Hevingham Primary School

Inspection of Hevingham Primary School New Road, Westgate, Hevingham, Norwich, Norfolk NR10 5NH

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Inspection dates: 31 January and 1 February 2024

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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 31 January and 1 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at this school because expectations for pupils’ behaviour and achievement are high. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), know that adults want them all to succeed. The warm and nurturing relationships between staff and pupils sit at the heart of the school’s positive culture. Pupils appreciate the individual care and attention they receive from all staff. They trust that adults will help them. This makes pupils feel happy and secure.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They understand and follow the school’s values of kindness and respect. This helps pupils maintain firm friendships. Children in the early years are assigned an older pupil ‘buddy’. This buddy helps them settle into school life and learn routines. If pupils need help to manage their feelings, staff and other pupils support them well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to take on positions of responsibility. They are, for example, a ‘friendly face’, a librarian, a house captain or a school councillor. Pupils value the opportunity to have their opinions listened to. They take part in local events such as remembrance services and harvest festivals. Pupils raise money for different charities. This develops a strong sense of teamwork and being community-minded.

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better?

The school knows its pupils very well. It has tailored its curriculum to meet the needs and interests of pupils. The curriculum is ambitious and designed to deepen and extend pupils’ knowledge. As a result, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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better?

The school ensures that teachers know how to teach the curriculum well. Staff value the training and support they receive. Lessons enable pupils to connect knowledge between different subjects and topics. This means that pupils have a wider understanding of what they have learned. For example, pupils can use their prior learning about manufactured and natural materials in science to compare Aboriginal and modern musical instruments.

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better?

In most subjects, teachers check what pupils can remember. They use this information to adapt lessons to meet pupils’ needs. This means that pupils can rehearse and secure important knowledge. However, in some foundation subjects, checks on pupils’ knowledge are not robust enough. This means the school does not have an accurate view of how well pupils learn over time or retain subject knowledge.

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better?

The school has ensured there is a structured approach to teaching pupils to read. Pupils learn phonics quickly and soon become confident readers. In the early years, staff frequently read stories to children and encourage children to repeat the phrases and rhymes. The books that pupils read closely match the sounds that they 31 January and 1 February 2024

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know. Staff provide effective support for older pupils who find learning to read harder. As a result, pupils develop a love for reading. Once pupils become fluent readers, they can choose from a wide range of books. The school library, run by enthusiastic pupil librarians, is open for pupils every break and lunchtime.

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The school quickly identifies pupils’ additional needs. Pupils with SEND have personalised targets. These contain clear guidance for staff on how best to help pupils with SEND. The number of pupils with SEND whose needs are more complex has risen recently. The school makes effective and timely adaptations to the curriculum to ensure pupils have full access to the curriculum. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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In the early years, a carefully structured curriculum promotes children’s curiosity and interest. They are supported to be independent and to explore learning through their play. Children are helped to express their feelings in a measured way. They share resources and turn take well.

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Pupils behave well. They know and understand the routines. Staff apply the school rules consistently. The school has an effective and efficient approach to checking pupils’ strong attendance.

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The school offers a range of experiences to broaden pupils’ horizons. Pupils value opportunities to go on trips, such as to the Houses of Parliament. This helps to develop their understanding of democracy and the rule of law. Pupils learn about different cultures and lifestyles. They have an age-appropriate understanding of equality and diversity. Pupils understand, for example, that families can be different. They are caring and show respect for others’ values.

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Leaders accurately understand what is working well and what needs to be improved. Their plans to improve the school have been communicated to staff and agreed with governors. Governors’ regular monitoring enables them to see what is happening in the school and ask important questions about leaders’ decisions. Governors understand and carry out their statutory responsibilities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, the school is still developing its approach to checking what pupils know and understand. This means teachers do not accurately assess pupils’ knowledge. Therefore, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge, which is not always addressed. The school needs to ensure that staff 31 January and 1 February 2024

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confidently know how to identify gaps in pupils’ learning and securely fill them in all subjects.

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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' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (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). 31 January and 1 February 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

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

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Hevingham and Marsham Primary School Partnership.  The headteacher leads both schools within this partnership, and both schools share the same governing body.  The school does not use any alternative education 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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgment about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with subject leaders, 31 January and 1 February 2024

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spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at pupils’ work. The lead inspector also listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also looked at other curriculum areas and spoke to leaders about other subjects, including personal, social, health and economic education.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: 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 safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors met the headteacher, senior leaders and members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lesson visits, at lunchtime and at playtime.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation provided by the school, such as minutes of governor meetings, the school self-evaluation form, school

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improvement documents and information relating to pupils’ attendance and behaviour.  Inspectors considered the responses made by parents to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including the 19 free-text responses. Inspectors met with staff to discuss their workload and well-being. During the inspection, the inspectors met with a range of pupils to discuss their views about the school.

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Inspection team

Jo Nutbeam, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Nicola Shadbolt Ofsted Inspector 31 January and 1 February 2024

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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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