St John's Community Primary School and Nursery

St John's Community Primary School and Nursery Horning Road, Hoveton, Norwich, NR12 8NX

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders, managers and governors have brought about improvement in teaching and achievement since the previous inspection and they are now good. The school continues to improve well.  Teachers have high expectations of pupils and provide good levels of challenge for them to succeed in their learning.  Disadvantaged pupils achieve well. Gaps between their attainment and that of other pupils in the school are closing rapidly.  Children get off to a good start in the early years.  Pupils behave well and have positive attitudes to learning. The school’s arrangements for keeping pupils safe are outstanding. All parents agree that their children are happy at school.  Leaders and managers have an accurate view of how well the school is doing and drive improvement relentlessly.  Governors, under their Joint Chairs, have improved in effectiveness and challenge leaders robustly about the school’s work.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers do not consistently check that the way pupils have acted upon their marking guidance is helping them to accelerate their progress.  Work to share the best aspects of teaching practice more widely is not fully secure.  The special needs coordinator manages well, but is getting to the point where she does not have enough time to do justice to the increasing numbers and complexity of pupils’ needs.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed learning in 16 lessons or parts of lessons, six jointly with the headteacher. The inspectors also attended two assemblies.  The inspectors heard pupils read and, with the headteacher, looked closely at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspection team looked at a wide range of school documents including development plans, policies, self-evaluation reports and safeguarding records. They considered evidence of the school’s partnership work and the information provided for families.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils chosen at random. Discussions were held with senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers and other staff. The lead inspector talked to the Joint Chairs of the Governing Body, two other governors and a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors took account of the 58 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View. They also spoke informally to parents and received a letter from a parent.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors considered the 18 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. There is one class for each year group.  Nursery children attend part time for mornings only. Reception children attend full time.  Most pupils are White British.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium (additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals or looked after by the local authority) is average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average and is rising rapidly, both in numbers and in complexity.  A large proportion of pupils join and leave the school outside normal times.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ progress and attainment in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school runs its own after-school club.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make teaching and achievement outstanding by:  ensuring that teachers check how pupils have acted upon their marking advice so that it has the most impact on their learning  build on work to coach teachers through the sharing of examples of best practice so that the quality of teaching continues to improve.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make sure that the special educational needs coordinator has enough designated time to deal with the demands of the increasing numbers and complexity of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs across the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders, managers and governors have worked together well since the previous inspection to raise pupils’ achievement so that it is now good. They have built upon the school’s positive culture, which values individuals, and have improved teaching to good. Pupils continue to behave well and the school’s care and support for them are outstanding.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has been relentless in driving improvement, ably supported by a strong team of other leaders. The school is effective at developing leadership potential among younger members of staff. Subject leaders have a good understanding of their areas and have led colleagues in improving aspects of teaching, for example, in mathematics and spelling.

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The leadership and management are good

 The leadership of teaching is good. Leaders have recently begun to coach members of staff through sharing examples of best practice and this has had a beneficial impact so far, although it is at a relatively early stage of development. Regular checks show teachers what they are doing well and how they can improve further.

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The leadership and management are good

 Through gathering accurate information about the school’s effectiveness, leaders have formed helpful plans for improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 The pupil premium funding is spent effectively, both on supporting disadvantaged pupils’ academic progress and on giving them opportunities to experience the full range of activities that the school offers pupils. These include clubs, residential visits and music lessons. As a result, these pupils make good progress and gaps in attainment with others in the school are closing.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders place great emphasis upon ensuring that all pupils have equal opportunities to succeed and that discrimination of any kind is not tolerated.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum engages pupils well as it takes account of their interests and aptitudes. For example, Year 6 pupils have studied the Norfolk Broads. The school’s extensive grounds enable pupils to learn about conservation and take part in a wide range of sports. Pupils enjoy the challenge of the annual ‘duathlon’, where they first cycle and then run around a course that is marked out for about a mile.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils learn about British values through, for example, visiting the Houses of Parliament and meeting their local Member of Parliament. Year 5 pupils ran their own mini-election at the same time as the General Election. Pupils learn about other cultures and the impact of choices both personally and for the wider world, such as those relating to the environment. This helps them to understand right from wrong and the importance of fairness, tolerance and the rule of law. By such means the school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. They study French and learn about life in France. Music and the arts are key features of the school, with pupils learning musical instruments and singing on a number of occasions, including at the O2 arena in London. The ‘Children’s University’ encourages pupils to make wise use of their leisure time. Some 88% of all pupils in Key Stage 2 are earning credits towards qualifications as a result of activities they undertake outside the school day in a wealth of activities.

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The leadership and management are good

 The leadership of provision for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is good. There are very strong links with other agencies and the leader ensures that all pupils are well supported and their needs are met. However, as the number and complexity of pupils’ needs have grown, it has become apparent that the leader needs more designated time to meet the increased demand.

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The leadership and management are good

 The primary physical education and sport premium is spent effectively on coaching for teachers and widening opportunities for pupils to take part in a variety of sports. These include golf, volleyball and street dance. As a result, there is greater participation by pupils and increased fitness among them. Teachers’ skills at teaching sport have improved.  The local authority has supported the school well since the previous inspection, and brokered additional expertise, such as from a mathematics consultant. The school has benefited from participation in the local authority’s successful ‘Norfolk to Good and Great programme’, which helps school leaders to learn from best practice in outstanding schools.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s safeguarding arrangements are outstanding. All requirements are fully met and staff are very well informed about the actions they should take if they have any concerns about pupils. The designated leaders manage an increasing and complicated caseload supremely well, keeping meticulous records of each step in the process of keeping pupils safe.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is effective. The Joint Chairs of the Governing Body work together well and run a strong team of governors, who each bring specialist skills to support the school. Governors have a good understanding of data and know how well the school is doing compared with similar and other schools nationally. They know about the quality of teaching and keep themselves informed by making regular visits to observe the work of the school. Governors know about the management of teachers’ performance, including that of the headteacher, and set challenging targets for all staff. They do not tolerate any underperformance but reward good teaching in accordance with the success of pupils’ progress. They keep a careful eye on the school’s finances and ensure that any additional funding is spent effectively for the benefit of the pupils for whom it is intended.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They have positive attitudes to learning. Pupils are polite and friendly. They get on well together and support one another in the classroom and in the playground. They are enthusiastic in lessons and keen to become involved in the activities. Pupils enjoy challenging themselves to select more demanding work to do.

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Behaviour

 Pupils take responsibility as members of the school council, eco-council and librarians. They organise the summer fair and run stalls. They raise money for local and national charities and support the local food bank.

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Behaviour

 The older pupils host a tea party for the elderly each year. The choir goes out and sings in the community. In such ways pupils learn about helping others. They develop self-confidence and independence on the regular residential visits that take place in Year 2, Year 4 and in Year 6.

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Behaviour

 Attendance is broadly average. Pupils come to school on time and present their work with pride. Behaviour is not yet outstanding because occasionally pupils lose concentration and their learning slows.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. All parents who responded to Parent View said their children were happy at school and almost all believed them to be safe.

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Safety

 Pupils said bullying is not an issue at all, but they have a very good understanding of different types of bullying such as cyber-bullying. They work together to prevent bullying, designing posters for display around the school to remind one another not to tolerate any form of bullying.

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Safety

 Pupils all learn first aid and what to do in a medical emergency. They know exactly how to cope with a range of potential risks relating to water, fire and rail. They understand how to stay safe on the internet. They learn how to stay safe when cycling and the importance of wearing a seat belt when travelling in a car.

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Safety

 There is excellent support for vulnerable pupils and their families, helping them to overcome the particular issues they face. This enables pupils to come to school ready to learn.

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Safety

 The after-school club runs well and gives pupils the opportunity to relax at the end of a busy day in their own accommodation, mixing with pupils of different ages.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has improved well since the previous inspection and is now consistently good. Teachers have high expectations of pupils. They make clear to them what they are going to learn and how their learning can be successful.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Very good relationships between pupils and staff mean that pupils are keen to learn. They particularly enjoy the many practical activities that teachers set for them and the good level of challenge they encounter. For example, while solving problems around ratio, Year 6 pupils were choosing appropriate resources to help them to set out their thinking in order for them to explain it to their classmates.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have good subject knowledge and use questioning well to assess what pupils know and to extend their understanding. They make very good use of the school grounds to promote outdoor learning. For example, Reception children were building dens in the woods. Year 5 pupils enjoyed working beside the wildlife pond to develop their descriptive language.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Books show that pupils produce a good quantity of work in most subjects that is of a good quality and is neatly presented. Teachers point out to pupils what they are doing well and how they can improve their work. Pupils mostly act upon these comments (using green ink). On occasions, teachers do not always go back to check that pupils’ responses have helped to move their learning on.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In reading, the school’s centrally based and attractive library area gives books a high profile. Year 6 pupils share stories with Reception children and share their love of reading. Pupils read widely. Younger pupils learn the basic skills of reading quickly and apply their knowledge of phonics (the sounds that letters represent) when tackling unknown words.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Writing is taught well. Pupils have plenty of opportunities to write at length across a range of subjects. For example, Year 4 pupils wrote a biography of the Roman Emperor, Claudius. This year the school has focused on improving spelling, punctuation and grammar and has introduced some new approaches that are proving effective in raising standards.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The impact of teaching on learning and achievement in mathematics is good. Pupils say they enjoy learning new mathematical concepts and solving problems. Teachers encourage pupils to reason and find efficient methods of calculation. Resource boxes on each table enable pupils to choose the equipment they may need to help them in solving problems without having to go to adults for help.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children join the Nursery with skills below those that are typical for their age. There is some variation from year to year but children often arrive weaker in language development and in their personal and social development. Children make good progress in the early years because they enjoy a wide variety of rich experiences and have plenty of opportunities to develop their early reading and writing skills.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In 2014, there was a high proportion of disabled children and those who had special educational needs in Reception and this contributed to a below average proportion making a good level of development for that year group. The current Reception children are attaining better and most of them have reached a good level of development in their learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achieve well from their different starting points in Key Stage 1. In the Year 1 phonics check the proportion reaching the expected standard was similar to the national average. In 2014, standards at the end of Key Stage 1 were above average in reading, writing and mathematics, continuing a trend of good achievement over time. The current Year 2 pupils have made good progress to reach broadly average standards because this year group left Reception with fewer children reaching a good level of development. Books show that pupils make good progress over time in Key Stage 1.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 There has been much coming and going in the current Year 6. Half the pupils now in the year group were not attending the school at the end of Key Stage 1. They are a very different cohort from those who left Year 2 with above average standards. The current Year 6 pupils have made good progress while they have been at the school, even though for some this is a relatively short amount of time. They are on course to reach broadly average standards overall in reading, writing and mathematics. Their books show that they have done particularly well this year because of the high quality teaching they have received.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In 2014, a significant number of pupils joined Year 6 with low standards. This had a detrimental impact on the overall results and the levels of progress for that year group, particularly in mathematics and spelling, punctuation and grammar. It also meant that one third of the Year 6 pupils supported by the pupil premium joined the year group at this late stage in their primary education. This had a significant impact on the reported gaps in attainment between this group of pupils and others in the school and nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Until the point at which the late arrivals joined Year 6 in 2014, gaps in attainment with others in the school were half a term behind in reading, less than half a term behind in writing and no gap at all in mathematics. After they had joined the school, published data show that the same gaps became two-and- a-half terms behind in mathematics and three-and-half terms behind in reading and writing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Similarly, compared with other pupils nationally, the gaps in attainment of disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 in 2014 prior to the late arrivals were one term behind in reading, no gap at all in writing and just over one term behind in mathematics. The published data show that, following their arrival at the school, gaps became four-and-a-half terms behind in reading and mathematics and three-and-a-half terms behind in writing. As part of its commitment to being totally inclusive, the school welcomed these pupils and worked very well with them in the short time they attended; however, it was not possible in such a short space of time to make up the considerable gaps in attainment these pupils brought with them.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 There are no gaps in attainment between disadvantaged pupils in the current Year 6 and others in the school, despite the many changes in the composition of this year group. The school’s latest data show that in other year groups gaps are generally less than half a term between disadvantaged pupils and others in the school, which is much better than the national picture. The exception is the current Year 1, where there are high levels of disadvantaged pupils who also have special educational needs and lower attainment. All pupils are making good progress from their very different starting points.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school’s data show that progress for all pupils in other year groups is good. Books show consistently good progress over time in all year groups. The school has been successful in introducing the new National Curriculum, with its higher expectations of what pupils should know and understand at different stages in their school careers.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Leaders responded positively to the dip in standards in mathematics and spelling, punctuation and grammar in 2014 and have done much to improve the provision in these aspects of pupils’ learning. For example, all teachers now include some dedicated grammar teaching during literacy lessons.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The most-able pupils are challenged well to reach the higher levels of attainment. In 2014, an above average proportion of Year 2 pupils reached the higher Level 3 in reading, writing and mathematics. In Years 5 and 6, the most-able pupils receive additional mathematics teaching from a high school teacher to extend their learning further. This is having a positive impact on their progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs achieve well because pupils receive targeted support to meet their needs. Staff identify pupils’ needs early and ensure that programmes of support help them to make good progress. Staff are trained well to meet the individual needs of the pupils. The school also supports pupils’ social and emotional needs well, especially through the work of the inclusion support worker.

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The early years provision is good

 Children get off to a good start in the Nursery and settle quickly. They enjoy a wealth of experiences. Teaching in the early years is good. There is a strong emphasis on children developing their social skills and learning to care. They have enjoyed visits from a puppy and a kitten and watched chicks hatch out of their eggs.

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The early years provision is good

 Children practise their writing skills through role play. For example, children were writing up ‘crime reports’ in the ‘police station’. They chose to set up their own farm shop and wrote out a list of foodstuffs and how much they cost. Children make good gains in their learning both inside and outdoors. They achieve well from their different starting points and are well prepared for Year 1.

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The early years provision is good

 Children behave well and learn to share and take turns. Staff have worked hard to support children in developing their personal and social skills. All parents say their children are safe in the early years.

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The early years provision is good

 The leadership and management of the early years are good. Leaders keep careful records of how children are doing. Every month parents come in to help their children update their ‘learning journeys’, which are very special records that set out children’s achievements in all areas of learning. These contain a comprehensive record of children’s development, although they sometimes do not include enough evidence of what pupils have been finding out regarding shape, space and measures.

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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 120920 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 462059

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 210 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jan Evans and Nicky Nicholls (joint chairs) Headteacher Rebecca Quinn Date of previous school inspection 3 July 2013 Telephone number 01603 782520 Fax number 01603 784051 Email address office@hoveton-st-johns.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

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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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