Norton Juxta Kempsey CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Norton Juxta Kempsey C of E Primary School Wadborough Road, Littleworth, Norton, Worcester, Worcestershire WR5 2QJ

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 November 2021

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Outcome

Norton Juxta Kempsey C of E Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is welcoming to everyone. Staff make sure pupils are safe and happy. Pupils say that there is always someone to turn to if they have a concern. Bullying is very rare and is sorted out straight away. Pupils enjoy learning and behave well. They dress smartly and show good manners. The school’s support for pupils’ social and cultural development is particularly strong. For example, prior to lockdown, teachers spoke to pupils about the value of kindness. Classes then wrote letters to residents in local care homes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders ensure that pupils learn a broad range of subjects. The curriculum is well organised. Staff know the pupils as individuals and make good use of this to help them to learn. Arrangements to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those at risk of falling behind are very effective.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have a strong understanding of how to build up pupils’ learning over time. As a result, the school prepares pupils effectively for secondary school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have worked well with parents to minimise the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on pupils’ learning. Senior leaders know what works well, and where learning can be strengthened further.

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

Leaders have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. They understand the knowledge and skills that pupils will need when they leave the school. Leaders use these end points to then judge what pupils must know by the end of the Reception Year, Year 2 and Year 6. They provide teachers with detailed guidance to help them to tailor the learning for each class.

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

Leaders fully understand the importance of learning to read. From the start, pupils follow a structured programme that introduces them to sounds and letters. The school provides children with books to read in class and at home that match their reading ability. Staff 10 and 11 November 2021

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check regularly on what pupils know. If necessary, they adjust the grouping of pupils to make sure that everyone can add to what they already know.

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Staff extend and deepen older pupils’ reading expertise. Across the school, teachers ensure that pupils learn from and enjoy reading high-quality fiction and non-fiction texts. Although pupils also read poetry, leaders have given less attention to choosing the best poems.

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Leaders take a similarly thorough approach to the teaching of mathematics. Children in the early years gain a deep understanding of numeracy. For example, during the inspection, children were exploring number using a variety of pictures and sets of dominoes. Teachers across the school build on this knowledge, checking regularly on pupils’ understanding. They ensure that all pupils can reason mathematically and solve problems. Teachers use practical equipment and diagrams with pupils of all ages and abilities to help them to understand concepts.

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Teachers have good subject knowledge and use the correct technical terms. They explain ideas clearly, and question pupils to check on their understanding. Pupils can explain their ideas orally as well as in writing.

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Planning in foundation subjects makes sure that pupils build up their knowledge and skills over time. For example, in physical education (PE), gymnastics for pupils in the older years builds carefully on what they learned and could do when they were younger. However, in some foundation subjects, leaders have not checked thoroughly on how well pupils are learning. A lack of hardware and facilities means that teachers are currently unable to teach the full computing curriculum.

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Staff provide extra support for pupils at risk of falling behind in English or mathematics. Sessions are short so that pupils do not miss out on other subjects. Pupils with SEND learn well, because teachers make good use of guidance on how best to meet their needs. Pupils who join the school with particular behavioural needs make strong progress. Pupils behave well in class and on the playground.

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Staff provide very strong support for pupils’ personal and social development. For example, during lockdown, staff encouraged pupils to send in material that showed their resilience and positivity. Leaders ensure that pupils learn about a variety of different cultures and traditions.

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The headteacher provides clear and highly effective leadership. Staff work together as a team. Staff appreciate that the headteacher has taken helpful steps to manage their workload. Leaders provide effective training, both for the staff as a whole and for individuals.

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With the support of the multi-academy trust (MAT), leaders have extended the age range of the school effectively to include pupils in Years 5 and 6. 10 and 11 November 2021

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that staff are well trained, so that they are vigilant and aware of any risks to pupils. When there are any concerns, leaders work exceptionally well with parents. They take the right steps to involve other agencies that work with children. The school keeps good records. Leaders make the necessary checks on the staff who join the school. Governors provide effective oversight of safeguarding arrangements.

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Safeguarding

Pupils have full confidence in the staff to resolve any difficulties. They feel overwhelmingly safe in school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In foundation subjects, leaders have had little opportunity to monitor how well teachers are implementing curriculum plans. Senior leaders should make sure that subject leaders have the necessary expertise and opportunity to check on the effectiveness of classroom practice in the subjects for which they have responsibility. This will enable subject leaders to make any amendments to the curriculum and to provide staff with additional guidance and support.  In planning the teaching of reading, leaders have not given the same consideration to the poems chosen for study as they have done to the prose texts. Leaders should look to choose poems which give pupils the deepest possible insight into, and appreciation of, poetry.  Changes to school equipment have meant that pupils are not currently studying all aspects of the intended computing curriculum. Leaders should complete the necessary upgrades to the school’s facilities as soon as resources allow. They should identify any

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

gaps that have arisen in pupils’ learning in computing and amend their plans accordingly.

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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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately. 10 and 11 November 2021

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This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Norton Juxta Kempsey First School, to be good in March 2013.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 10 and 11 November 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10212175 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Norton Juxta Kempsey C of E Primary School converted to become an academy school in August 2017. When its predecessor school, Norton Juxta Kempsey First School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of the Avonreach MAT. It now admits pupils between the ages of 4 and 11.  Norton Juxta Kempsey C of E Primary School is a Church of England faith school within the Diocese of Worcester. The religious character of the predecessor school was last inspected in January 2016.  The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club.  A very small number of pupils benefit from part-time alternative provision with a registered provider. 10 and 11 November 2021

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. Meetings were held with curriculum leaders and the special educational needs coordinator.  The chair and another three members of the local governing board met with the inspector. The inspector also spoke by telephone with the executive officer of the MAT.  The inspector spoke with pupils at social times, and with groups of pupils more formally.  When inspecting safeguarding, the inspector looked at the school’s procedures for recruiting and checking on staff. He also considered the effectiveness of staff training and the procedures to keep pupils safe.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation, including leaders’ plans to improve

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Information about this inspection

the school, records of local governing board meetings, and the school’s attendance and behaviour records.  The inspection took account of responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s questionnaire for parents. He met with parents and carers in the playground at the start of the second day of the inspection. The inspector also considered responses to the survey for staff.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and PE. In these subjects, the inspector considered the school’s curriculum plans, visited lessons and scrutinised pupils’ work. The inspector also met with pupils and teachers to discuss learning in these subjects.  The inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 reading.

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Inspection team

Martin Spoor, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 November 2021

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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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