Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mrs Pauline McMullan Headteacher Browick Road Primary and Nursery School Browick Road Wymondham Norfolk NR18 0QW

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School

Following my visit to your school on 10–11 July 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings.

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School

This monitoring inspection was conducted under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 and in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for inspecting schools with no formal designation. The inspection was carried out to assess whether leaders and governors had effectively managed arrangements for the provision for an additional key stage and whether safeguarding was effective.

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Evidence

I scrutinised the single central record and other documents relating to safeguarding and child protection arrangements and met with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, groups of pupils, parents, the chair and other members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.

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Evidence

I observed learning in each year group and the specialist resource base through visits to classrooms with senior leaders, heard a group of pupils read and scrutinised pupils’ work in a range of subjects. I also observed pupils’ behaviour at lunchtime and as they moved around the school. I reviewed a number of school documents and information, including attendance information, assessment information, records of training and professional development, records of governing body meetings, the school self-evaluation summary and improvement plans. I also met with a group of support staff and teachers.

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Evidence

Having considered the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Evidence

Safeguarding is effective. Leaders and governors have made effective arrangements for provision of education in an additional key stage. They have maintained the quality of education provided. There is no change to the school’s previous inspection judgement as a result of this inspection. The school remains exempt from routine inspection.

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Context

Browick Road Primary School is a smaller than average-sized primary school. The school provided education for pupils in key stage 2 for the first time in September 2015, following a local reorganisation of primary provision. There are currently pupils up to Year 5 in the school, with one class per year group. The school has managed nursery provision since September 2017, following amalgamation with the pre-school provider that was previously on site.

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Context

The very large majority of pupils are of White British heritage and the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is much lower than the national average. The proportion of pupils who are entitled to free school meals is lower than the national average. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities indicated as receiving SEN support is broadly average. However, the proportion who have SEN and/or disabilities with an education, health and care plan is much lower than the national average. The school manages a special resource base that provides support for up to 10 pupils with speech and language difficulties.

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Context

The headteacher and deputy headteacher took on their roles in 2015. The school is fully staffed and leaders have successfully recruited staff to ensure that there will be no vacancies at the start of the 2018/19 academic year.

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Safeguarding is effective

Leaders and governors have ensured that safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. You, the deputy headteacher and governors ensure that keeping children safe from harm has the highest priority. Pupils say that they feel safe and well cared for in school and their parents agree that this is the case. A number of parents and almost all pupils spoken to during the inspection commented on how teachers are always available should they have any concerns. Pupils are confident that adults will deal with their concerns quickly. Several parents gave specific examples of how you and your staff have helped their children cope with difficult times.

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Safeguarding is effective

The checks to ensure that adults working in the school are suitable to work with pupils are thorough and accurately recorded. Senior leaders and the designated safeguarding governor regularly review the records to ensure that this is the case. You ensure that all staff receive appropriate and regular training so that they can recognise the signs that pupils are at risk of harm. As a result, adults know when to pass on concerns and have the confidence to do so. The deputy headteacher, who is the designated safeguarding leader, ensures that, when necessary, she swiftly passes concerns to external agencies. She is diligent in ensuring that pupils and their families receive any help that they need.

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Safeguarding is effective

Pupils, including the youngest children, show a very good awareness of how to stay safe, including when working online or using new technologies. They learn how to stay safe from risks both in lessons and through a programme of assemblies. Pupils also show a very good awareness of bullying and the different forms that it can take. They know why bullying is harmful and are clear that it is not tolerated in school.

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Leadership and management

You and your staff have ensured that key stage 2 provision is effective. Leaders and governors have carefully considered the curriculum provided. You have put in place a curriculum that promotes pupils’ academic and personal development very well and builds upon their learning in key stage 1. There is a mixture of subject teaching and the use of themes and topics. Subject leaders have ensured that the knowledge, skills and understanding in their subject areas are covered at the right depth, as well as giving pupils the opportunity to practise and use their writing and numeracy skills. In science, for example, pupils develop their investigative skills through regular opportunities for practical work. In history and geography, pupils learn how to use and evaluate different sources of information. Pupils learn about a range of different artists and have had their artwork exhibited to parents and the wider public. All pupils in key stage 2 learn an instrument as part of their music

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Leadership and management

curriculum. I observed the Year 5 class enthusiastically and confidently use the skills that they had learned to perform a song as part of a school concert. All of the pupils were actively involved and visibly enjoyed the experience.

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Leadership and management

Pupils spoke enthusiastically about their learning in a range of subjects. They said that the topics and themes chosen are interesting and encourage them to learn. These build upon and further develop pupils’ highly positive attitudes to learning and their good relationships. During the inspection, pupils were fully engaged in their learning activities and showed that they are keen and eager to learn. A wide range of clubs, activities and trips supports pupils’ learning and allows them to pursue their interests and supplement what they learn in lessons.

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Leadership and management

Pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare are very well supported by a programme of assemblies, religious education lessons and opportunities to take on responsibilities, such as being on the school council or acting as a digital leader. Leaders and governors have ensured that the curriculum is supporting pupils of different abilities to continue to make strong progress and is preparing them well for life in modern Britain.

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Leadership and management

Teachers have high expectations of both achievement and behaviour. Pupils’ behaviour and conduct in lessons and around the school are exemplary. Pupils said that they find learning challenging and interesting. Instances where other pupils disturb their learning are extremely rare. Parents who spoke to me during the inspection and the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, indicate that pupils in the school are very well behaved and that the school is a friendly, supportive and welcoming environment. Absence rates that are well below the national average reflect this; pupils are happy and enjoy their time at school.

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Leadership and management

You have ensured that staff have had training and support so that teaching, learning and assessment is helping pupils in key stage 2 to make strong progress in a range of subjects. Teachers and teaching assistants are highly positive and appreciative of the opportunities that you have provided. Subject leaders spoke about how they decide upon what actions to take to achieve your improvement plans. They relish this opportunity and the responsibility that comes with it. You and other leaders regularly check to make sure that the actions taken are making the difference intended. Consequently, all leaders are clear about how they are contributing to whole-school priorities and can talk confidently about how they have maintained the quality of education provided.

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Leadership and management

Governors are fully involved in setting the strategic direction of the school and ensuring that the standard of education remains consistently high. They contribute to setting the main priorities for improvement. Governors provide an appropriate balance of support and challenge to you and other leaders in order to achieve your common aims.

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Leadership and management

Observations of learning, scrutiny of pupils’ work and review of your assessment information show that pupils in key stage 2, including disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities, are making strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics. My review of similar information for other year groups indicates that this has not been achieved at the expense of younger pupils. Pupils in key stage 1 and children in the early years continue to make strong progress from their starting points. Teachers know their pupils well and are able to discuss accurately what the next steps are in pupils’ learning. They use this information to plan suitable learning activities that help pupils to make progress and deepen their understanding.

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Leadership and management

The deputy headteacher and senior teacher have targeted additional funding to ensure that disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities receive the help that they need. They have accurately identified the barriers to learning of individual pupils. As a result, these pupils are making strong or improved progress and those pupils whose attendance has been low are attending more regularly. However, you have rightly identified that to improve further the achievement of disadvantaged pupils, more of these pupils need to reach the standards expected for their age by the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2.

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External support

Leaders and governors have made judicious use of external support. The local authority has provided effective support, for example, through providing opportunities for moderation of assessments so that teachers have an accurate understanding of the standards expected. Additional funding has provided teachers with the opportunity to visit other schools, for example to assist with planning and supporting teaching, learning and assessment for Year 6. You have ensured that subject leaders have joined local networks in order to share ideas and examples of good practice. You have also ensured that leaders, teachers and teaching assistants have had a variety of appropriate training courses and professional development opportunities to support them in their roles.

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Priorities for further improvement

 Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that they increase the proportion of disadvantaged pupils attaining the standards expected for their age by the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2.

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Priorities for further improvement

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, and the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Norfolk. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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