is linked to pupil performance. They know about the targets that are set for teachers to improve their practice. They make a full contribution to the life of the school and are eager to help lead future improvements. Inspection report: Hopton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22–23 May 2013 8 of 10

p.7

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

p.8

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. Inspection report: Hopton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 22–23 May 2013 9 of 10

p.8

School details

Unique reference number 124703 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 412719

p.9

School details

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

p.9

School details

Type of school First School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 5–9 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 62 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Robert Buckley Headteacher Marc Careless Date of previous school inspection 11 May 2010 Telephone number 01953 681449 Fax number 01953 688938 Email address admin@hopton.suffolk.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 .

p.9

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.

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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’.

p.10

School details

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

p.10