Heacham Infant and Nursery School

Inspection of Heacham Infant and Nursery School School Road, Heacham, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE31 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 6 and 7 December 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being at school. Leaders expect them to work hard and behave well. Pupils feel safe, happy and well looked after. They take turns, listen and work well in pairs and groups. Younger pupils in early years do very well. They quickly get used to routines and develop strong relationships with each other and adults.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils value the interesting curriculum and events, including special guests who enhance their lessons. Staff offer a variety of clubs to develop pupils’ interests and talents, including music and singing.

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What is it like to attend this school?

At Heacham Infant and Nursery School, everyone is comfortable being an individual. Pupils treat each other well, regardless of their differences. Leaders make sure that everyone is valued. They help pupils to become ambitious yet well-rounded young people. There are warm relationships with parents, who speak highly of the school. One said, ‘My child is doing brilliantly at this school and, most importantly, is happy here.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is often admirable. They have positive attitudes to learning. Staff help pupils to behave well and support them when they have problems. This is effective, and pupils try to do their best. Pupils say that bullying is extremely rare, but they trust any member of staff to sort it out if it does happen.

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better?

Leaders have designed a curriculum that inspires pupils. Teachers regularly check what pupils know and understand. This includes regular checks to test the knowledge and skills of pupils. Leaders, including governors, carefully monitor the curriculum. They see its impact and make changes when necessary. As a result, pupils are now more able to remember the key facts expected of them. Teachers use assessment results to adapt the curriculum if needed. However, in a small number of subjects, the curriculum sequence is not well connected to the school’s curriculum in the Nursery. This means leaders are not clear about the progress the youngest children are making.

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better?

Leaders are determined that pupils will be fluent, confident readers by the time they leave Year 2. This journey starts when children start school at two years old. Staff immerse them in song, rhyme, poems and books. For younger children, adults make sure that they model reading accurately so they become confident with new vocabulary. The school has a superb range of quality reading materials, which are found in every corner of the school. This includes a popular and well-used school library. Additional small-group work is given for the small number of pupils who fall behind their peers, so they catch up quickly.

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better?

In key stage 1, teachers adopt a consistent approach to teaching mathematics. They plan carefully ordered lessons which help pupils to build on what they know. 6 and 7 December 2022

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Teachers show pupils how best to use equipment, so they develop a secure understanding of new concepts.

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In the early years, leaders create a love of learning through a rich and exciting curriculum. Learning takes place in a lively environment, both inside and outside. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum flows seamlessly from the very start of the Nursery to the end of the Reception Year. Children take part in a range of activities that help them develop their behaviour and literacy skills. Teachers support parents to help their children with reading. Parents receive regular updates about their children’s progress and how best to help them at home.

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Staff identify where additional support is required for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Adults support pupils in class to ensure that pupils with SEND access the full curriculum. However, leaders have not yet established routine checks to see the progress being made and to adjust the curriculum according to the needs of these pupils.

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Pupils demonstrate maturity in the way they behave. They are polite and friendly towards each other. They develop confidence when speaking to adults and each other in lessons by following the teacher’s guidance. Lessons are rarely disrupted by poor behaviour, so pupils can concentrate without interruption.

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Pupils follow a programme to develop their social and cultural understanding. As a result, pupils are clear that life in a diverse world is a benefit to them. They have opportunities to serve the school, such as in the junior leadership team. Here, they also learn about the importance of democracy. Pupils learn about the importance of an active lifestyle. They enjoy taking part in cross-country running, including running to raise funds for a local hospice.

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Leaders at all levels, including governors and trustees, want the best for pupils. They hold school leaders to account for decisions they make but also provide support, advice and practical help when needed. Staff feel valued. They say leaders are considerate of their well-being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Leaders ensure that staff receive regular safeguarding training and can recognise the signs which could indicate that pupils are suffering from harm.

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Safeguarding

Leaders prioritise pupils’ well-being and encourage them to talk about any concerns they may have. Leaders ensure that, when necessary, pupils benefit from appropriate support without delay. Teachers make sure that pupils learn about the risks that they may face, including when using the internet. 6 and 7 December 2022

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The school keeps the necessary safeguarding records, which are followed up in a timely manner. Leaders make the right checks on staff and volunteers who work at the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the curriculum is not yet set out precisely from the very start of the Nursery to the end of Year 6. This means that staff are not clear about what content children need to know to be prepared for Reception and key stage 1. Leaders should ensure that all curriculum subjects are planned and sequenced from the beginning of the children’s start at the school to the end of Year 6.  Leaders do not check that pupils with SEND are learning as thoroughly as they could . As a result, leaders do not spot quickly enough when support in place needs to change to help pupils learn as well as they could. Leaders should make searching checks of the provision for pupils with SEND according to the individual learning targets agreed with parents.

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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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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. 6 and 7 December 2022

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School details

Website www.heachaminfant.norfolk.sch.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  Heacham Infant and Nursery School is much smaller than average. It has a Nursery and one class each for children in their Reception Year, Year 1 and Year 2. There is also provision in Nursery for two-year-olds.  The school is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust. Trustees are ultimately responsible for the school, with governors holding the school’s leadership team to account. The school has a local governing body, which is shared with Heacham Junior School and Snettisham Primary School.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded 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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 6 and 7 December 2022

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 Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, the executive deputy headteacher, senior leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, groups of staff and representatives from the local governing body and trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, looked at samples of work and spoke to pupils about their learning. Inspectors also looked at samples of work and spoke to pupils about their learning in personal, health, social and economic education.  The lead inspector listened to children from the Reception class read and observed pupils in Years 1 and 2 reading to an adult.  To evaluate how well the school protects pupils and keeps them safe, the lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead, and inspectors spoke with

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pupils and staff. The lead inspector also scrutinised the school’s single central record of employment checks.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, inspectors spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  An inspector spoke to parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors considered the 14 responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including eight free-text comments. They also took into consideration staff’s opinions about the school and what pupils said about their school.

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Inspection team

Tim McLoughlin, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Glenn Russell Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 December 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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