The Bawburgh School

The Bawburgh School Hockering Lane, Bawburgh, Norwich, NR9 3LR

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  From their very different starting points, the vast majority of pupils do well at the Bawburgh School.  Children in the Reception class settle quickly and make good progress.  The school checks pupils’ progress very carefully, particularly when they first join, so their needs can be quickly assessed and appropriate help given.  Pupils who struggle with any work, or who have learning difficulties, have extra help and do well.  Pupils’ behaviour is good because they are happy and enjoy all aspects of school life.  Pupils say they feel safe in school, and well looked after.  An immense strength of the school is its relationship with families.  Pupils enjoy lots of opportunities, for example in sports and music, to learn new skills.  Staff morale is very high because they feel part of a team which is always striving to improve.  Parents say the school is ‘fantastic,’ and appreciate that the headteacher is available

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

every morning to respond to any concern they might have.  Governors and school leaders have improved pupils’ standards and the quality of teaching since the previous inspection.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough of the most able pupils are making the progress they should in mathematics.  Pupils have too few opportunities to use and apply their numeracy skills to solve problems, in both mathematics and other subjects.  What pupils say in response to their teachers’ questions is not used enough to help them improve further.  Sometimes pupils are not clear about the purpose of the lesson and how they will know when they have succeeded.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed parts of 11 lessons. All were jointly observed with the headteacher.  The inspectors made other visits to classes, looked at pupils’ workbooks and listened to pupils reading.  Discussions were held with pupils, the headteacher, other staff, governors, a number of parents and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors took account of the 25 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View). The responses to 15 staff questionnaires were also considered.  The inspectors looked at a number of documents including: the school’s own information on pupils’ progress; planning and monitoring documentation; the school’s view of its own performance; records of how the school uses its funding, especially how the money from the pupil premium is spent; records relating to behaviour and attendance; and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Robert Greatrex, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average primary school.  The vast majority of pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium (the extra government funding for pupils looked after by the local authority and those known to be eligible for free school meals) is below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  About one quarter of pupils live in the village of Bawburgh. The number of pupils joining the school other than at the usual time of entry, particularly in Years 3 to 6, is high.  Nearly half the pupils are summer born.  Pupils are taught in five classes in the morning and four in the afternoon. Reception children are taught as one year group. Year 1 and 2 are taught separately in the morning and combined in

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Information about this school

the afternoon. Other year groups are taught in two mixed-age classes: Years 3 and 4, and Years 5 and 6.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  The headteacher is a mentor in initial teacher training.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to outstanding by:  ensuring teachers regularly use pupils’ responses to check they have understood or give them a harder question to tackle  checking pupils always understand the purpose of the lesson, and what they are to achieve during it.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement and standards in mathematics by:  ensuring the most able pupils are always given work that is hard enough for them  giving pupils more opportunities to practise and hone their mathematical skills through solving real and relevant problems.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start in the Reception class with very varied skills and experiences which, overall, are typical for their age.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Tasks set in Reception are interesting; children enjoy learning together and most persevere well to complete tasks to a high standard and so make good progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Good progress continues through the school because every pupil’s levels are monitored closely and extra help given if necessary. As a result, all groups of pupils, including the relatively high number of younger summer born, thrive and do well.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Year groups vary significantly, some have quite high numbers of pupils who have special educational needs and relatively high numbers of pupils who join and leave the school, so by the end of Year 6 each year group can be very different from when they started school and their achievement can vary accordingly.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In 2013, most Year 6 pupils reached the expected level in reading, writing and mathematics, but few exceeded it. This year work in pupils’ books indicates that Year 6 pupils are on course to reach the level expected by the end of primary school, with a good proportion doing better than expected in reading and writing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Writing standards have benefitted from a new approach being used more consistently which pupils say they enjoy. For example, they like using drama skills, such as ‘freeze framing’ to better understand the feelings of characters they will write about. One said, ‘It gives me a picture to take back to class.’ In 2013, Year 6 pupils’ achievement in spelling, punctuation and grammar was low. The school recognised this and responded quickly. More staff training and frequent short sessions focusing on these key skills mean current standards are much higher.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Reading standards have improved as the result of more systematic teaching, particularly of how letters link to the sounds they make (phonics). In the 2013 Year 1 phonics screening check, three-quarters of pupils met or exceeded the level expected.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In mathematics, pupils have good basic numeracy skills, partly because the school’s calculations policy is used consistently by staff. However, pupils are not given enough problems to tackle so they learn how to apply these skills. The learning activities the most able pupils are given do not always build on what has already been achieved, so they are not progressing as quickly as they should to more advanced work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The most able pupils come together occasionally to undertake interesting challenges that give them opportunities to use what they know, for example to design a game for Reception children.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress overall because their needs are accurately analysed and the right support provided, generally by skilled teaching assistants.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupil premium funding is used well to support those pupils for whom it is intended and, as a result, the progress they make in English and mathematics is as good as, and sometimes better than, that of their classmates. In 2013 there were too few pupils to comment on their attainment without identifying them.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has improved since the previous inspection, in particular it is much more consistent, including in English and mathematics.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Very positive relationships between staff and pupils provide the foundation of effective learning because classrooms are a hive of activity with very little time wasted as lessons flow smoothly.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Reception children enjoy varied and interesting tasks, and benefit from good teaching. When they choose an activity for themselves, staff are often at hand with the question or suggestion that pushes them to higher challenge. When staff lead an activity, children benefit from the explanation and example they are given. For example, during the inspection they were shown very clearly how to go about dividing numbers.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils enjoy working as a team and recognise the benefits this brings. In a drumming activity, for example, they paid careful attention to one another, joined in at the right time, and responded thoughtfully to each other’s performance.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ marking of pupils’ work is an integral part of their learning. Staff make it clear what pupils have achieved and what they need to do next to improve. Pupils are given time to read, understand and respond to what has been said. As a result, teaching is now more consistent, pupils know to look out for the ‘green pen challenge’ and enjoy testing themselves against it.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Wall displays are used effectively as an aid to learning. Pupils say this is very useful to them, that if they cannot remember or get stuck it is a place they can look for help. For example, a pupil unsure of the different parts of speech was able to find out quickly for himself and continue his learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils respond very well to their teachers’ high expectations that they take care with the work in their books and present it well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 A pupil’s first response to a question is often accepted without further comment. Sometimes that response suggests the pupil knows more and could be working at a higher level, sometimes that the pupil has not understood. Often, neither is checked.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Every lesson starts with the teaching stating what pupils will be expected to learn, and what they will know or be able to do. Occasionally, teachers ask pupils to read this back or put it in their own words, so the teacher knows they have understood. Sometimes the teacher uses this as an opportunity to ask the pupils to describe for themselves what they are going to know or be able to do. On these occasions, it is clear pupils understand and they tackle the work well. On other occasions, however, this does not happen and sometimes pupils are left unsure until the teacher realises and corrects their misunderstanding.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. This is because of the good systems used consistently by all staff. Bullying is rare and pupils say if it does occur it is dealt with quickly. A very small number of pupils struggle to manage their own behaviour but school records show they respond to the good guidance given.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school maintains a real sense of community despite the fact that few pupils come from the immediate vicinity. New pupils quickly settle because they are made to feel welcome. Pupils say that they like that they know everyone and take pride in helping one another in roles such as play leader.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The ‘family-feel’ extends to lunchtime. Meals are everything you want them to be, nutritious and tasty. Parents enjoy lunch with their children. Those with birthdays are made to feel very special.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Everyone – staff, governors, parents and pupils – feel they benefit from working alongside others from many different backgrounds and with very different needs.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 In Reception, children play and work together harmoniously. They make close friendships but enjoy working with others, too. They are often seen helping one another.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils like the house system, too, and the rewards they earn. They feel it has helped improve behaviour because they do not like letting one another down.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are helped to understand themselves and their emotions, how to remain in control of themselves and turn any negative thoughts into positive feelings.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school nurtures everyone’s talents and gives each an equal opportunity to take part in all it offers.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils like the fact that staff listen to them and take notice of their opinions. For example, their views have been incorporated into the design and layout of the refurbished library. A visit to the council chambers gave a further insight into ‘democracy.’

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Useful training is given to pupils and parents about staying safe on the internet. Pupils say they feel safe and well-looked after.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Many parents stated that their children had grown enormously in self confidence because of the positive and encouraging school community. During the inspection, an assembly led by Reception children was very respectfully received by other pupils. In addition, the school both brings a wide range of visitors and takes pupils out on interesting visits.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is above average because pupils are keen to come to school. The school works closely with the local cluster of schools to maintain a clear holiday policy. This is helpful.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teaching is well led. The headteacher uses her skills as a mentor to support and guide staff so improvements in teaching are a consistent feature of every class.

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The leadership and management are good

 Governors and school leaders recognise that high quality teaching is fundamental. Each teacher has their own unique plan outlining how the school will support their improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teachers all hold important roles in the school. Key areas, such as English, mathematics and the Early Years Foundation Stage, are well led so action plans are clear and well-thought out.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum is good because links are made between subjects and pupils often practise skills learnt in one, in another. This is less so in numeracy, however, where skills are not practised so much in relevant tasks.

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The leadership and management are good

 The additional primary sports funding is used effectively. Staff training has led to improved quality and range of activities. Pupils know the importance of sustained energetic activity. The school actively encourages every pupil to participate in the wide range of activities.

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The leadership and management are good

 Parents are very supportive of the school and many travel a long way to bring their children because they feel their children will thrive. Whether their child has special educational needs, speaks English as an additional language, or has a particular ability in one or more subjects, all parents spoken to were agreed, the school, ‘Gets to know what makes your child tick,’ and then helps them to overcome any weaknesses and builds on their strengths.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school works with the local cluster of schools in many positive ways Staff benefit from sharing ideas and specific staff such as the special needs co-ordinators work closely together. Events such as residential visits enable pupils to work with others they will meet at high school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school works closely with the local authority to the benefit of pupils. Any useful support or training available is used effectively, whether to confirm the accuracy of data analysis or to find new ways of schools working together.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors put a lot of time and effort into their roles and make sure they take the training necessary, for example to understand information about pupils’ progress so they can play a part in understanding where improvement is needed, why that may be so, and what might be done about it. They evaluate themselves so they know the skills and expertise they need to look for in new members. They monitor learning and work closely with staff to understand what is working well and what needs improving. They like to see for themselves. They are well organised; committees monitor the here and now, while their ‘strategy group’ looks a few years ahead. Finances are carefully managed and governors know what is done with extra funds for pupil premium and sports, and how it will be evaluated. In times of tight budgets, governors are proud that staff training continues to be a high priority. Governors ensure staff

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The leadership and management are good

pay is linked to performance, and know what would be done to tackle underperformance. Governors see all statutory requirements are met, including those for safeguarding pupils.

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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 120784 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 439579

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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 111 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Peter Hart Headteacher Jan Staff Date of previous school inspection 08 July 2009 Telephone number 01603 742329 Fax number 01603 742329 Email address office@bawburgh.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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