Filby Primary School

Inspection of Filby Primary School Thrigby Road, Filby, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR29 3HJ

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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 29 and 30 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Filby Primary School appreciate being part of a small and close-knit community. They make firm friendships across the school. Pupils like how all the adults know who they are. Pupils feel that adults are easy to talk to and are helpful. This makes them feel safe and secure.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils talk about how much they enjoy their learning. They are also proud to follow the ‘Filby Way’, which are the values and behaviours staff expect them to show. Many pupils know these values off by heart and understand what they mean. They like to get ‘star’ and ‘citizen’ awards in assemblies and to compete for the ‘kindness cup’. They also show respect for each other, valuing the ways pupils are different and the same. Pupils do not worry about bullying as they feel they all get along. They know that if bullying ever did happen that adults would deal with it straight away.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have access to various school clubs. Many take up this offer. Pupils can also try new activities, such as performing arts, squash, yoga or playing hand bells. Staff signpost pupils who show a particular talent or interest to community clubs they can join.

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better?

Leaders have recently undertaken a thorough review of the curriculum. They have thought about the specific knowledge pupils need to succeed. Subject leaders have carefully considered the order in which pupils learn knowledge to gradually build pupils’ understanding, especially within mixed-age classes.

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better?

In updating the curriculum, leaders have prioritised reading and mathematics. Teachers have good subject knowledge in these subjects. They successfully adapt activities to meet pupils’ needs and regularly check their understanding. As a result, pupils, including in the early years, achieve well. Adults are well trained in delivering the phonics programme. Pupils read regularly and revise their mathematical facts. Pupils receive books matched to the sounds they know, helping them to read confidently. Few pupils fall behind in reading or mathematics because teachers and support staff provide timely interventions, so pupils quickly catch up.

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better?

Leaders have also made sure all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), access the full range of the recently updated foundation subjects. Subject leaders have ensured teachers understand the order in which knowledge needs to be covered. Teachers are still getting used to these changes. Teachers are in the process of developing their own subject knowledge to ensure they provide pupils with the detailed and precise knowledge the curriculum requires. 29 and 30 March 2023

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Leaders have put systems in place to help teachers check how well pupils have understood a topic. Pupils can recall knowledge, yet sometimes teachers move on too soon with the learning when some pupils are not fully secure in their understanding.

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Pupils with SEND are ably supported in class by well-trained adults. Pupils with more specific needs receive the specialist interventions they need to meet their targets.

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Leaders are working to integrate the recently acquired nursery into the overall early years’ curriculum. Staff know how to instil in children the behaviours that set them up for learning. Children learn how to share, take turns and can listen and concentrate for sustained periods of time. Adults in the early years know each child well and adapt activities to meet their learning needs, especially in early reading and number. Children are, therefore, well prepared for the next stage of their learning.

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Staff realise leaders’ high expectations for behaviour, applying the behaviour policy consistently. It allows for efficient use of lesson time. Pupils benefit from structured activities at lunchtime. However, sometimes pupils need reminders about how to play more considerately during unstructured playtimes.

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Leaders oversee a suitable programme to cater for pupils’ wider development. Older pupils speak knowledgeably and maturely about world religions, discrimination and challenging stereotypes. Teachers ensure pupils understand life in modern Britain from their learning in history and religious education. Pupils understand about healthy relationships and lifestyles. Leaders make links with local secondary schools, including the use of sports facilities for inter-school sports festivals. Pupils feel confident moving into Year 7. Pupils are starting to take on more leadership roles in school for the arts, sport and the environment. They get involved in local fundraising and community competitions. Pupils with SEND also participate in these wider opportunities.

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Leaders manage a committed, well-cared for staff. Staff work hard because they recognise how leaders value them, ensuring a manageable workload.

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Governors and the trust provide effective challenge and support and fulfil their statutory duties. The trust has ably supported leaders to make improvements to the curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe. Pupils all have someone in school they feel they can talk to. They are taught about how to manage risk online and in the local area. This includes updates from local emergency services. For example, where they live near to the coast, pupils learn about water safety. 29 and 30 March 2023

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Staff have up-to-date safeguarding training, using this to identify and report concerns. Leaders respond quickly to concerns and are adept at finding solutions to support vulnerable pupils.

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Appropriate checks are in place for adults that work or volunteer in the school. Governors and trust leaders monitor safeguarding thoroughly.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers are getting used to the new updates to the foundation subjects. However, some teachers are not yet delivering curriculum content as precisely as intended. This means not all pupils are getting enough depth of understanding in these subjects. Leaders need to ensure teachers have the necessary subject knowledge to deliver the plans exactly as intended and check regularly that teachers are doing this.  In the recently reviewed foundation subjects, some pupils are not having misconceptions addressed securely or quickly enough. This means some pupils have gaps in the key knowledge they will need to recall in the long term. Teachers need to ensure that pupils are given the time to address gaps in knowledge and that they check that these gaps are securely filled before moving learning on. Leaders then need to monitor that this is happening.

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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. 29 and 30 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255068 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 September 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has been part of the Evolution Academy Trust since October 2014.  The school has mixed-age classes in key stage 1 and key stage 2.  The nursery joined the school in 2021 having formally been a private nursery.  There is before- and after-school childcare for pupils who attend the school. It is run by school staff and managed by school leaders.  School leaders do not currently use any 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. The lead inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 29 and 30 March 2023

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 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher (who is also the special educational needs coordinator), subject leaders and teachers and support staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and art. For the deep dives, inspectors spoke to subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with pupils, looked at pupils’ workbooks and spoke with teachers and support staff. The lead inspector also looked at pupils’ work in other subjects.  The lead inspector met representatives from the local governing body and the trust. The lead inspector also spoke to the chief executive officer.  The lead inspector scrutinised a range of documentation, including minutes of meetings of the local governing body and the trust board, as well as the school development plan.  The inspectors looked at the arrangements for safeguarding, including the single central record of recruitment and vetting checks. The inspectors spoke with

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leaders, staff and pupils about the systems and processes to support safeguarding, and the safeguarding ethos in the school.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the 39 free-text comments. Inspectors also considered the four staff survey responses. There were no responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Sara Boyce, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Imran Khan Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 March 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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