Sculthorpe Church of England Primary Academy

Inspection of Sculthorpe Church of England Primary Academy Creake Road, Sculthorpe, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 9NQ

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Suzannah Hayes. This school is part of the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Oliver Burwood, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by William Crawshay. 12 and 13 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils meet the high expectations the school has for them. They enjoy following a well-structured curriculum. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning. Most show respect for their teachers and other adults. The children in Reception co-operate well with older pupils in the class.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They play well together at breaktimes. They value the support they receive from staff. Pupils recognise bullying when it occurs. They know how to report bullying and are confident that teachers will deal with it effectively. This means behaviour is positive most of the time. Sometimes, a few pupils disrupt learning by talking too loudly or shouting out in class. Teachers usually intervene effectively so that learning is not hampered.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have access to a wide range of well-attended clubs including art, sport and well-being. Pupils vote for ambassadors and take on responsibilities in their classrooms. They appreciate the school’s enrichment provision, including opportunities to hear musical productions, theatre visits, and educational visits such as the residential trip in Year 5 and 6. The school’s enrichment helps to develop pupils’ confidence and character.

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better?

The school has designed an appropriate curriculum. Pupils learn the knowledge and skills to take their next steps in education. The curriculum prepares children in Reception for learning in Year 1. The school has trained staff well, so their subject knowledge is strong. The learning activities that teachers give pupils usually help them gain the knowledge that they need.

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better?

Pupils enjoy reading. They talk enthusiastically about the books they enjoy. The school ensures that pupils who are at the early stages of reading, read books matched to the sounds they are learning. Pupils take these books home so they can practise, and this helps them become fluent. Teachers check how well pupils read. They identify which pupils are falling behind and help them to catch up with their peers. The school has a new library where pupils can choose books to take home. This encourages pupils to develop a love of reading.

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better?

On occasions, pupils with SEND do not routinely receive the best support they need. When this is the case, the school’s guidance for staff does not clarify exactly what these pupils need to achieve as well as they could. At other times, when guidance is exact and more specific, staff support pupils with SEND well. When this happens, these pupils successfully access the same curriculum as other pupils and subsequently achieve well.

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better?

Children in Reception learn well from the carefully considered curriculum teachers provide for them. Teachers encourage them to write and count and to co-operate 12 and 13 March 2024

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with others. Children learn how to be good friends. They learn how to talk about their feelings.

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Pupils value learning. They show this in the way they talk about their lessons, follow instructions, and try their best. Leaders have introduced a new behaviour policy, which makes clear how pupils should behave and what the consequences will be if they do not. Pupils understand this. However, some staff do not consistently follow the strategies set out in the policy. This means some unacceptable behaviour goes unchallenged.

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In the past, some pupils arrived late to school. Leaders have worked hard to make sure that parents understand how important it is for pupils to arrive on time. There has been an improvement. Most pupils now arrive promptly. Leaders are working successfully to improve the attendance of some persistently absent pupils.

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The school provides opportunities for pupils to become responsible citizens. Pupils support charities in the local community. During the Christmas season, they sang carols at a local supermarket. The curriculum covers democracy and respect for others with differences. Pupils learn about and visit places outside the local area. They learn about festivals such as the Chinese New Year. They have benefited from a range of school clubs. Visitors, such as from the emergency services, teach pupils about how to stay safe and how to keep themselves healthy. The school has plans to develop its link with Malawi.

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Trustees and governors provide challenge and support. The trust works together with the school to develop its curriculum and train staff. The school has a close relationship with two other local schools, which means staff can share expertise.

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Leaders take account of staff well-being when planning the curriculum and scheduling meetings. Parents speak positively about the school and recent changes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A new behaviour policy has been implemented. Some staff do not use this consistently. On the few occasions where this is the case, some pupils do not meet staff expectations and their behaviour goes unchallenged. The school should ensure that the recently introduced behaviour policy is understood by all staff and applied consistently in all classes so that all pupils consistently behave well.  For some SEND pupils, leaders’ guidance for staff does not clarify exactly what is needed for pupils to be able to learn effectively. As a result, staff do not always 12 and 13 March 2024

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provide the necessary support. Leaders should ensure that guidance about pupils with SEND makes clear exactly what these pupils need.

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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). 12 and 13 March 2024

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School details

Website www.unityfederation.co.uk/sculthorpe

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School details

Date of previous inspection 27 February 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust (DNEAT).  The school is part of the Diocese of Norwich. Its last section 48 inspection took place in June 2016. The next section 48 inspection is scheduled to take place by the end of 2024.  As well as the executive headteacher, this school has a head of school.

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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 judgement about 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. 12 and 13 March 2024

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 The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer and deputy chief executive officer of the trust, the chair of the local governing body, a trustee and the school’s improvement associate.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors 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.  The lead inspector reviewed curriculum plans and visited a range of lessons in other subjects. Inspectors observed behaviour in lessons and around the school at break and lunchtimes, as well as in the breakfast club.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents including those relating to behaviour and attendance. Inspectors reviewed the school’s self-evaluation document.  Inspectors held meetings with a range of leaders including the special educational

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needs and/or disabilities coordinator.  An inspector met with early career teachers and staff involved in the induction of new teachers.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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.  The lead inspector considered the six responses to Ofsted’s Parent View, including five free-text responses. She also considered the nine responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and the 28 responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Linda Allison, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Rob Edwards Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 March 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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