St William's Primary School

Williams Loke, Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich, Norfolk NR7 0AJ

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Overall effectiveness

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

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

 Pupils’ standards in writing and mathematics are not high enough and too few pupils make good progress by the end of Key Stage 2.  There is not enough good quality teaching to ensure that pupils make consistently good progress throughout the school.  Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are not always high enough and they do not always set work at the right level of difficulty.  While there is some very good practice, marking does not always identify ways to improve and not all teachers check to see if pupils are responding to the guidance.  Pupils do not sufficiently practise their writing or mathematical skills in other subjects.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are not always as good as they could be when the pace of learning slows or when work is not sufficiently engaging.  Leaders with responsibilities are not fully effective in improving the quality of planning and making checks on the quality of teaching.

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

 Governors have not rigorously held school leaders to account for pupils’ progress, standards and the quality of teaching.

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The school has the following strengths

 The headteacher, although very new in post, has extremely quickly and accurately evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of the school.  Children receive a good start to their education in the Reception classes. They make good progress because practical activities keep them interested in learning new skills.  Pupils say they enjoy coming to school and attendance is above average.  The governing body is extremely supportive of the school and is very committed to its own development and school improvement.  Parents are generally supportive. Almost all say their child feels safe, is well looked after and happy at school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 30 lessons, attended assembly and visited the breakfast club. Sometimes they were accompanied by the headteacher.  Inspectors spoke to pupils about their views of the school, listened to pupils read in Year 1, Year 2 and Year 6, looked at work in pupils’ books and observed them at play and lunch breaks.  Meetings were held with members of the governing body, senior leaders, subject leaders and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 44 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and met some parents informally at the start of the school day. Inspectors also analysed questionnaires completed by 43 members of staff.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation: the school development plan; the school’s own assessment data and analysis of its strengths and weaknesses; policies and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding children; information on pupils’ progress and

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Information about this inspection

attainment, the performance of teachers and the work of the governing body.

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Inspection team

Valerie Palmer, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Ceri Evans Additional Inspector John Ubsdell Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are White British. A very small number of pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average. The proportions supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs are above average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is below the national average. This is extra funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those with a parent in the armed services or those in the care of the local authority.  The Hillbillies before- and after-school club, managed by the governing body, runs on site every day.  The school has had a period of staffing instability, including two interim headteachers and an acting headteacher, since the previous inspection. Both interim headteachers were members of

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Information about this school

the local authority team. The substantive headteacher took legal responsibility for the school from the middle of March but took up her post, fully, at St William’s in April 2014.  The large majority of teachers are new including the Key Stage 1 and Foundation Stage leader and the Key Stage 2 leader. The Key Stage 2 leader will leave in August 2014 and the newly appointed Key Stage 2 leader will take up the post in September 2014.  A new Chair of Governors is to be appointed imminently.  The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which sets the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise standards of attainment and accelerate progress so it is at least good through ensuring consistently good or better teaching by:  making sure that teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are always high enough  making sure teachers plan and provide work that makes pupils of all abilities think hard enough  when marking pupils’ work, identifying the ways that pupils can improve their work and giving them enough time to correct their mistakes  ensuring that pupils practise their writing and mathematical skills in other subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the impact of leadership and management at all levels by:  ensuring leaders at all levels increase the pace of improvements with clear plans and measurable targets which are checked frequently for their impact on pupils’ achievements  making sure leaders with specific responsibilities identify the correct areas to improve, plan actions and check on their impact in order to improve pupils’ learning in their subjects.  Improve governors’ effectiveness by ensuring all governors fully understand pupils’ progress information so they can check on pupils’ performance and hold leaders to account.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because pupils do not make consistently good progress in all ability groups or across the age ranges. Progress in mathematics and writing has not been as good as in reading. Too few of the most-able pupils make the greater progress that they should.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The proportion of pupils achieving the required standard in the national phonics (linking letters and sounds) screening check at the end of Year 1 increased in 2013 but remained below the national average.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In 2013 at the end of Key Stage 2 standards in writing were below, in mathematics in line and in reading were above the national averages.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 This year, the school’s evidence shows that children entered the Reception classes with varying levels of ability but generally their skills were below those typically expected for their age. They have settled well and made good progress in all areas of learning. Activities are well planned, take account of children’s interests and are neither too hard nor too easy. School’s information shows children are on track to leave Reception with skills and knowledge above what is typical for their age.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Early reading skills continue to improve as staff consistently apply the school’s methods for teaching phonics. Currently, school’s own progress information, in Year 1, shows an above average proportion is on track to attain the required standard in the national screening check.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils generally enjoy reading. Younger pupils decode words successfully and can predict story endings. Older pupils speak confidently about the books they like best, and can compare different authors. Currently, the school’s own progress information shows pupils in Year 6 are on track to attain above-average standards in reading.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The school has correctly focused on improving pupils’ achievement and progress in writing. The school’s own data, validated by the local authority, shows pupils in Year 6 are on track to attain better standards this year. However, pupils do not use the skills they have learnt in English lessons or to write at length in other subjects.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ progress in mathematics is better in Year 5 and Year 6 than in other year groups. Many teachers check pupils’ understanding during the lessons but pupils rarely practise the skills they have learnt in mathematics lessons in other subjects. In Year 6, in 2013 a small number of pupils attained a Level 6, which is a standard much higher than expected for primary school pupils.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 By the end of Year 6, in 2013, pupils known to be eligible for pupil-premium funding were, on average, about two terms ahead of their peers in mathematics, a term ahead in reading and a term behind in writing. Extra funding has been used effectively to provide additional support and resources to support learning.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Progress for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs has been similar to that of their classmates in previous years. The school’s own progress information shows pupils making better progress because there is effective support within classrooms, small groups and individually.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because not all teachers have high enough expectations of the standards pupils can achieve and they sometimes give pupils work which is too easy for some of them. In these lessons, the pace of learning slows, pupils lose interest and they do not make as much progress as they are capable of.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of marking has improved but it is not consistent throughout the school. Teachers mark work regularly and it is generally of better quality in English than in mathematics. However, not all teachers provide clear guidance on how pupils can improve their work or allow time for pupils to correct their mistakes.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Where teaching is good, there is a good level of pace and challenge and work is well matched to pupils’ needs and abilities. As a result pupils are motivated and engaged in their learning and make good progress. For example, in a Year 2 mathematics lesson pupils were using a number line to sequence numbers. A range of imaginative practical activities inside and outside including throwing and passing a ball, use of computer programmes and problem solving ensured that all pupils were fully engaged and made good progress.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching assistants provide good support for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. They have undertaken a variety of training and are generally well briefed by the class teachers and have a good knowledge of the pupils they support.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. Children relish the opportunities to explore a wide range of activities both inside and outside of the classroom which stimulate the imagination and make learning fun. For example, a group, outside, searching for dinosaurs among the trees got very excited when they matched the picture on their investigation sheet to the picture in the trees. Another group were making mud pies for the dinosaurs whilst inside children were reading a recipe and doubling the quantities in order to bake a dinosaur cake.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. Pupils’ concentration can wander when work is not of sufficient interest or is too easy for them. This can be distracting to others but is not necessarily disruptive.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 There is an inclusive atmosphere in the school and the very few isolated racial instances have been dealt with swiftly and appropriately by staff.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils have a good understanding about the different types of bullying, including verbal, physical and cyber bullying. They felt incidents of bullying were rare but ‘a few pupils’ did not behave well at break and lunch times. However, pupils felt happy to talk to an adult if they felt worried and were confident that any issues would be dealt with swiftly.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils are polite and they behave well in and around the school. Pupils know the school rules and the rewards and sanctions in place. Pupils spoke eloquently about the new ‘house’ system, introduced by the school council, and were excited about earning team points for good work and behaviour.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure requires improvement. Pupils say they enjoy coming to school and the overwhelming majority feel safe. However, a very small number of pupils expressed concern about safety issues in the older toilets.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 School has established clear procedures to encourage good attendance. This has resulted in attendance which is above the national average. Exclusions have fallen dramatically this year.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The before- and after- school club provides a valuable resource for parents and is well attended by many pupils. It has a good range of equipment and provides a wide range of enjoyable and exciting activities for all ages.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 An overwhelming majority of parents and carers who responded to Parent View said their children were well looked after, safe and felt happy at school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management requires improvement because there has not been the consistency of leadership since the previous inspection, at all levels, to ensure that the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress is consistently good or better.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher, who has been in post for eight days, has quickly and accurately identified the areas of strengths and areas to develop. She has set out a clear vision for the school, based on high expectations for staff and pupils. A short but precise development overview, covering this term, clearly outlines areas to improve. However, a more detailed plan with measurable targets focused on pupils’ achievements would enable governors to easily monitor the pace of improvements.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school’s systems for monitoring pupils’ progress and achievements are thorough. The school’s progress information about writing has been moderated by county advisers and is reliable. However, subject leaders, with specific responsibilities, have not always had the opportunity to plan actions and check on their impact in order to improve pupils’ learning.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Systems are in place to monitor the performance of teaching staff. Clear targets are set and support is provided to help teaching improve and there is a clear link between pupils’ achievements and pay progression.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 There is no discrimination within the school and the leaders are making progress towards ensuring equal opportunities by improving teaching and raising standards for all groups of pupils.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The primary school sports funding has been used to support the development of staff skills and to purchase resources to enhance sporting activities. The new head has yet to decide how the remainder of the funding is to be spent.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The range of subjects and activities meet requirements and is broad and balanced. As part of this term’s plan, the headteacher and senior leaders are reviewing the present structure and a new curriculum document will be ready for September 2014. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted effectively through topic work, in lessons and assemblies. There is a wide range of after school activities and pupils have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority has given a high level of support to the school by providing two county headteachers, training for governors and placing the school on the Norfolk programme ‘To Good and Great’.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  Governors are very enthusiastic and supportive. They have continued to work tirelessly through a period of relentless change. They attend training to ensure their knowledge is accurate and up to date and have actively sought new governors to broaden the governing body’s skills. However, until recently, they have not asked searching questions, particularly about the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement and progress, to ensure that leaders are held to account. They have seen the published performance information about the school but have not questioned senior leaders in detail about the outcomes. Governors know how the pupil premium is being used and they receive updates on the impact the funding is having on pupil’s attainment and progress. They are, also, aware of how the funds allocated to provide additional sporting opportunities are being spent and monitor the budget effectively.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

Governors understand the processes and take note of the evidence they receive on the management of teachers’ performance and ensure that good teaching is rewarded. Equally, they are aware that any underperformance is tackled effectively through specific training matched to needs of staff. They ensure that arrangements to safeguard children meet statutory requirements.

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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 442045

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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 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 429 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mick Pearce Headteacher Sarah Shirras Date of previous school inspection 20 March 2013 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 and 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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