Hempnall Primary School

Inspection of Hempnall Primary School The Street, Hempnall, Norwich, Norfolk NR15 2AD

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 February 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 21 and 22 February 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and make lots of friends at their school. They emulate the kindness and respect that their teachers model. Pupils embrace difference and are broad- minded. They are safe because staff are knowledgeable and support pupils’ well- being and safety. Bullying is rare and pupils know that if it happens, the adults will sort it out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In class, pupils try their best, encouraged by their teachers. Pupils appreciate the way that their effort, kindness and achievements are recognised and celebrated in assemblies. As a result, pupils are motivated and curious. They are eager to share their knowledge and ask further questions. Pupils enjoy the play and learning opportunities that the school’s extensive grounds provide.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Sport occupies a special place in the hearts and minds of pupils. They look forward to taking part in sporting events with pupils from different schools. Pupils also attend a range of after-school sports clubs. They can even go on a cross-country run with the headteacher. Pupils are proud to raise money for charity and take on roles such as house captain at their school. They take these roles seriously, knowing they must be good role models to others.

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better?

Leaders are determined that all pupils experience success, now and in the next stage of their education. Leaders have thoroughly revised the curriculum so that pupils learn important knowledge. This work is paying off. For example, in geography, pupils demonstrate their locational knowledge of mountainous regions. They understand technical vocabulary, such as ‘hemisphere’, ‘equator’ and ‘tropic’. This reflects the revised curriculum’s emphasis on vocabulary development.

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better?

Leaders have provided a suitable range of training opportunities for teachers. Leaders aim for all lessons to include the best teaching approaches. In the main, this is achieved. Teachers teach with clarity and precision. They regularly check pupils’ progress. Leaders regularly check the implementation of the curriculum. Some staff are still learning how to refine their teaching of aspects of the curriculum. This means that, at times, teachers do not choose the most appropriate teaching approaches. Leaders have plans in place to further improve the consistency of teaching.

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better?

Leaders have made sure that reading is a priority. Staff are reading experts and they teach phonics with precision. Lessons start as soon as children join the Reception Year. Staff regularly check how well pupils are doing and provide extra support for pupils who need to catch up. The library, recently stocked with new books, is an inclusive place which pupils visit often, including at lunchtime.

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better?

Staff in the early years are specialists in child development. They plan a range of activities that help children to rehearse knowledge set out in the curriculum plans. 21 and 22 February 2023

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There are frequent opportunities for children to learn new vocabulary and hone conversational skills. Children regularly listen to stories and sing songs. Routines help children learn how to take care of themselves and the environment. However, routines are not as well established during story time. This means that some children do not develop and practise their language skills as often as they might.

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Teachers carefully adapt teaching for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND access and learn the full curriculum. Leaders act to identify pupils’ needs at the earliest opportunity. Using information from frequent conversations with school leaders and SEND experts, staff mostly provide well-judged additional support. Occasionally, teachers do not put in place as much support as would be most helpful. Leaders’ monitoring and oversight of the provision, while effective overall, does not identify this in a timely manner.

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The school’s approach to promoting good behaviour is rooted in respect and warm relationships. Pupils know the ‘four rules’. They understand what adults expect of them. All pupils have every chance to learn and make friends. Caring and knowledgeable staff provide additional emotional support to help pupils overcome barriers to learning.

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Staff provide pupils with a wealth of knowledge about democracy, citizenship and different cultures. Pupils are open-minded. They appreciate and enjoy the range of trips and residential experiences that leaders arrange for them. The curriculum helps pupils to learn about healthy, positive relationships.

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Governors and leaders are united in their vision for a high-quality education. A positive partnership with a local school provides leaders with opportunities to share good practice. Staff, parents and carers see the benefits of this joined-up approach. Leaders are mindful of teachers’ workload. They listen to staff and regularly reach out to parents, providing information and support. Leaders are taking steps to develop their ways of communicating with staff and the wider community, as a small number of parents and staff would like to know more about what is happening in the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders’ checks of adults’ suitability to work with children are thorough. Leaders make sure staff are alert to, and frequently updated about, safeguarding matters. Leaders and staff know the signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm and what to do if they have a concern. Records of reported concerns are detailed. Leaders check them regularly and often. Leaders are tenacious in securing outside support for pupils and their families.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn strategies to keep safe. They know who to go to if they have a worry. 21 and 22 February 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some staff are still learning how to refine their teaching of the curriculum in some subjects. This means that, at times, teachers do not choose the most appropriate teaching approaches. Leaders need to continue their work to support staff to develop their teaching expertise.  Leaders’ monitoring of how effectively teachers support pupils with SEND is not as efficient and streamlined as it could be. This means that, on occasion, staff do not identify additional opportunities for supporting pupils with SEND in a timely way. Leaders need to hone their process for the monitoring of support for pupils with SEND.  Some routines in the early years are less well established than others. This means that, during some activities, such as story time, some children do not have the chance to practise and develop their language skills as much as they could. Leaders need to support and train staff to further develop their teaching expertise

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

in this area.  Communications with stakeholders are not as consistently effective as they could be. As a result, a small number of parents and staff do not feel they know enough about what is happening in the school. Leaders need to enhance their methods of communicating, so that parents and staff are better informed about the positive changes that leaders have set in place.

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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. 21 and 22 February 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255077 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 October 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than average.  The school does not use alternative provision for any of its pupils.  The school runs a before- and after-school club.  The headteacher was appointed in September 2021 and the head of school was appointed in September 2022.  In September 2021, the school formed a partnership with Brooke Voluntary Controlled CoE 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. 21 and 22 February 2023

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, the head of school and members of the governing body.  The lead inspector spoke, via telephone, with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector looked at samples of pupils’ of work in some other subjects and discussed monitoring and assessment with leaders.  To inspect the safeguarding arrangements at the school, inspectors spoke with leaders, teachers and pupils. The lead inspector also spoke with the leaders responsible for safeguarding and reviewed the school’s single central record of recruitment and vetting checks and records of safeguarding concerns.

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 The lead inspector considered responses made by 53 parents to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, including 23 free-text responses. There were no responses to the pupil or staff surveys. Inspectors also spoke with pupil groups. To gather staff views, the lead inspector met with 11 teachers and support staff.

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Inspection team

Hannah Stoten, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lynn Ayling Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 February 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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