Woodton Primary School

Norwich Road, Woodton, Bungay, Suffolk NR35 2LL

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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

 The executive headteacher has tackled the areas previously requiring improvement with skill and determination.  Senior leaders and governors now have an in- depth knowledge of the school’s strengths and the areas needing further work. Together, they have placed the school in a strong position to move further forward.  Good teaching ensures that pupils grow in confidence, learn well and make good progress across the curriculum. Consequently, pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education.  Teachers know their pupils very well as individuals. Some pupils are given effective personalised learning programmes to support their progress.  Pupils’ positive attitudes have a marked impact on their learning and progress. Pupils are keen to succeed and try their best.  Pupils share respectful relationships with adults and one another. They behave well, feel safe and enjoy coming to school.  Governors, staff, pupils and parents are highly

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This is a good school

supportive of this friendly, inclusive school.  Standards and rates of progress have improved in key stages 1 and 2 since the last inspection.  Children experience a successful start in the combined early years and key stage 1 class. They are taught well and, as a result, make good progress.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers and teaching assistants do not always use questioning well enough to challenge pupils to think in greater depth.  There are too few opportunities for pupils to deepen their mathematical understanding in real- life contexts through other subjects.  Pupils do not always write neatly or present their work to a high standard.  Checks have not yet taken place to ensure the accuracy and rigour of the new assessment systems over time to support further improvements in pupils’ learning and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to outstanding so that all pupils make rapid progress and achieve high standards by: ensuring that pupils follow the handwriting scheme consistently and set out mathematical work appropriately ensuring that teachers and teaching assistants use challenging questions to enable pupils to explain their ideas and thinking in greater depth providing more opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematical skills in other subjects and in real- life contexts to further deepen their understanding.  Ensure that the new assessment systems are accurate and rigorous to further improve pupils’ learning and progress.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The executive headteacher provides highly skilled leadership. She has built an effective leadership team, which is well supported by the new deputy headteacher. Senior leaders and governors have successfully taken the decisive actions needed to move the school to good.  The aspirational ethos of this small, inclusive school is shared by staff, governors, parents and pupils. School improvement takes into account the social, emotional, behavioural and academic needs of individual pupils.  Senior and middle leaders have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and the areas needing further improvement. They systematically check teaching and learning and pupils’ outcomes. However, leaders have not yet had time to develop teachers’ questioning skills or ensure that pupils apply their mathematical skills in real-life contexts.  Performance management targets for staff are focused on improving pupils’ learning and progress.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Governors now ensure that all staff are held to account for securing better outcomes for pupils.  Leaders and teachers value the developmental feedback they receive from the executive headteacher. They make good use of high-quality training to improve their subject knowledge and practice. The new mathematics leader talks enthusiastically about recent training that is already improving the use of practical resources to support pupils’ mathematical skills.  The school is implementing its new assessment systems well. The leaders understand the importance of rigorous checking of these new systems to ensure further improvement of pupils’ learning and progress.  The school’s broad and balanced curriculum promotes pupils’ learning well, being linked to pupils’ interests and prior knowledge. The curriculum is enriched by a range of extra-curricular activities focusing on sport, pupils’ well-being and music.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted effectively through the curriculum and assemblies. Pupils show concern for the needs of others by raising funds to provide toilet blocks for schools in Pakistan and Ethiopia. Additionally, this enables pupils to develop their understanding of other cultures around the world. School-based activities and visits help pupils to be well prepared for life in modern Britain. The school promotes equality of opportunity and ensures that there is no discrimination.  The pupil premium funding is now used effectively to improve the learning and progress of disadvantaged pupils. Individualised programmes and the new nurture provision supports the pupils’ social, emotional, behavioural and academic development well. The special educational needs leader ensures that similar strategies are in place for pupils who have special educational needs or disability.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The physical education and sport grant is used to develop teachers’ skills and increase pupils’ participation in a wide range of sporting opportunities and clubs.  Early years leadership and provision are good. The children settle into school quickly and make good progress from their starting points.  Parents are fully supportive of the school. All parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, stated that they would recommend the school to other parents.  The school has worked with the local authority and a local leader of education to improve all aspects of its work. The initial intensive support is no longer required as the school’s leaders and governors now have the capacity to drive improvement themselves.  The governance of the school The governing body responded well to address the weaknesses found in the previous inspection. Governors quickly undertook a local authority review of their work, which included looking at the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

effective use of the pupil premium funding. Restructuring of roles and responsibilities and the development of a steering committee ensure that the school continues to improve despite the many changes in teaching staff. Governors now have a good knowledge of the school’s effectiveness because they check relevant information carefully. Governors visit the school regularly and through well-planned questions they look in depth at important aspects of the school’s work. They are very knowledgeable about the expenditure and effectiveness of the pupil premium funding and the physical education and sport grant on pupils’ learning and progress. Governors use performance management to hold all staff to account. They have tackled underachievement well to improve teaching and pupils’ outcomes.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders ensure that all staff receive regular training, including when new staff join the school. Relevant policies and procedures are in place.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The quality of teaching across the school has improved rapidly since the last inspection, especially during this academic year. Pupils are learning well, making good progress and building up their self-esteem.  Teachers use their knowledge of pupils’ understanding to plan interesting and challenging activities. As a result, pupils want to succeed and try hard. Respectful relationships between staff and pupils enable pupils to start new work confidently and quickly.  Teachers and teaching assistants are effective in supporting pupils’ learning and progress because they know individuals well. Teaching assistants are particularly effective when working with disadvantaged pupils or those who have special educational needs or disability during individual or small-group activities.  Teachers follow the school’s new marking policy well. They give pupils clear and detailed feedback which informs pupils how to improve their work. Pupils are given time to respond to teachers’ comments to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

improve their learning further.  During literacy lessons, pupils redraft their work to make it the best it can be. Year 2 pupils read their written stories about aliens carefully. During the inspection, they discussed confidently where they could make improvements to their vocabulary and punctuation. Pupils now show more stamina when writing at length in literacy and in other subjects, which is supporting better progress in their writing.  Reading is taught well. Pupils in the early years and key stage 1 use their knowledge of phonics to support their spelling, reading and writing. Years 3 and 4 pupils read poetry with enthusiasm and understanding. They confidently discussed the alliteration, similes and metaphors within the text.  Pupils talk positively about learning multiplication tables at home to succeed in the school’s multiplication challenges. They enjoy the online mathematics program which further supports their learning at home

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

and in school.  Teaching is improving across the curriculum. Key stage 2 pupils are able to combine making mobiles of symbols from different religions while finding out on the internet what the symbols represent. Early years and key stage 1 pupils show high-quality racket and ball skills when working with the sports coach. At the same time, class teachers are able to develop their physical education teaching skills.  Teachers explain mathematical concepts clearly and plan work to meet the needs of the various year groups and abilities in each class. The recent use of more practical resources is improving pupils’ independence and thinking skills. Year 2 pupils are able to use balances and mathematical equipment to investigate different ways of calculating the same number. However, there are too few opportunities for pupils to deepen their understanding and extend their skills through real-life contexts and in other

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

subjects.  Sometimes teachers and teaching assistants do not use questioning skilfully enough to challenge pupils to fully explain their ideas and thinking, which slows the rate of pupils’ progress.  Teachers do not always have high enough expectations for pupils’ recorded work. Pupils’ handwriting does not always follow the school’s handwriting scheme. Some pupils do not set out their work carefully enough, for example, by using rulers to draw straight lines, or forming numbers correctly in their mathematics books.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Every pupil is given equal consideration and is treated as an individual.  Pupils are proud of their school. They want to learn and succeed. Pupils’ growing self-esteem and positive attitudes to learning are having an improving impact on their progress.  Pupils say they feel safe and get the help and support they need. Parents also appreciate the care and support their children receive.  Pupils understand different types of bullying and learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, during the inspection, Years 5 and 6 pupils learned how to cycle safely on the road. Pupils are knowledgeable about how to stay safe when using computers and accessing the internet. The younger pupils understand how fire drills help them to keep safe.  The new nurture provision, in a recently adapted room, is meeting the social, emotional and behavioural

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Personal development and welfare

needs of pupils who require that support. This provision is building up pupils’ speaking and listening skills, social skills and confidence.  Pupils are very happy at school and feel valued. They work well together and show respect and tolerance towards each other. The school’s recent pupil questionnaire provides evidence that pupils are positive about all aspects of their school life.  All parents who responded to Parent View or spoke to the inspector agreed that their children feel safe and are happy to attend school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school because expectations for behaviour are high and clear to everyone. Pupils are polite and courteous within this calm and welcoming school. The school’s effective behaviour and learning strategies supported by ‘Buzzy Bee’ certificates have helped to improve these aspects since the last inspection.  Playtimes are enjoyable occasions. Pupils learn to play well together and safely through a variety of activities. Pupils play with small playground equipment, develop physical skills on the large climbing frame or play football on the field.  Pupils are adamant that there is no bullying in the school. They say, ‘We all get along.’ This is confirmed by school records. Pupils say, ‘We sometimes have arguments but this definitely is not bullying.’ They also state that, ‘The adults encourage us to say sorry and shake hands.’

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Behaviour

 Pupils’ enjoyment of school is helping to improve the school’s attendance figures. There are very few persistent absentees.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Outcomes for pupils have improved since the last inspection. Pupils are now making good progress from their starting points. There are some variations shown in the data for overall outcomes from year to year, but these are due to the very small numbers in each year group, and are not statistically significant.  In 2015, pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 6 rose to above average. Consequently, pupils are well prepared for secondary school.  Attainment for Year 2 pupils in 2015 was higher than at the previous inspection. It is now similar to national results.  Pupils’ attainment in the national phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 has varied year on year but the 2016 predictions are back on track to rise above national expectations.  The proportion of pupils in the early years reaching a good level of development has been above national expectations for the last two years. 2016 predictions, based on reliable assessment, are also high.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 The school successfully ensures that all groups within its very small cohorts are treated as individuals so that they now make the best possible progress from their starting points. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs or disability are given well-tailored individualised programmes to enable them to reach their academic targets. Nurture provision is provided to meet their social, emotional and behavioural needs. Similarly, all other pupils from the low attainers to the most able receive effective support to enable them to make good progress. There are too few most-able pupils in each year group to make any reliable comment on their attainment.  Pupils’ books indicate that the majority of pupils are now making good progress in English and mathematics and are achieving well in other subjects including science, history and geography. However, progress slows when teachers’ questioning does not encourage pupils to explain their understanding in

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Outcomes for pupils are good

depth or pupils have too few opportunities to develop mathematical skills in real-life contexts.  The standard of pupils’ handwriting and presentation varies because some pupils do not follow the handwriting scheme or set out their mathematical work neatly enough.

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Early years provision is good

 Leaders have an accurate view of the effectiveness of the early years provision. The combined early years and key stage 1 classroom provides a stimulating learning environment.  The outdoor learning area has been greatly improved and is now an inspiring space where children can work and play in all types of weather due to the covered verandah. Outdoor activities are planned to provide opportunities for children to explore ideas for themselves. The four Reception children enthusiastically named parts of a flower and recognised a poppy and a pansy during their outside science walk.  Children join the early years with knowledge and skills that are usually typical for their age but this can vary due to the small number of children in early years. Well-planned provision and effective teaching enable the children to make good progress from their starting points. Most achieve a good level of development. As the children mix with key stage 1 pupils in their shared classroom, they are socially and

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Early years provision is good

academically well prepared for learning in Year 1.  Any disadvantaged children or children with special educational needs or disability receive the appropriate support to meet their individual needs.  Early numeracy and literacy skills, including learning about phonics, are taught well. Children also have the opportunity to listen to and observe the learning activities of the older pupils within their class. When completing their ‘alien’ collages, all the early years children chose to write about their alien because the older pupils were completing writing activities. They used their knowledge of phonics to spell words independently. They remembered their earlier learning about capital letters, full stops and finger-spaces and added them to their work.  Effective systems for assessing children’s learning are in place. Individual learning journeys and literacy and mathematics books show that the children are making good progress from their starting points.

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Early years provision is good

 Children behave well and play cooperatively together. They take turns, share and are keen to help their friends.  Parents are fully supportive of the early years provision. They appreciate the ready accessibility of staff as it means any minor concerns can be resolved quickly.  Safeguarding requirements are highly effective. Conscientious staff ensure that the children are well supervised at all times.

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School details

Unique reference number 120866 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 10011839 This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 31 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Elizabeth Ward Executive Headteacher Charlotte Whyte Telephone number 01508 482294 Website www.ellinghamwoodton.co.uk Email address office@woodton.norfolk.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 15–16 May 2014

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is above average.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium is above average. The pupil premium is additional funding for disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children looked after.  Early years provision is full time for children in the Reception Year.  There are too few Year 6 pupils to make a statement about whether the school meets the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  There have been a number of new appointments to teaching and leadership posts since the last inspection.  The school has had support from a local leader of education from Scole Church of England VC Primary

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Information about this school

School, Diss, Norfolk.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.  The school is part of the Ellingham and Woodton Primary School Federation.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning in nine lessons and attended an assembly. Three observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher.  The inspector held meetings with governors, a representative of the local authority and school staff, including senior and middle leaders.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at documentation, including teachers’ planning, the school’s analysis of its strengths and weaknesses, information on pupils’ attainment and progress, records of behaviour and safety, the monitoring of teaching and management of teachers’ performance, minutes of governing body meetings and safeguarding documents.  A discussion was held with a group of pupils, as well as informal conversations with pupils during lessons and at breaktimes. The inspector listened to pupils read and talked to them about books they enjoy.  The inspector took account of 11 responses to Parent View and spoke with parents informally at the

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Information about this inspection

beginning of the school day. The questionnaires completed by seven members of staff were also considered.

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Inspection team

Julie Harrison, lead inspector 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

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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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