Norton Infant School

Inspection of a good school: Norton Infant School Campsall Balk, Norton, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN6 9DG

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Inspection dates: 16 and 17 November 2023

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might be outstanding if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Andrea Tunney. This school is part of XP School Trust Limited, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Gwyn ap Harri, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Stephen Cooper Bielby.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be members of the school’s community and of the work that they produce. They feel safe in school. Pupils are active members of their ‘crew’. These small group meetings for all pupils provide a calm and positive start to the day. Pupils learn the skills required to work as part of a team. They speak confidently about their thoughts and feelings. Adults model ways in which to speak, listen and participate in discussions skilfully. Pupils in all year groups use these skills exceptionally well in their crew groups, in class and in their conversations at breaktimes and lunchtimes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s high expectations for all pupils are consistently seen across the day. Pupils behave exceptionally well. They know that it is everyone’s responsibility to promote the three school principles: be kind, work hard, get smart. Classrooms are purposeful learning environments. Pupils make mature, thoughtful contributions to lessons. They work well in groups with their peers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school promotes its expectation that pupils should attend school regularly. Information workshops for parents and carers who are new to the school, as well as regular updates about the importance of high attendance, provide guidance and support to families. Leaders regularly monitor and analyse pupils’ absence. Most pupils have high levels of attendance. 16 and 17 November 2023

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. It has clearly mapped out the knowledge and skills that pupils must learn. Teachers regularly check what pupils remember from the curriculum. They check that pupils can apply new learning in different contexts. The school has considered carefully what pupils must learn and how this is built up over time. Children’s learning begins in the early years. High-quality provision and skilled practitioners support children effectively in the early stages of their education. Adults understand what children must know by the end of their time in Reception. Children are well prepared for the next stage of their education. The key stage 1 curriculum builds on children’s learning in the early years. Subject leaders work across the infant school and the partner junior school. This ensures that the curriculum is designed to prepare pupils well for moving into key stage 2.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school confidently empowers pupils to take responsibility for their learning. Pupils learn about challenging concepts, such as racism and inequality, in an age-appropriate way. The school provides pupils with purposeful opportunities to contribute to the local community. Pupils are proud to have recently raised awareness in the village about a local foodbank. In lessons, pupils have regular opportunities to reflect on their learning. Teachers deliberately model to pupils how to think about, and answer, questions. This helps pupils to contribute their thoughts and ideas to class discussions. They confidently share with others what they have learned. For example, some pupils explained Martin Luther King’s influence on society. Pupils learned that people were treated differently because of the colour of their skin. This has helped them to consider the importance of treating everyone with fairness and respect.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported extremely well. Subtle adaptations, such as changing the way that information is displayed, are made to enable pupils with SEND to access lessons. They play a full and active part in learning alongside their peers.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

In the early years, adults prioritise the use of language and communication. Skilled practitioners model how to speak and listen effectively. They are knowledgeable about the vocabulary that children must learn to support their conversations and interactions with adults and their peers. Children make use of many opportunities to build and develop a strong understanding and use of early mathematics.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school places high priority on the teaching of reading. It has recently changed the scheme used to teach phonics. Teachers and support staff have been trained in the teaching of phonics in line with the new scheme. Staff’s strong subject knowledge enables them to address misconceptions quickly. Staff benefit from regular training and updates to support them to teach phonics lessons with consistency. Pupils read books that are matched to their phonics knowledge. Over time, pupils read with increasing fluency and accuracy. Pupils develop a love of reading. They enjoy reading their scheme book as well as a library book for pleasure. In class, teachers regularly read to pupils. Pupils enjoy listening to stories. 16 and 17 November 2023

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Provision to support pupils’ broader development is a strength of the school. The school regularly provides time for pupils to reflect on their actions and the impact they have on others. One pupil said, ‘It is important to be kind to others and this doesn’t just stop at the school gate.’

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Leaders consider staff workload when introducing new initiatives. Staff crew enable productive and supportive discussions to take place between leaders and staff. Those with responsibility for governance regularly check that actions to develop the school are having the intended impact.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Norton Infant School, to be good in July 2013.

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How can I feed back my views?

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’ is used to mean pupils with SEND; pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 16 and 17 November 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 February 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school joined the XP School Trust Limited in July 2019.  The headteacher is also the headteacher of Norton Junior School. Leaders from both schools hold responsibility for school improvement across both sites. This includes subject leadership, safeguarding and SEND.  The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is also below the national average.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 16 and 17 November 2023

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in this evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke to the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteachers and subject leaders about their work to develop the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector held separate meetings with a representative from the board of trustees and the CEO.  Reponses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, were considered. The inspector also reviewed responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Matthew Harrington, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 16 and 17 November 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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