Norton Hill Primary School

Inspection of Norton Hill Primary School Silver Street, Midsomer Norton, Somerset BA3 2UD

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 11 and 12 July 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Norton Hill is a school where everyone thrives. The quality of education pupils receive is exceptional. Pupils are curious, independent thinkers with a thirst for learning. As a result, they progress extremely well through the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know pupils and their families well. Parents and carers value the opportunities they have to share their child’s learning through the ‘learn with me’ and ‘starbooks’ reading cafe sessions. Parents, without exception, would recommend the school to others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Inclusion sits at the heart of the school. Leaders ensure that the school’s values enable pupils to understand the importance of treating everyone fairly, equally and with respect. Pupils are highly tolerant of those with different needs and beliefs. They benefit from a wealth of experiences on offer to them, such as listening to visiting scientists, historians and musicians. As a result, pupils develop a deep understanding of the world as a diverse, exciting place.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They meet leaders’ high expectations and follow school routines well. Pupils across the school show high levels of maturity. They actively seek out ways to make positive changes to their community, such as writing letters to their local politician to improve road safety for children in the area.

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better?

There are no limits to what pupils can achieve at Norton Hill. Leaders and staff have a clear vision and are relentless in their pursuit of excellence. As the school has grown, leaders have ensured that an outstanding quality of education is provided. They have created a curriculum that is designed exceptionally well. This starts in the Nursery Year, where strong foundations set the scene for future learning. The clear focus on language enables children to deepen their knowledge from a young age.

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better?

Staff benefit from the high-quality support and training they receive. This ensures that they have the subject expertise to teach the planned curriculum effectively. Teachers understand how their lessons build on what pupils have learned in the past and what they will learn next.

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better?

Pupils learn exceptionally well across the curriculum. They confidently recall what they have learned before and use this to make connections to their current learning. For example, they are able to explain the differences between the monarchy of William the Conqueror and the constitutional monarchy of King Charles III.

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better?

Leaders put reading at the very heart of the school’s work. Staff and pupils share a love of reading. Teachers ensure that pupils read a wide range of texts. Children begin learning phonics as soon as they start school. They learn and remember their new sounds well. All staff benefit from training to teach phonics and reading effectively. If pupils fall behind, they receive the support they need to enable them 11 and 12 July 2023

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to catch up quickly. As pupils move through the school, they read with increasing fluency and accuracy.

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Leaders are highly aspirational for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They expertly identify pupils’ needs. Teachers adapt learning to ensure that these pupils understand and remember the important knowledge they need. Leaders liaise well with specialist staff, such as speech and language therapists, to provide timely support. Leaders work closely with parents to ensure there is a common understanding of their child’s provision. As a result, all pupils with SEND learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

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Pupils display exemplary attitudes towards their learning. They show high levels of respect to adults and to one another. Staff ensure that the pastoral care that pupils receive is of a high quality. Pupils learn how to talk about and manage their emotions well.

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Leaders provide pupils with wide-ranging and exciting opportunities to develop personally and which align to the school’s values. Pupils have a strong understanding of right and wrong. They know why fundamental British values, such as democracy, are important. Pupils develop their character by becoming librarians or members of the school council. They say this helps them to improve their school.

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Trustees and governors act with the utmost integrity. They ensure that this vision is lived out for all members of the school community. Governors know the school’s strengths and robustly hold leaders to account for their actions. Staff are proud to work at the school. They value the support and training they receive to develop their subject expertise. Staff appreciate how leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are safe. They trust staff to help them when they feel worried. The curriculum supports pupils to keep themselves safe from an early age. Pupils develop their understanding about the dangers of playing online, road safety and how to keep their bodies private. Pupils recognise the importance of this.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that all staff can identify risks of harm. They check records and identify any potential concerns quickly. Leaders work well with professionals and other agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils and their families receive the help they need. Leaders make the right safeguarding checks during recruitment. 11 and 12 July 2023

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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. 11 and 12 July 2023

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School details

Local authority Bath and North East Somerset Council

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School details

Inspection number 10256604 Type of school Primary

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School details

Executive Headteacher Kerrie-Anne Courtier

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Norton Hill Primary School is part of the Midsomer Norton Schools’ Partnership.  The school opened as to become an academy free school in September 2020.  Currently, the school has an intake of pupils from Nursery Year to Year 2. From September 2023, the age range will include pupils in Year 3.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.  The school does not 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, groups of staff and representatives from the trust. 11 and 12 July 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also reviewed samples of work in other subjects and met with curriculum leaders.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 read to an adult.  Inspectors considered how well the school protects pupils and keeps them safe. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding. An inspector also scrutinised the school’s single central record.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, inspectors spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  Inspectors considered responses to the Ofsted online survey, Ofsted Parent View,

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responses to the staff survey and responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Steph Matthews, lead inspector Seconded Inspector

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Inspection team

Ken Buxton Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 July 2023

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