Rollesby Primary School

Rollesby Primary School Main Road, Rollesby, NR29 5EH

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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.  Pupils make good progress and current attainment is above national expectations across the school.  Pupils have a good understanding of phonics (the sounds that letters make) when reading unfamiliar words.  Pupils supported by the pupil premium make good progress like their classmates because the additional funding is used to meet their needs well.  Pupils benefit from high quality tuition in music and sport.  Teaching has improved since the previous inspection and teachers are held fully to account for their performance by the new headteacher.  Pupils have good attitudes to learning and say that they feel safe in school.  The new headteacher, supported by governors, has been instrumental in driving improvement, resulting in standards rising.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not all pupils are given the time to act upon teachers’ advice on how to improve their work.  The presentation of pupils’ work is not always neat enough.  Pupils are not sufficiently clear how to move to the next level of attainment.  Too much of the burden of the school’s work currently falls on the headteacher’s shoulders.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 13 lessons or parts of lessons, almost all jointly with the headteacher.  The inspector heard pupils read and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector looked at a wide range of school documents, including development plans, policies, self-evaluation reports, monitoring files, safeguarding and subject materials, evidence of the school’s partnership work and information for families.  A meeting was held with a group of pupils chosen at random, and other pupils were spoken to informally in class and around the school. Discussions were held with school staff, the Chair of the Governing Body and six other governors, a representative from the local authority and a representative from the Youth Sport Trust.  The inspector noted the 31 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View and spoke informally to parents in the playground.  The inspector considered the 22 staff questionnaires that were completed.

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Inspection team

Nick Butt, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Pupils are taught in mixed-age classes, except in Nursery and Year 2.  Most pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium (which in this school provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals) is below average.  There are no disabled pupils in the school.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs supported through school action is average. The proportion supported at school action plus, or with a statement of special educational needs, is also average.  The new headteacher joined the school in September 2012. There have been several changes of staff in recent months, with some temporary teachers in post.  The school is part of Norfolk’s ‘Good to Great’ programme. The headteacher has recently made a presentation to local officials on the positive impact it has had at the school. The school has also

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Information about this school

been supported this year by a national leader of education in Essex.  The school’s most recent results cannot be compared to the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum standards for pupils’ attainment and progress, because there were not enough pupils to make such comparisons meaningful.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make teaching outstanding by:  giving pupils time to act upon teachers’ marking in their books so that they can improve their work  improving pupils’ handwriting and the presentation of their work  making sure pupils know how to reach the next level of attainment.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop other leaders to support the headteacher in driving improvement so that the responsibilities are shared more widely.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children join the Nursery with skills and aptitudes below those typically expected for their age, especially in language and personal and social education. They get off to a good start because they are given stimulating activities that promote their early literacy and numeracy skills.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children settle quickly and become accustomed to the Nursery routines. The new headteacher moved Reception children from sharing with Nursery to sharing with Year 1 and this has enabled these children to learn from their older classmates and helped them prepare for more formal learning. They still enjoy an appropriate Early Years’ experience and make good progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The proportion of Year 1 pupils who met the required standard in the national reading check in 2013 was above average, with boys doing particularly well. Good progress continues in Key Stage 1 and standards in reading, writing and mathematics were above average by the end of Year 2 in 2013. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher levels of attainment was also above average because they were given work which got the best from them.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Very small cohorts mean that results fluctuate from year to year. In 2013, for example, each Year 6 pupil counted for ten per cent of the scores. A combination of particular needs and weaker teaching in the past meant this year group underperformed. However, the current Year 6 are performing above expected levels for their age in reading, writing and mathematics and have made good progress over time.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 There were too few pupils supported by the pupil premium in 2013 to comment on their attainment. Pupils across the school supported by the pupil premium benefit from additional help and do as well as their classmates.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils with special educational needs are well supported, often with tailor-made programmes. This enables them to make good progress. Parents appreciate the emphasis the new headteacher places on meeting pupils’ specific needs.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Across the school, pupils in all year groups are making good progress and their attainment is above national expectations. This is because teaching has improved since the previous inspection and teachers are held fully to account for pupils’ progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Teachers show pupils what good writing looks like and this helps them to improve their work. A large investment in good quality resources has given teachers greater scope in how they plan learning. The centrally located library has been redeveloped into an attractive area and many new books motivate pupils, especially boys, to read widely.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 A new calculations policy has ensured that pupils learn to solve problems in a systematic way as they progress through the school. Teachers have been supported in planning sufficiently challenging work for mixed-age classes with a wide range of abilities represented. The more- able pupils make good progress as they are mainly set work that extends their thinking.

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The quality of teaching is good

 There are consistent strengths in teaching in the Nursery. The classroom is stimulating and the activities pupils undertake are purposeful. Pupils enjoyed making model boats out of recycled materials to see if they would float. The outside space is well developed and caters for all areas of learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Phonics is taught well. This gives pupils a good understanding of the sounds that letters make so that they are able to read unfamiliar words. Teaching assistants make a positive contribution to this work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 There is a good emphasis on widening pupils’ vocabulary. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 described a setting for a quest and were able to inject an atmosphere of mystery. One pupil wrote, ‘dark enchanted woods have an evil look in their eyes.’

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers explain tasks clearly and pick up misconceptions well. The activities interest pupils and often involve them in finding things out for themselves. For example, pupils in Years 3 and 4 were engrossed in testing different kinds of metals to see if they were magnetic.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Sport and music are both strengths of the school and are taught extremely well. All pupils in Years 3 and 4 are learning the violin and those in Years 5 and 6 are learning the trombone. During the inspection Year 6 pupils spent their afternoons sailing on a local Norfolk broad.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Books show that pupils make good progress over time and that this has accelerated as the year has progressed. Marking is more consistent than it was, but not all pupils are given the time to act upon the advice teachers give them to improve their work. While pupils have targets to show them how to reach the next level of attainment at the front of their books, teachers do not make these a priority and pupils are not clear how well they are progressing towards them.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They have positive attitudes to learning and are keen to take part in lessons. They are friendly and polite and play well together outside.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils say that bullying is not an issue. They know about different types of bullying including cyber bullying. They know how to keep safe on the internet. They understand how to keep safe around roads, water and fire. They also undertake cycling training.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils belong to a police focus group that give out messages on safety and considers ways of keeping the local community and amenities safe. They enjoy taking responsibility as members of the school council, library monitors and play leaders. The school council organises fund-raising for charities.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is above average this year. Since the new headteacher arrived the school has taken a strong line on absence and what are considered unacceptable reasons for keeping pupils away from school. A system of rewards recognises the achievements of individuals and classes in coming to school regularly.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour is not outstanding yet because pupils can occasionally become silly, especially if they are not sufficiently focused on their learning. Pupils do not always take sufficient pride in presenting their work as neatly as they can.

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The leadership and management are good

 The new headteacher has made a considerable difference to the school in the relatively short time she has been in post. She has introduced new systems, for example, to track pupils’ progress, and has made sure that all staff are held fully to account for their pupils’ performance.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff are fully signed up to the headteacher’s vision. The school is ambitious to succeed, and tries to be the best it can be in all it does. This is evident in the warm welcome visitors receive from the office staff and the friendliness and approachability of the whole school community.

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The leadership and management are good

 Parents are positive about the school’s work. Most parents who responded to Parent View strongly agreed with the statements about what they think of the school’s work. Several parents and staff commented about the difference the new headteacher has made and how the school is visibly improving.

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The leadership and management are good

 A focus on improving teaching has resulted in greater consistency of good practice, even with several staff changes. The headteacher has engaged fully with the local authority and the national leader for education in order to make the most of the support offered.

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The leadership and management are good

 Much of the work to drive improvement falls on the headteacher’s shoulders, as the next tier of leadership is at an early stage of development in this small school. She has had a large teaching commitment this year but has still managed to bring about successful outcomes. This means that pupils’ progress has increased and attainment has risen.

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The leadership and management are good

 The range of subjects and topics takes account of pupils’ interests and finds out what they want to know. Attractive displays around the school contribute well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school enriches pupils’ experiences with a very wide range of clubs, visits and visitors. Pupils recently enjoyed a tour of London, ending up at the Tower of London to see where the Tudor queens were beheaded.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is recognised within the county as a centre of excellence for sport and innovative spending of the sports premium. Pupils take part in a wide variety of sports including gymnastics, sailing and golf. The funding supports specialist coaching, training for staff and the local sports partnership. Pupils succeed in competitive sports, for example becoming county champions in gymnastics. The benefits to pupils include opportunities to take part in new sports and increased well-being.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school promotes equality well and ensures that all pupils are included in all activities. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority provides very good support for the school, both with analysing data and as part of the ‘Good to Great’ programme. The national leader for education has provided challenge and models of outstanding practice.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors are very committed to the school and through their regular visits find out first-hand how well it is doing. They have a good understanding about how pupils’ performance compares with other schools and about the quality of teaching. They know how teachers’ performance is managed, how any weaker teaching is tackled and how pay rises are only considered if they are justified by improvements in pupils’ progress. They are given clear accurate information by the headteacher and are well placed to ask probing questions. They check that pupil premium spending is having a positive impact. Governors ensure that all safeguarding requirements are fully met.

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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 121202 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 442626

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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 Foundation Age range of pupils 2–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 135 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Stuart Tate Headteacher Louise Hinton Date of previous school inspection 20 October 2010 Telephone number 01493 740270 Fax number 01493 748646 Email address office@rollesby.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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