Scarning Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Scarning Voluntary Controlled Primary School Dereham Road, Scarning, Dereham, Norfolk NR19 2PW

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 February 2024

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Outcome

Scarning Voluntary Controlled Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at this school. They know staff expect them to achieve well. Pupils are successful, as they are supported by skilled and knowledgeable staff. Adults understand the individual needs that pupils have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe here. They are part of a community that looks out for each one of them. Pupils value how caring the staff are. Pupils respect and value others who may be different to themselves. They are kind to each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), contribute to their school and their local community, such as collecting food for the harvest festival. Pupils carry out a range of leadership roles with pride. These roles include organising playground activities and being school librarians.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are a range of trips, clubs and activities that enrich pupils’ education. For example, pupils enjoy visits to outdoor activity centres and clubs such as coding and dance. The school ensures that all pupils can take part in these wider opportunities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have regular opportunities to talk about current affairs with their peers. Topics such as immigration and emigration form part of assembly themes. This helps pupils develop a wider understanding of the world around them.

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

Pupils benefit from an ambitious and well-planned curriculum. They are excited by what they learn. Pupils make links with learning across other subjects. This deepens their understanding. Teachers provide opportunities in every lesson for pupils to discuss prior learning. As a result, pupils can talk about their learning in detail and with confidence. For example, in history, pupils used what they already knew about the Great Fire of London to explain changes made following the fire. The school also has effective systems in place to 13 and14 February 2024

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check what pupils know and can remember. Teachers skilfully adapt lessons to help pupils fill any gaps in their knowledge. As a result, pupils achieve well.

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The school places a high priority on ensuring that pupils learn to read fluently. Children in Reception quickly learn how to use the sounds they know to read words. There is a systematic approach to teaching phonics. As a result, most pupils become fluent and accurate readers by the end of key stage 1. Pupils enjoy borrowing books from the library and talking about what they have read. The school encourages pupils to read at home. Teachers identify and support any pupils who have gaps in their reading knowledge. They provide extra and effective help for the small number of older pupils who continue to struggle to read.

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The school has high expectations for all pupils with SEND. Staff are quick to identify pupils’ specific needs. Staff take on board advice from specialists so they can support these pupils well. They ensure that plans to support these pupils are accurate and precise and include parents and external agencies in this process. As a result, pupils with SEND receive the necessary tailored support they need so that they succeed.

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The early years curriculum prepares children well for their learning further up school. Staff maintain a strong focus on the development of children’s language and vocabulary. Adults develop positive relationships with children. In the early years, children enjoy playing and learning in a variety of engaging activities. They develop the required skills and knowledge needed for Year 1 across all areas of learning.

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The school expects pupils to try their best during lessons so that they learn well. However, on a few occasions, these expectations are not high enough. Although pupils do not disturb others from learning, at times some pupils do not concentrate on their own learning as well as they could. This can hinder how much they achieve in class.

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Pupils’ well-being is prioritised. For example, if pupils need extra help to manage their feelings, they can visit the ‘sanctuary room’. Here, well-trained staff provide support and guidance. Pupils are ready to be positive and active citizens. Older pupils learn about budgeting through an investment project. Visiting speakers, such as the local Member of Parliament, develop pupils’ understanding of democracy. Other visitors, such as scientists and doctors, inspire pupils to think about their future careers and aspirations. Pupils demonstrate a mature understanding of people’s differences and value the views of each other. They learn about empathy and tolerance. This helps prepare them for life in modern Britain.

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Leaders, including governors, oversee a motivated staff team. It makes the school a pleasant place in which to learn. Parents also appreciate this.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 13 and14 February 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Occasionally, expectations for pupils’ behaviour are not high enough. As a result, there are times when some pupils do not learn as well as they could because they are not concentrating enough on their work, although these pupils do not disturb others from learning. The school must ensure that all staff consistently apply the school’s high behaviour expectations and ensure that all pupils follow these.

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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 school to be good in June 2014.

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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 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). 13 and14 February 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 December 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative education 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.  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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, special educational needs co-ordinator, subject leaders, teachers and support staff.  The inspector met with four members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  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. 13 and14 February 2024

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 The inspector reviewed a range of school documents, including the school improvement plan, curriculum plans, governor minutes and school policies.  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 safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour during lesson visits and lunchtime.  The inspector considered the 41 responses made by parents to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including the free-text responses. The inspector also reviewed the 49 responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire. The inspector met with staff to discuss their workload and well-being.  During the inspection, the inspector met with a range of pupils to discuss their views

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Inspection team

Jo Nutbeam, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 13 and14 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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