Whitefriars Church of England Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Whitefriars Church of England Primary Academy Whitefriars Road, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 5AH

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Outcome

Whitefriars Church of England Primary Academy continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded (section 5) inspection now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish in this highly ambitious and inclusive school. Expectations for pupils’ behaviour and achievement are extremely high. Pupils are very happy and safe here. They arrive with a smile on their face, and Poppy, the school dog, is there to welcome them. The warm and nurturing relationships between staff and pupils sit at the heart of the school’s success. Pupils value the care and help given by staff. They are proud to be a ‘Whitefriars kid’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils in all year groups behave exceptionally well in lessons and around the school. They demonstrate high levels of respect and kindness towards each other. Pupils have very positive attitudes towards their learning and there is no disruption in lessons. Neither bullying nor unkindness is tolerated. Staff work closely with pupils to resolve any issues that do occur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to take on positions of responsibility, such as school and eco councillors. Pupils know they have a voice that is listened to in this school. This develops a strong sense of community. For example, pupils select the charities for which they raise funds. They also helped design a system of zones for the playground at lunchtime. Pupils are learning firsthand what it means to be active and responsible citizens.

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

Leaders and staff know their school and community exceptionally well. They have created a school where every pupil gets the academic and pastoral support they need to thrive. There is an unwavering determination to provide the very best learning experience for all pupils. Leaders provide well for the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Their barriers to learning are identified accurately and efficiently. When needed, bespoke programmes are used to make sure 1 and 2 November 2022

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pupils with SEND take part fully in learning. Leaders place no limit on any pupils’ learning or ambitions. This means that pupils with SEND achieve very well.

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Curriculum planning is thorough and detailed. Teachers know exactly what pupils need to learn. In each subject, leaders have identified the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to know and remember. This is enhanced with progressive vocabulary taught from early years through to Year 6. This equips pupils with the language they need to explain their thinking. Even the youngest children in the early years were able to use new words they had learned in mathematics to explain how they solve problems.

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Teachers make highly effective use of assessment. This means gaps in pupils’ subject knowledge are identified and addressed quickly. In lessons, teachers check that pupils remember previous learning before building on this. They also identify any common misconceptions pupils have. Teachers confidently adapt lesson content to meet the needs of pupils and remove any barriers they face. As a result, pupils make strong progress as they move through the school.

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A commitment to reading is woven through this school’s curriculum. Pupils are immersed in the school’s reading culture, developing an enthusiasm for all kinds of reading material. Pupils encounter high-quality texts within each subject. This helps them to confidently discuss their favourite authors and books. Phonics teaching starts from the first day of school. Leaders have trained all staff to teach phonics effectively. Reading books match the sounds pupils know. If pupils need extra time to practise, teachers provide support in a small group or in one-to-one sessions.

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As soon as children join school in the early years, adults help them follow meaningful routines. As a result, children communicate effectively and get absorbed in their learning. Play and discovery activities help children to apply the knowledge they are learning. Children know where they should go to read, write and to access the special equipment that supports their learning and play. Children in the early years are curious and respectful.

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Pupils’ personal development is promoted extensively throughout the school. Enrichment opportunities have been carefully planned into the curriculum. These enhance pupils’ experiences and their understanding of the world. Pupils speak with delight about ‘brilliant’ visits, including to the Royal Albert Hall. Pupils demonstrate high levels of respect for each other. This is fuelled by strong knowledge about different cultures and the faiths individuals choose to follow. Pupils say, ‘People are unique’ and that you should accept them for who they are.

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The trust and local governing body provide strong support and challenge to leaders. They work closely with leaders to ensure that staff are highly trained across all aspects of education, including curriculum design. Staff are appreciative of the opportunity to work with other trust schools to further develop their skills. Staff feel well supported by leaders and morale is high. 1 and 2 November 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created an exceptionally caring community where pupils’ well-being, welfare and safety are a top priority. Appropriate checks are made on all adults who work with the pupils in school. Staff understand that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Regular training ensures that staff are alert to signs that a pupil may be at risk. Staff pass on any concerns swiftly.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are tenacious in seeking impactful support from other agencies. This ensures that pupils and families receive the help they need. Through the curriculum, pupils learn about staying safe, including when online or out in their local area.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2017.

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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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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. 1 and 2 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241653 Type of school Primary

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School details

Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 379

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 May 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust, which delegates some statutory duties to a local governing body.  The school is a Church of England school and received a section 48 inspection on 8 July 2016. The school’s provision in this inspection was judged to be outstanding.

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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 leaders, and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and science.  For each deep dive, the inspector 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 inspector also listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult. 1 and 2 November 2022

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 The inspector held meetings with senior leaders, other leaders, staff, pupils and those responsible for governance.  The inspector reviewed a range of school documents, including the school improvement plan, curriculum plans and school policies.  As part of the evaluation of the school’s safeguarding processes, the inspector reviewed the school’s single central record of recruitment and vetting checks, met with the designated safeguarding leads and reviewed safeguarding records.  The inspector reviewed the 46 responses that were submitted by parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including 19 free-text responses. The inspector considered the 39 responses received through the staff survey and 48 responses to the pupil survey.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at lunchtime. The inspector also held discussions with groups of pupils to gather their views on behaviour and the

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wider experiences they receive at school.

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Inspection team

Jo Nutbeam, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 November 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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