Hemsby Primary School

Hemsby Primary School School Loke, Hemsby, Great Yarmouth NR29 4LH

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 Since the last inspection the headteacher, supported by other leaders and governors, has been determined to improve the quality of education in the school to ‘good’, and he has succeeded.  Over the past two years leaders have accurately identified the strengths and weaknesses in teaching. The actions they have taken have improved the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement to ‘good’.  Governors now provide a good level of challenge to school leaders.  Pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare are good and are strengths of the school. The effective pastoral support systems ensure pupils are safe and well cared for.  Pupils make good progress across school from low starting points on entry to the early years, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics. By the end of Year 6 the attainment of almost all groups is broadly in line with the national average.  Provision in the early years is good. Teachers and

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This is a good school

teaching assistants keep a careful check on the development of children so that they make good progress.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some of the subject leaders are less effective than those for English and mathematics.  Effective transition between the new two- and three-year-old provision and the Reception class is not well enough established.  On occasions, pupils are not challenged sufficiently by the work set for them. Teachers miss the opportunities to stretch the more-able pupils so they make even better progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– establishing stronger links by working together to provide an even better start to the children’s education.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership and management by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– strengthening the role of all subject leaders so they can be more accountable for improving and monitoring the quality of teaching and learning within their subject areas.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– providing a higher level of challenge for the more-able pupils so they develop their knowledge, deepen their thinking, and extend their skills to ensure that more are enabled to make better progress than is expected.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher, along with the deputy headteacher, has created a successful culture that promotes pastoral care and academic purpose. Within a nurturing environment, both pupils and adults feel valued and cared for. Consequently positive, respectful relationships are developed leading to everyone trying their very best and standards improving.  Leaders have a good understanding of what the school does well and where improvements are needed. They have created a development plan with challenging targets to continue the drive to do even better. They are working together with shared aims and a common purpose. As a result, teaching and learning are improving and pupils’ achievement is good.  Senior leaders have made great strides forward in the way they check the work of the school since the previous inspection. They have developed a rigorous assessment system to track pupils’ progress. This ensures that improvement plans are based on the right priorities linked closely to pupil outcomes. For

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

example, the determination to improve writing has resulted in the teaching of it, and the content and quality of written work pupils produce, being significantly improved. This is evident when looking at the writing from the previous year to the present time.  Leaders monitor pupils’ progress closely, which enables them to intervene early, preventing pupils from falling behind. This has helped all pupils progress well, including pupils who have special educational needs or disability. This reflects the school’s commitment to ensuring that all pupils have equal opportunities to succeed.  The school’s management of teachers’ performance is rigorous. Good use is made of staff expertise within the school, along with carefully chosen external training to improve the quality of teaching. There is a clear link between teachers’ performance and their salary progression.  The curriculum is well planned. It captures and responds to the interests of pupils well and is enriched by

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

a range of visitors to the school and trips including residential visits for three year groups. For example, inspectors experienced the ‘Rainforest’ theme day when the pupils hosted a café for their parents and a visitor brought in reptiles for the pupils to see and hold. Senior leaders are developing an effective assessment system that meets the requirements of the National Curriculum.  Pupil premium funding for disadvantaged pupils is used well. These pupils benefit from a range of support such as additional small-group teaching, one-to-one support, nurture group provision and assistance to ensure that they can participate in school activities such as swimming and residential and class visits. Any barriers to their learning are being managed effectively and the progress of these pupils is speeding up. Consequently gaps in achievement with their classmates are closing.  The additional funding for primary sports and physical education (PE) is used well. Teachers receive

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

training from a member of staff trained as a PE instructor using the funding. This has resulted in better- quality PE lessons as it has supported teachers in gaining greater confidence and skill. Pupils also relish the opportunity to participate in a wide range of sports through the sports partnership and after-school activities run by specialist coaches. These clubs include cricket, sailing, tag rugby and basketball. There has been an increase in pupil involvement in outside school activities. Now two thirds of pupils are involved in them compared to a much smaller number in previous years.  The school strongly promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils are aware of traditional British values. They know about democracy and the difference between right and wrong. Pupils have a good understanding of ‘restorative justice’ and apply the principles effectively.  Subject leaders have contributed towards the development of curriculum planning for the subjects they

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

lead. However, they have not had enough opportunity to hold teachers accountable for the quality of teaching and learning within their subject areas.  Since the last inspection, the local authority has maintained close links with the school, providing useful support, training and advice for the headteacher, other staff and governors.  The governance of the school – Governors have addressed the recommendations from the previous inspection. They have carried out a review of their own skills and have critically reflected on the way in which they work. Following training, they reorganised their working practices so that they now have a much clearer understanding of how well the school performs. They understand how leaders improve teaching and ensure that teachers are financially rewarded when they achieve their targets. They visit school regularly to check for themselves that information provided by leaders is robust and stands up to scrutiny.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

– Governors understand the new assessment systems and ask targeted questions about pupils’ progress. They know how support is linked to the spending of the pupil premium funding, and monitor effectively how it is helping pupils to improve their knowledge, understanding and skills.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. There is currently a review of the roles and responsibilities and processes being undertaken which will lead to safeguarding being further strengthened.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 A strong feature of teaching is the calm and purposeful atmosphere for learning, with teachers and teaching assistants establishing strong working relationships with their pupils.  Pupils enjoy learning because teachers plan activities that are interesting and engaging. Topics are arranged which give pupils a good range of opportunities to practise their literacy skills and consolidate their reading and writing competence. For example, pupils in Year 1 had written counting stories and then produced books called ‘African Adventure’ which were displayed for others to read.  Teachers have good subject knowledge and so they structure lessons carefully so that pupils learn step by step to increase their knowledge and understanding. They explain clearly what pupils are to learn and they frequently ask questions to check that pupils know what they are expected to do.  There is a clear handwriting policy in place that is followed consistently by all adults. This has led to a

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

whole-school improvement in the style of handwriting produced and the presentation of pupils’ work.  Teachers have high expectations of pupils. Teachers mark pupils’ books regularly and provide clear guidance about what has gone well and where further improvements are needed. Pupils act on this feedback and learn from their mistakes.  Teaching assistants and teachers work closely together to ensure that timely advice and support is given to pupils, particularly those who have special educational needs and disability. The impact of teaching assistants is a strength of the school. The quality of support is high, whether adults are working with a group or an individual pupil. This results in deepening pupils’ understanding and good progress, as well as strong emotional and social development.  Staff, advised by effective consultation with outside specialists, provide valuable support to individual

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

pupils, especially pupils with disability and those who have special educational needs. Pupils with complex needs benefit from very good pastoral support through the school’s nurture groups. This enables this group of pupils to participate and to make valued contributions to school activities so their opportunity to make more progress is increased.  Pupils told inspectors that the curriculum is exciting and they enjoy all their lessons. They say that teachers help them to make good progress in their learning because they suggest what their next steps could be. This has led to the pupils beginning to think about their own learning and considering for themselves how to do better.  There are occasions when the more-able pupils are not sufficiently challenged in the tasks they are given. When this occurs pupils are not expected to think deeply. Opportunities are missed for pupils to consult with others and discuss their ideas to develop their skills further. This results in more-able pupils not

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

making as much progress as they are capable of.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils feel safe in school because they are confident that adults and other pupils will look after them. One pupil told the inspector that ‘being at the school was like being in one big family’.  Staff and pupils care for, and relate very positively to, one another. These highly supportive relationships underpin pupils’ good attitudes to learning.  A common and popular feature in the school is the work with younger and older peers when classes swap and they learn with each other in mixed ages. This has led to pupils developing respect for each other and using various skills to talk, listen and work together effectively.  Pupils take pride in their school and their work. They all dress smartly in their school uniform, they treat their resources, classroom and school environment well and their work is thoughtfully and neatly

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Personal development and welfare

presented.  Pupils know about different types of bullying, including racist and cyber bullying. Pupils say that bullying is rare. This is confirmed by the school’s behaviour records, which show very few incidents of poor behaviour. Pupils are confident that if they are worried about anything they can approach any adult for help.  There is a good awareness about the dangers of social media. Pupils knew there was an age limit to having social media accounts and talked about ways to keep safe when they are old enough to have an account.  Pupils are elected to serve on the school council. They have an action plan in place which identifies some of their work, including fundraising to ‘Save Hemsby Coastline’ and save energy by encouraging the whole school to take part in ‘Switch off Fortnight’. Pupils undertake this responsibility seriously and have enjoyed the work it has involved.  The parent questionnaire results show parents agree that their child is safe and well looked after at

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They behave well in class and when moving around the school. They show respect towards adults and to each other and listen carefully to what others have to say.  In lessons, pupils are eager to learn. There is very little disruption to learning and any lost learning time is minimal. Occasionally, some pupils are inattentive and they lose concentration. This usually happens when pupils are not sufficiently stretched. As a result, their progress slows.  Pupils said that behaviour in class is good and that everyone always showed they wanted to learn. This was confirmed in the pupil questionnaires received when pupils reported that their learning was not disrupted by any behaviour issues.  The leaders and governors have analysed attendance closely and worked well with the school-funded independent attendance adviser regularly to monitor attendance; as a result, they have improved

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Behaviour

attendance and successfully supported those pupils who are late or absent from school on a regular basis. Attendance over time is better and is closer to the national expectation.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 In 2015 outcomes improved and the achievement of Year 6 pupils was in line with national expectations for reading, writing and mathematics.  The strong focus on improving pupils’ skills and knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics has paid dividends. As a result, all pupils are making at least expected progress from their starting points.  The current levels of attainment when children start school are below those expected for their age, especially for their speech and language skills. They work and play together well and this supports the good progress made in all areas of learning during the Reception Year. Most children are well prepared for Year 1 with appropriate social skills.  In 2015, by the end of Year 1, the proportion of pupils who achieved the expected standard in phonics was above the national figures. Inspectors heard some Year 1 pupils read. They talked about their choice of book and were able to answer questions showing that they had a good understanding of what they

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Outcomes for pupils are good

were reading.  Pupils thoroughly enjoy reading and they apply a range of skills, including phonics, to help them read. During the inspection, pupils from Year 3 read to parents during a ‘Rainforest Café’ event. They did this clearly, fluently and confidently.  A consistent approach to the teaching of writing, which includes a process of talk, plan, write, edit and review, has resulted in progress in writing being particularly strong across the different year groups. Pupils are given a breadth of opportunity to write in English and other subject areas. This has secured improved achievement throughout the school.  Pupils make increasingly good progress in mathematics. This is a result of teachers’ secure subject knowledge and their accuracy in teaching from the pupils’ starting points.  Disadvantaged pupils make increasingly good progress, and the gaps with their classmates are closing in all subjects. Current school information shows that gaps between pupils nationally and disadvantaged

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Outcomes for pupils are good

pupils in school are also narrowing. This is because their progress is checked carefully and they receive support from teachers and teaching assistants both during lessons and through a range of focused support programmes. This is leading to an improvement across the school in disadvantaged pupils’ achievement.  Pupils who have special educational needs and disability are well supported. Leaders take on board the advice given by external expertise, and work closely with teachers to ensure teaching meets the pupils’ specific needs. Due to this, over their time at Hemsby Primary School, pupils who have special educational needs and disability often make good progress from their starting points.  Analysis of school information in relation to pupils’ current progress, a scrutiny of pupils’ books and work seen during lessons suggest that much higher percentages of pupils are currently on track to make more

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Outcomes for pupils are good

than expected progress. As a result, by the time pupils leave Year 6 they are well equipped for their next stage of education.

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Early years provision is good

 Children are warmly welcomed into a bright and attractive environment in which they feel safe because they are well cared for. The outdoor area complements the indoor area, and is used frequently with activities planned to develop children’s skills across all areas of learning.  Teachers have high expectations of what children can achieve. Their planning takes into account the children’s personal interests, which results in children engaging productively in their learning.  Staff encourage children to experiment and become independent through well-established and consistent routines. Activities are organised so that there is an effective balance of activities led by adults and those chosen by children to explore and practise skills as they play.  ‘Learning journeys’, ‘My news books’ and ‘Celebration books’ are used to good effect to record children’s learning and achievements over time. Evidence in these books shows that children make good progress in

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Early years provision is good

all areas of their development. The school shares these books with parents and this helps to establish the strong links between home and school from the outset of every child’s primary education.  The school’s chosen handwriting style is started in the early years. It is modelled by all adults in every activity they do with the children. Consequently children are forming their letters well and developing their own writing independently.  The proportion of children achieving a good level of development by the end of Reception has been rising in recent years. Children’s levels of skill have represented good progress in relation to their differing starting points. This is because staff know children well and they provide activities that build on what children can do. In particular, the children’s positive relationships and enquiring attitudes to school ensure their readiness to continue good learning into Year 1.

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Early years provision is good

 The early years provides for children who are two years old and above. In September 2015 the pre-school setting joined Reception and they are now working as an early years team. The joining together of these two good settings is developing. Effective transition between the new two- and three-year-old provision and the Reception class is not yet well enough established for early years to be outstanding.

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School details

Unique reference number 120816 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 1001894 This inspection 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 2–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 164 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Maggie Hawley Headteacher Edward Savage Telephone number 01493 730364 Website www.hemsby.norfolk.sch.uk Email address office@hemsby.norfolk.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 17–18 December 2013

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Information about this school

 Hemsby Primary School is a smaller than average-sized one form entry primary school.  The large majority of pupils are White British. There are no pupils who speak an additional language.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability and are supported through a school support plan is above average. The proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is in line with the national average.  A below-average proportion of pupils is supported by the pupil premium which, in this school, provides additional funding for those known to be eligible for free school meals or who are in local authority care.  The school runs a breakfast club.  In September 2015 the pre-school setting joined Hemsby Primary School. There is a morning and afternoon session for the two- and three-year-olds. In the Reception class, children attend school all day.

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Information about this school

 The school meets government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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Information about this inspection

 Both inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classrooms. The headteacher took part in some joint observations with an inspector and attended both inspection team meetings. The deputy headteacher also joined the final inspection team meeting.  Observations were made of pupils’ behaviour at the beginning of the day, at lunchtimes, breaktimes and when they were moving around the school. Pupils’ behaviour was also observed in the classroom, at assembly and at the school’s breakfast club.  Meetings were held with pupils, staff, the headteacher, Chair and Vice-Chair of the Governing Body, the mathematics and English leaders. Inspectors spoke informally with parents and pupils in the playground.  The lead inspector met with a representative from the local authority.  Both inspectors looked at a wide range of pupils’ written work, especially in English, mathematics, science and topic work.  Inspectors listened to pupils read, and looked at work in pupils’ books and on display. They looked at

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Information about this inspection

available documentation including minutes from governing body meetings, the school self-evaluation and the school development plan. Behaviour and attendance records and information relating to safeguarding were also scrutinised.  Inspectors took account of the 48 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. They also spoke to parents at the end of the day and when parents attended the school’s ‘Rainforest Café’ event.  Inspectors also evaluated the 10 responses to the staff questionnaire and the 19 responses to the pupil questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Tracy Fielding, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Nicholas Templeton Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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