Setting

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

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Mr Mark Cresswell Interim Headteacher Parker’s Church of England Primary School Pound Hill Saham Toney Thetford Norfolk IP25 7HP

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School

Following my visit to your school on 13 November 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 because Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector was concerned about the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements at the school. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions the school has taken concerning safeguarding since the previous inspection.

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Evidence

I scrutinised the single central record and other documents relating to safeguarding and child protection arrangements and met with you, a group of pupils, the chair of governors and a governor responsible for safeguarding, members of staff and a representative of the local authority.

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Evidence

In addition, I made brief visits to a number of lessons and toured the school site during breaktime. I scrutinised the school development plan and audits of safeguarding carried out by the local authority.

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Evidence

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

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Context

Currently there are 97 pupils on roll. Most pupils are from a White British background. The proportion of pupils that are known to be eligible for pupil premium funding is much smaller than the national average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average. The proportion with an education, health and care plan is below average. At the previous inspection, in July 2018, the arrangements for safeguarding were judged not to be effective. Since the previous inspection, staffing has been stable. The school’s governors are currently recruiting a substantive headteacher and making preparations for the school to join a multi-academy trust.

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Context

Since the previous inspection, school leaders, supported by the local authority, have taken decisive and determined action to strengthen safeguarding. They have rightly focused on ensuring that all staff are effectively trained, so that they understand what to look out for, and know what actions to take when they have concerns about a pupil’s welfare. All staff know who is responsible for leading the school’s safeguarding arrangements, and the procedures they need to follow. They demonstrate a commitment to keeping pupils safe, and an awareness that safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility. The school’s records indicate that both teachers and support staff are alert to a range of different possible indicators of concern. They communicate these to the school’s designated safeguarding leaders clearly and comprehensively, using the school’s reporting systems as appropriate. Staff value leaders’ weekly updates on pupils who are a cause for concern.

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Context

Leaders monitor pupils’ attendance, behaviour and progress carefully. By bringing this information together, leaders gain a full understanding of individual pupils’ circumstances and an understanding of any troubling patterns of absence or conduct. Leaders are using this information to make timely and well-judged decisions about how to best support pupils who need early help, or about whom there are child protection concerns. They are ensuring that the documentation regarding pupils who need help is sufficiently legible and detailed. This means that they can quickly determine what has been done, and any next steps that are necessary. Leaders are using this information to ensure that they deal with external agencies in a timely manner so that pupils get the help that they need.

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Context

At the time of the previous inspection, pupils told the inspector that at lunchtime and breaktime, a minority of pupils’ misbehaviour was not addressed by adults and could be distressing. Pupils who spoke with me said that they now feel safe at all times when they are at school. Leaders have provided more play equipment and things for pupils to do at break and lunchtime, together with a higher level of adult supervision. They have also enabled supervisory staff to use sanctions in response to unacceptable behaviour. Pupils said that as a result there is now plenty to do during social times, and that any misbehaviour is dealt with quickly and effectively. Consequently, incidents of serious misconduct, including bullying of any kind, are uncommon. This is supported by the school’s behaviour records. As at the time of the previous inspection, leaders are ensuring that the required pre-employment checks are completed before staff start working at the school. The

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Context

school’s single central record of these checks is scrutinised regularly, including by governors and local authority officers. Leaders and governors’ safer recruitment and other safeguarding-related training is up to date. The school’s site is safe and secure. Checks on those who visit the school are thorough.

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Context

The governing body, aided by both an expert and determined chair and an experienced safeguarding governor, is developing mechanisms by which to hold leaders to account for the effectiveness of the school’s safeguarding arrangements. Safeguarding is now a standing agenda item on governing body meetings, and the headteacher is providing governors with safeguarding reports using a template provided by the local authority. The safeguarding governor has started to meet with the headteacher to discuss relevant aspects of the school’s work. It is too early to determine the impact of this work because these arrangements have only recently been introduced.

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External support

Local authority officers have audited the effectiveness of the school’s safeguarding provision carefully since the previous inspection. They have provided appropriate guidance and support to the school’s leaders as they have made the necessary improvements.

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Priorities for further improvement

 Sustain the development of the governing body’s mechanisms to support and challenge leaders, to ensure the maintenance of effective safeguarding arrangements.

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Priorities for further improvement

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the director of education for the Diocese of Norwich, 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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