Queen's Hill Primary School

. Queen’s Hill Primary School Fieldfare Way, Queens Hills, Norwich, NR8 5AZ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Early years provision Good 2

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

 Although the headteacher, governors and senior leaders have made sure teaching and achievement are improving this year, not enough pupils make good progress by Year 6.  Some of the most-able pupils do not do as well as they could in writing and mathematics.  Some pupils do not make good progress in learning to spell and so occasionally it is not easy for others to read their work.  A number of pupils do not develop a good ability to solve mathematical problems. Staff do not use pupils’ individual targets well to help them reach the next stage of development.  Teachers do not encourage pupils enough to write longer, detailed pieces of work.  Staff do not explain to pupils in detail what they have done well or make sure they understand exactly how to improve their work.  Teachers do not routinely pick up and sort out pupils’ misunderstandings before the next lesson and so some continue to make the same errors.

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

 A few teachers do not fully challenge the most-able pupils because they have not received enough training in this aspect of their work.  Leaders do not consistently help teachers to improve their skills.  A few subject leaders are new to their roles and are not yet fully aware of the achievement of different year groups.

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The school has the following strengths

 Children make good progress in the early years, where good teaching for all ability groups has resulted in rising standards.  Pupils who speak English as additional language do well. This is because staff accurately assess their abilities when they arrive at the school and support them well in quickly learning enough English to succeed.  Attainment in reading is rising. Pupils in Year 6 are making better progress because of a successful focus on improving their comprehension skills.  Pupils’ behaviour is good and they concentrate well in lessons. This is because staff guide pupils successfully to make sensible choices.  Pupils feel safe in school and parents agree that staff care for their children well.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team visited 19 lessons, some jointly with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and a senior leader. As well as observing lessons, inspectors also studied pupils’ records of progress and the work in pupils’ books in many year groups. They heard some pupils read and attended one assembly.  Inspectors held meetings with pupils, the headteacher and members of the senior leadership team, subject leaders and other staff responsible for areas of the school’s work. The lead inspector met with three members of the governing body.  Inspectors analysed responses from 52 parents and carers to the Ofsted Parent View online survey, and one recent school survey completed by 108 parents.  Inspectors took into account the 22 completed staff questionnaires.  The inspection team observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documentation, including records of pupils’ behaviour and the subject leaders’ plans. They looked at leaders’ records describing the

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Information about this inspection

school’s success in improving teaching, minutes of governors’ meetings and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Jackie Cousins, Lead inspector 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 and speak English as their first language.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is broadly average. This additional funding is for pupils in the care of the local authority and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is average.  Children attend the early years full time in the reception year and part time in the nursery.  In recent years this school has grown in size. Considerable numbers of pupils have joined the school partway through a key stage or academic year.  The school does not meet the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  There have been several changes in staffing since the last inspection. Last year some classes changed

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Information about this school

their teacher partway through the academic year. The early years, literacy and mathematics leaders all took up their leadership posts in September 2014 and are part of the new senior leadership team.  This year the school has worked in partnership with a National Leader in Education from Vauxhall Primary School in London.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and raise achievement, especially in mathematics and writing, by ensuring that all staff:  improve pupils’ spelling and problem-solving skills methodically  correct pupils’ misunderstandings effectively in lessons  give pupils specific feedback and explain how they can improve their work  use pupils’ individual targets more successfully to help them reach the next stage of development, especially in mathematics  encourage pupils to write longer pieces of work  have the training they need to be able to fully challenge the most-able pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership by ensuring that:  subject leaders monitor each year group’s progress and attainment in detail  leaders make full use of individual targets to help staff improve their teaching skills.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Although leaders have successfully raised expectations for what pupils can achieve this year, they have not yet done enough to ensure that teaching is good throughout the school and that all groups of pupils are making good progress.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 A few subject leaders who are new to their roles do not yet monitor pupils’ progress in detail. This means that their impact on pupils’ achievement in all year groups is not totally effective.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Senior leaders observe teaching and agree individual targets with staff to improve their skills. However, leaders do not encourage teachers to collect evidence to show that they have met their targets between formal lesson observations. This means that a small number of staff do not know what they could be doing better, so do not improve the impact of their teaching on pupils’ progress as well as they could.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher has dynamically led the new senior leadership team in improving pupils’ achievement this year. Pupils’ progress in reading is considerably better throughout the school, and a much higher proportion of pupils than last year passed the Year 1 check made on their use of letters and the sounds that they make (phonics).

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher and staff create a welcoming atmosphere in the school where pupils behave well, concentrate in lessons, respect others from all backgrounds and attend regularly. Many members of staff give good support for pupils’ well-being. The school treats everyone equally fairly and does not permit any discrimination.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school is using pupil premium funding more effectively this year than last year. As a result, the attainment gap between those supported by this funding and the rest has reduced significantly. Pupils are given extra support in small groups or through one-to-one tuition and many more disadvantaged pupils take part in activities outside the school day, such as going on camping trips with the school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The pupils say they enjoy learning in all subjects but especially reading, writing stories and doing number work. They also value the after-school activities such as cricket, fitness, cheerleading and homework clubs. Many topics planned develop skills in more than one subject at a time. The pupils said they liked a project on the First World War in which they learnt about soldiers’ lives and painted their own recruitment posters.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school prepares pupils successfully for life in modern Britain. During the recent general election pupils learnt about democracy and had their own election. They know that Members of Parliament discuss making new laws in the House of Commons. Whole-school assemblies and class sessions ensure that pupils learn about other peoples’ cultures and beliefs. For instance, pupils understand about life in Africa as well as the beliefs of Sikhs and Muslims.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school spends its primary sports funding thoughtfully. New apparatus and specialist tuition from sports coaches enable pupils to learn new skills such as tennis. All pupils learn to swim by Year 6 and a high proportion successfully gain awards for swimming 25 metres.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders and governors make sure that safeguarding procedures and policies meet national requirements. Many staff have first aid qualifications including for both early years and adults. All completed child protection training in September 2014 and new staff complete this training as part of their induction arrangements. The school works effectively with the local authority, other agencies and parents to keep pupils safe. Governors carry out regular checks and make sure health and safety issues are sorted out efficiently.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority works effectively to improve the school, for example by helping senior leaders to improve the way that they feed back strengths and areas for development after observations of teaching. The local authority has enabled the school to work productively with a National Leader in Education to improve the quality of teaching and leadership.  The governance of the school:  Governance is effective. The governors are clear about the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They know that children get a good start to their education in the nursery and reception classes, where staff regularly check to find the gaps in children’s knowledge and work diligently to fill them.  Governors are committed to improving the school’s results. They know about teaching and its impact on pupils’ progress because they use data carefully and track the school’s performance. They are clear that the most-able pupils could do better.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governors effectively manage the performance of the headteacher. They know that leaders provide extra support for staff who are not performing as well as expected, in order to improve their teaching skills. Staff who perform well are rewarded with extra responsibilities and pay rises.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils conduct themselves well. They share equipment and cooperate productively within and beyond the classroom. The pupils, staff and governors all agree that behaviour is good. Many visitors wrote to the school and praised the behaviour of pupils while they worked with them.

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Behaviour

 Pupils are keen to share their work and they quickly get down to the tasks set by teachers. They concentrate productively and take pride in their work. This is because staff encourage them and give rewards to pupils for good pieces of work.

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Behaviour

 Pupils’ self-esteem is high and they persevere when work is challenging. This is because staff are supportive and relationships are positive. Visitors to the school help to raise pupils’ self-confidence and inspire them to learn new skills.

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Behaviour

 Pupils from all backgrounds respect each other. They are tolerant of one another and speak to each other considerately. They thoughtfully help children in other parts of the world and make sure that these children have the equipment they need in their schools.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. The pupils say they are safe in school. This is because staff keep a close eye on pupils during break times and in lessons. Bullying does not often occur and pupils say it is cleared up successfully on the rare occasions when it does take place. The pupils say they really value the support they receive from staff and through extra groups to nurture their social skills.

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Safety

 Pupils’ attendance is improving, especially for pupils who have a disability or special educational needs, but it is average and could be even higher. The proportion of pupils who are persistently absent has decreased considerably this year. This is because staff rigorously follow up any absences and reward good attendance successfully.

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Safety

 Pupils know how to keep themselves safe on the internet. They say that the school takes cyber-bullying seriously and acts on anything reported to them. Regular sessions inform pupils how to handle situations they may find themselves in when using the internet.

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Safety

 Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in and outside school. Leaders hold fire drills regularly and pupils say staff do not know when they are happening so everyone behaves as though they are real. Pupils learn how to cross the road safely and Year 5 pupils take part in cycling awareness courses.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Despite some strengths in teaching, particularly in the early years, the quality is not yet consistently good enough to promote good achievement.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers do not always challenge the most-able pupils successfully. This is because staff are not fully aware of all the ways in which this can be done.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Staff do not always ensure that pupils’ misunderstandings and corrections are sorted out. This means that some pupils do not have the skills they need to achieve well in the next lesson.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Most comments made by teachers and support staff encourage pupils to try hard but sometimes they are too vague. As a result pupils are not totally clear about what they have done successfully or what more they could do to improve their work.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers assist pupils to make steady progress in learning to write. They encourage pupils to use a wide range of vocabulary and techniques to make their work imaginative. However, teachers do not always teach pupils to spell words correctly or expect them to write long enough pieces of work.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers develop pupils’ basic mathematical skills suitably. However, they do not give pupils enough opportunities to use the four rules of number to solve more complex problems. Pupils say that staff do not always use individual targets in mathematics successfully to explain to them how they can reach the next stage of development. As a result some pupils do not know exactly what teachers are expecting them to do.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teaching of reading is a significant strength of the school. This year staff have inspired pupils to read more regularly and to read more complex books, supported by a system of rewards and productive work with the school librarian. From the early years to Year 6, pupils use their phonic knowledge well to work out unknown words. Staff give comprehension skills a high priority and so pupils learn, for example, to predict what might happen next in a story based on the facts they have read.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Staff care for pupils thoughtfully. As a result classrooms are enjoyable places to be. Pupils respond quickly to teachers and support staff. Teachers ask questions carefully to make sure pupils learn to explain their thinking. Pupils often discuss ideas in pairs and groups before they speak to the whole class. This enables them to develop their speaking and listening skills.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers and support staff carry out regular checks on pupils’ attainment. The school tracks pupils’ progress and is beginning to pick up those who make slower progress and assist them to catch up. The teaching of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is beginning to improve which is helping these pupils to start catching up with their peers.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Since the last inspection, achievement has varied between different groups of pupils. This year most groups are making better progress, but some are still not reaching the standards they are capable of.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In particular, the achievement of the most-able pupils requires improvement. Not enough of these pupils reach the higher levels of attainment in writing and mathematics because teachers are not providing them with consistently challenging tasks in lessons.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In 2014, Year 2 results were below average. Too few pupils made good progress from their starting points on joining the school. Pupils’ achievement is better in reading than in mathematics and writing. This year the school is beginning to improve pupils’ attainment and it is closer to the national average in reading and mathematics. Inspection evidence shows that although it is getting better, pupils’ attainment in writing is still below average.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Year 6 results in 2014 were below average in reading, writing and mathematics, but attainment has improved this year. This means that the proportion of pupils who are working at the level of skill typical for their age in all key subjects is in line with what was seen nationally last year.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The 2014 Year 6 results also showed that pupils had not made sufficient progress since the end of Year 2. However, the results are misleading because two-thirds of this year group spent part of this key stage in other schools. The pupils who attended this school from Year 2 to Year 6 made better progress in reading, writing and mathematics, although it was still not good.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 This year, progress is improving and the school’s reliable data shows that more pupils have made the levels of progress expected nationally by Year 2 and Year 6. However, too few Year 6 pupils have exceeded expected progress in mathematics and writing.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In 2014, pupils in Year 6 who speak English as an additional language had made good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. This is because a specialist teacher assesses pupils’ skills carefully when they start at the school. Individualised programmes of work ensure that tasks are not too hard and not too easy. Staff make sure that these pupils understand the meaning of new words before a topic is taught because staff are well trained in how to develop pupils’ language skills.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Last year the progress made by disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 was not good enough. They were on average about six terms behind other pupils nationally in reading and writing, and eight terms in mathematics. They were five terms behind others in the school in reading and mathematics and nearly four terms in writing. This year the Year 6 pupils are making better progress and the attainment gaps are much smaller.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make effective progress. The school is watching over their progress more carefully this year and meeting their needs more methodically.

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The early years provision is good

 Children in the nursery and reception classes make better progress than older pupils because the leader has quickly developed good teaching in these classes. Children start school with a typical level of skill in most areas of learning, but with some gaps in literacy, mathematics and knowledge of the world. They achieve well. This year their levels of understanding, including those of disadvantaged children, are above those typically seen for their age.

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The early years provision is good

 Good teaching ensures that children fill the gaps in their knowledge efficiently. Teachers successfully work out what children do and do not know when they start at school, and keep a close eye on any children making slower progress. They use individual targets for children to ensure that everyone, including parents, knows what the school is doing to help them reach the next stage of development.

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The early years provision is good

 Children get on well together and their behaviour is good. They concentrate hard and keenly share their work with others. They become considerate young people because staff guide them thoughtfully but firmly. The children are safe and secure in the nursery and reception classes. Consequently, they become more confident and will try new ideas out without any concerns.

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The early years provision is good

 Leadership is good. The leader for early years works well with the nursery and reception staff. They are always looking for ways to improve this phase of education. The well-planned range of activities means that children extend their learning and follow their interests. For example, after a Japanese lesson a few children chose to write down some of the new words they learnt. Staff use the outside area thoughtfully to broaden children’s experiences and involve them in practical activities that make learning easy to remember. As a result, children are well prepared for Year 1.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 135148 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 462074

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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 342 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Katy Smith Headteacher Penelope Sheppard Date of previous school inspection June 2013 Telephone number 01603 746857 Fax number 01603 594730 Email address office@queenshill.norfolk.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . 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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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