St William's Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St William’s Primary School Williams Loke, Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich, Norfolk NR7 0AJ

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Outcome

St William’s Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at St William’s are confident, happy learners. They have an interesting curriculum that gives them a good academic grounding, together with a range of other varied experiences.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from the extensive grounds. There are many different things to do at playtime – from playing on the wide range of equipment to sports led by adults and toys for the youngest. Generally, pupils get on with each other. Some find it very challenging to control their behaviour, and adults support these pupils well. Pupils feel safe, and happy that any bullying is dealt with. Some pupils are easily distracted when listening to their teachers and they need more help to focus.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils in key stage 2 start their day with a fitness session that helps them be energised for the day ahead. During the school day, there is a real emphasis for all pupils on the enjoyment of learning, often using books, with the library a central part of the school and pupils’ school life. Pupils often work with each other on whole-school topics and in the regular ‘circle’ sessions led by Year 6 pupils.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have redeveloped the curriculum over the last few years. They have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. There is a clear plan of exactly what, and when, they intend pupils to learn. Subjects are blocked together, with pupils spending a week or weeks at a time focusing on history, geography or art in the afternoons. Other subjects, such as religious education (RE) and design and technology, are taught on specific days. There are also times set aside for whole-school projects, such as ‘The Space Race’. Recent alterations include history and geography plans. Leaders are also prioritising the teaching of subjects such as RE and art.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff have had training on the new topics and ways to enhance teaching. Where it is working well, pupils’ learning is well sequenced and they are beginning to apply their 4–5 February 2020

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knowledge in different contexts. In some classes, this is not yet as effective because the changes are not fully embedded.

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There is an emphasis in all subjects on pupils learning new vocabulary. However, at this point, pupils are not remembering or understanding enough of the new words they have learned.

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Teaching of mathematics uses a consistent set of methods throughout the school. Teachers use practical equipment, particularly in the younger years, to support pupils’ understanding. There has been a high focus on developing pupils’ fluency in the use of number over the last year and, as a consequence, most pupils now are much more confident with basic mathematical facts. Leaders are now developing problem-solving and reasoning further.

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Reading is taught well. The school library was recently reorganised. Pupils appreciate the new themed bookshelves. They regularly borrow books. Clear teaching of phonics helps the younger pupils quickly develop their reading. Those who are at risk of falling behind are given extra support in small groups. As pupils get older, teachers use high-quality texts as a basis for teaching writing.

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Children in the early years have a nurturing and strong start to their education. Staff make sure that the children are taught a wide range of vocabulary linked to their topics. Children enjoy activities such as playing at builders and checking that their ‘buildings’ are safe.

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Pupils’ personal development has a high priority in the school. Pupils are encouraged to follow the ‘Seven Cs’ of key learning behaviours, such as commitment, confidence and curiosity. There is a wide range of trips out of school, such as visiting the Houses of Parliament, residential visits throughout key stage 2 and using the school minibus to visit the coast as part of a geography topic. Pupils enjoy the many extra-curricular clubs on offer.

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Behaviour in the corridors and classrooms is generally good. Pupils get on with their work and complete tasks. However, some pupils are easily distracted and do not always listen to their teachers well enough. Where teachers have high expectations of behaviour and keep pupils focused, this low-level disruption does not happen. Some pupils find it very difficult to control their behaviour. Staff support these pupils well and other pupils are not prevented from learning. Where fixed-term exclusions have been used, these have been appropriate.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive extra support in class as and when needed. Teachers and support staff make additional time for pupils to talk about the learning before and after the lesson. 4–5 February 2020

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are kept safe. Staff training for safeguarding pupils is regular and all staff, including those new to the school, are clear on what procedures are in place. Rigorous systems for following up any concerns mean that pupils and families get support as soon as possible where needed. Leaders are reflective and adapt their policies as and when needed.

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Safeguarding

Governors are knowledgeable about all their duties regarding safeguarding pupils. They have made sure that they are themselves trained well so that they can ensure that leaders make all the appropriate checks and that policies are used effectively.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The new curriculum is not fully embedded in some classes. Leaders need to ensure that the curriculum is effective, with all staff confident and knowledgeable about what they are teaching.  Pupils across the school do not yet recall and apply subject-specific vocabulary as well as they should. Teachers need to make sure that pupils understand and remember key vocabulary. They need to provide opportunities for pupils to apply this.  There are some occasions where teachers either do not have high enough expectations for behaviour and/or their teaching methods give opportunities for distraction. Where this is the case, some pupils are easily taken off-task and lose their focus on the teaching that is in place. Leaders need to check that all teachers expect good behaviour and that lessons help pupils keep focused.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 20–21 April 2016. 4–5 February 2020

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 4–5 February 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10121434 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20–21 April 2016

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Since the previous inspection, the school has opened a nursery, which provides a variety of sessional places for three- to five-year-olds.  The school provides a breakfast club and an after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

 I spoke to the headteacher and members of teaching and support staff. I met with representatives of the governing body.  I spoke to pupils in lessons, out of lessons and on the playground. I spoke to parents and carers and considered their responses to the Ofsted survey, Parent View.  I did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and art. These deep dives included discussions with subject leaders, teachers and pupils. I looked at pupils’ work and visited lessons.  To inspect safeguarding, I scrutinised the school’s single central record and spoke to a wide range of staff, pupils and parents. I looked at a range of safeguarding records. 4–5 February 2020

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Inspection team

Tessa Holledge, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 4–5 February 2020

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regulates and inspects to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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