Surlingham Primary School

Inspection of Surlingham Primary School Walnut Hill, Surlingham, Norwich, Norfolk NR14 7DQ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 8 and 9 February 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this small village school are taught to value other people. They learn to appreciate and celebrate the differences between groups of people. They treat each other with respect and graciousness.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn well. They enjoy the curriculum that they receive. They also enjoy extra- curricular opportunities, such as learning to play the ukulele and attending karate club.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils talk very positively about their school. One pupil, summing up the views of many, said, ‘I would give this school a million out of ten.’ Pupils are happy and are kind to each other. They understand what bullying is and say it does not happen at the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff have good relationships. Pupils are confident that ‘trusted adults’ will help them if they are worried or sad. Every parent who responded to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, said their children feel safe at school. They appreciate the school’s nurturing and supportive approach, which enables their children to be successful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well, both in their lessons and at breaktimes. Lunchtimes are sociable occasions. Pupils and staff work together to ensure that there is a calm and purposeful atmosphere for everyone.

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better?

Leaders, trustees and governors have designed an ambitious curriculum for each subject. Curriculum plans make links between different subjects and identify what pupils need to know and remember. Leaders also ensure that teachers use assessment effectively across subjects to identify where pupils may need help or further support. Leaders are constantly seeking to review and refine these systems, so that they can support pupils further. Leaders have established the same high- level curriculum in the early years. As a result, children have settled quickly and have the knowledge and skills they need to be ready for Year 1.

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better?

Children and pupils get off to a good start with learning to read. The daily phonics sessions are well planned and delivered by teachers to ensure that pupils quickly learn to recognise letters and sounds. Children and pupils are given lots of well- thought-through opportunities to practise blending sounds together to form words. Books are carefully chosen so pupils can read using the sounds they know. Less confident readers are given effective extra support to help them catch up quickly.

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better?

Across subjects, leaders have thought carefully about what pupils need to learn and when. They also ensure that staff are well trained to deliver the content of the curriculum. For example, in mathematics, leaders have made sure the curriculum 8 and 9 February 2022

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fully meets the needs of the school’s mixed-age classes. The curriculum is delivered by well-trained staff who make lessons engaging and interesting for pupils. As a result, many pupils say mathematics is their favourite subject.

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Leaders have adapted the curriculum where necessary. For example, in art, leaders know younger pupils missed the opportunity to work with clay when receiving remote education. Therefore, as part of their current topic on the local area, leaders have adapted the curriculum to ensure that pupils get these opportunities to work with clay, inspired by the work of the artist Andy Goldsworthy.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same high-quality curriculum as their classmates. Teachers are well trained and adapt their plans to ensure the needs of pupils with SEND are met effectively.

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Pupils enjoy school trips and taking part in clubs. They are proud the school council makes a difference. Pupils are taught about the school’s core values of respect, responsibility, resilience and reach as part of personal, health, social and economic (PHSE) education. They are confident when discussing these values and understand the need for school rules. However, not all pupils understand how what they are learning about in PHSE education relates to the important British values.

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Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. Responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire reflect how satisfied parents are with all aspects of life at school for their children. The majority of parents who responded to the questionnaire would recommend the school to other parents.

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Leaders from the Sapientia Education Trust and local governors are very well informed about the school’s priorities. They carefully check leaders’ actions are effective in improving the quality of education for all pupils. The trust ensures leaders meet regularly to share knowledge and expertise. They provide regular professional development and training for all staff which is closely aligned to the school’s improvement plan. Staff appreciate these opportunities to help them carry out their roles effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding across the school. Staff are vigilant. Staff are well informed about safeguarding and receive regular safeguarding training. They are alert to the signs of potential abuse. Leaders have adopted systems for reporting and reviewing safeguarding concerns that are efficient. Governors carry out their statutory duties diligently.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn what to do to keep themselves and others safe, including online. 8 and 9 February 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils do not understand what British values are. As a result, they are not understanding how what they are learning about in PHSE education relates to the important British values. Leaders should ensure these links are more explicit so pupils can apply their knowledge to confidently discuss British values so they are even more prepared for life in modern Britain.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 8 and 9 February 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10212056 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.rockland-surlingham-schools.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Surlingham Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The school converted to become an academy in 2017, when it joined the Sapientia Education Trust.  The school is federated with Rockland St. Mary Primary School and Nursery, sharing a headteacher and governing body. Subject leaders work across both schools.  The current headteacher was appointed in September 2021.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average. There are currently no pupils with an education, health and care plan.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation. 8 and 9 February 2022

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and geography.  For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, who also oversees provision for pupils with SEND, and the early years lead.  The lead inspector held meetings with governors, including the chair of governors and members of the Sapientia Education Trust.  The lead inspector reviewed a range of school documentation and policies, including records of governors’ meetings, the school’s self-evaluation document and information relating to pupils’ attendance and behaviour.

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 To inspect safeguarding, inspectors spoke to the designated safeguarding lead, teachers, support staff and pupils. The lead inspector met with governors and also met with the human resources director for the trust to scrutinise the single central record of recruitment and vetting checks.  Inspectors spent time observing and speaking to pupils, including at breaktimes and lunchtime.  Inspectors gathered parents’ views by speaking to several of them at the end of a school day and by reviewing the 29 responses and 27 free-text responses submitted to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors gathered staff members’ views by speaking to several of them. Inspectors took account of the four responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Jo Nutbeam, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie Harrison Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 February 2022

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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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