North Denes Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of North Denes Primary School and Nursery North Denes Primary School and Nursery, Jellicoe Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR30 4HF

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 January 2023

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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 Previous inspection grade Good 10 and 11 January 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

North Denes Primary is a warm and welcoming place. Pupils treat each other well. They have positive relationships with staff. Pupils trust staff to notice if they are upset or worried. They know that staff will help them if they have any worries or concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know and understand the school’s motto of ‘CARE’. Pupils learn about different faiths and accept that others may have different opinions to their own. Pupils understand that families are represented in different ways and that this does not make any family less important. Pupils demonstrate tolerance and respect.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respond positively to the clear routines and expectations for their behaviour. Pupils expect each other to behave well. When learning, pupils consistently show high levels of concentration. They work hard to stay ‘green’ and appreciate the opportunity to gain ‘gold’ for examples of exceptional effort. Pupils are confident that if bullying or falling out were to occur, staff would sort this out quickly. As a result, pupils feel safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Older pupils enjoy the opportunities to take on roles of responsibility such as becoming ‘digital leaders’ or being awarded a ‘gold tie’ for their positive behaviour and contribution to school life.

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better?

Leaders have designed the curriculum in all subjects that sets out what pupils should learn. Content builds on what pupils already know. During lessons, pupils revisit important knowledge before they move on to new learning. Teachers regularly check that pupils understand the concepts being taught and address any misconceptions. Curriculum leaders have secure knowledge about their areas of responsibility. Leaders check the quality of teaching in their curriculum area and use this information to refine their plans so that pupils learn well.

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better?

Leaders have trained staff to deliver an effective phonics programme that supports early reading. Pupils have lots of opportunities to practise the sounds that they have learned using books that are well matched to their reading ability. Pupils who find reading hard get the additional support they need. As a result, pupils develop a secure understanding of how to decode and blend words. This provides the foundation for them to become confident, fluent readers.

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better?

A love of reading is shared throughout the school. Pupils talk about their enjoyment of reading and their favourite authors. They describe how they use this knowledge to improve their own writing by using ideas and vocabulary from different texts. Pupils who undertake the role of ‘reading ambassadors’ confidently recommend books that they think others will enjoy. 10 and 11 January 2023

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Children in the early years develop positive relationships with staff and with each other. Staff focus on developing children’s vocabulary, language and mathematical understanding. Children in the Nursery class are well cared for, happy and enjoy taking part in a variety of activities. However, leaders know there is more work to do to ensure that curriculum planning in all subjects begins in the Nursery to ensure children are developing the secure foundations that they need for future learning.

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Leaders and staff provide effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff know each pupil’s needs and work with their families to help address the different challenges that pupils face. Leaders receive specialist advice from external agencies to ensure pupils’ needs are accurately identified and that pupils get the help that they need.

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Leaders have developed a clear, whole-school approach to managing pupils’ behaviour that staff and pupils follow consistently. Teaching and learning are seldom interrupted. Leaders routinely check attendance records and work closely with families so that they understand the importance of sending their children to school. However, some pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should. Not all pupils have developed positive habits for attendance.

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Leaders provide many opportunities to support pupils’ personal development. Trips and visitors to school help pupils make connections between their learning and the wider world. These experiences also develop pupils’ confidence such as going on a residential trip. Pupils who are ‘well-being ambassadors’ offer extra support if other pupils are anxious, hurt or upset.

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Governors are supportive of leaders and the school community. Although governors discuss curriculum developments, they are too accepting of information provided by leaders. Governors do not seek further assurances or ask sufficiently probing questions about the curriculum. As a result, governors do not know enough about the quality of education that the school provides for pupils, and whether this enables all pupils to achieve well.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They feel leaders listen to them and are approachable. Staff support each other and work together well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are well trained and know the risks that pupils may face in their lives. Staff look for signs of potential harm and act swiftly when concerns arise. They understand and use established systems for reporting concerns.

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Safeguarding

Leaders maintain safeguarding records carefully. Leaders ensure that pupils receive the right help, including that provided by external organisations.

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Safeguarding

The curriculum is carefully designed to help pupils know how to keep themselves 10 and 11 January 2023

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safe. This includes road and online safety. Pupils confidently share the strategies they use to keep themselves safe when using social media.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In the Nursery provision, the curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some learning areas. However, it is clear from leaders’ actions that they are in the process of bringing this about. Leaders need to continue to develop and implement a broad and well-ordered Nursery curriculum that supports children to have a rich and detailed understanding across all areas of learning. This will ensure that children are ready for the Reception class and beyond.  A small number of pupils continue to be routinely absent. This results in these pupils having gaps in their learning and knowledge. Leaders should continue to work with pupils and their families to ensure that all pupils attend school as often as they can and achieve well.  Governors do not have sufficient oversight of the school’s curriculum. They rely too much on what leaders tell them. Governors should ensure there are clear and

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

robust systems in place that check how well the curriculum helps pupils to learn successfully so that they can hold leaders to account more rigorously for the quality of education being provided.

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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. 10 and 11 January 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Jacqueline Esposito

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 and 12 July 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is larger than the average-size primary school.  The school has its own Nursery, providing both part-time and full-time funded places for two-year-olds.  The school runs its own before- and after-school club.  The school makes use of one registered alternative provision.

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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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art, history and science. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke 10 and 11 January 2023

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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 documentation and spoke to leaders about personal, social and health education.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and a number of other leaders, including the special educational needs coordinator.  The lead inspector spoke to a representative from the local authority and met members of the governing body.  The lead inspector reviewed a range of school documentation and policies, including minutes from governing body meetings, the school’s self-evaluation document and information relating to pupils’ attendance and behaviour.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors scrutinised the single central record of recruitment and vetting checks, reviewed records and spoke to the designated safeguarding lead, teachers, support staff and pupils.

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 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 beginning of the school day and by reviewing the 19 responses and 16 free-text responses submitted to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also took account of 54 responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire and 158 responses to Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Jo Nutbeam, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Tim McLoughlin Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 January 2023

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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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