St Norbert's Catholic Voluntary Academy

Inspection of a good school: St Norbert’s Catholic Voluntary Academy Fieldside, Crowle, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire DN17 4HL

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Outcome

St Norbert’s Catholic Voluntary Academy continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Alex Dawson. This school is part of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), James McGeachie, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Nigel Stevenson.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The headteacher and staff are highly regarded by parents and carers. Parents are exceptionally positive about the school. They say that their children are safe in school and treated with great respect. Pupils’ attendance at school is much better than the national average because they enjoy learning. This is a school at the heart of its community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and friendly to each other and to adults. They are very welcoming and confident when speaking with visitors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. The school is a calm and orderly environment that is well looked after. Pupils say that bullying does not happen and they are happy in school. They trust staff to resolve any difficulties they might have with others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have an exceptionally strong sense of equality. They know they must respect the rights of others and that theirs should be respected. They say, ‘Human rights do not have to be earned but are the same for every person.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers plan lessons that capture pupils’ interest. Pupils focus on the tasks set for them and make an excellent contribution to learning.

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

The school has a well-organised curriculum that develops pupils’ knowledge and expertise across a broad range of subjects. The new curriculum is carefully sequenced from early 29 February 2024

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years to Year 6. Disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND follow the same curriculum as their peers.

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Teachers build learning in a logical way to meet the needs of pupils. Parents appreciate the very effective support given to pupils, especially those with SEND. They say that the school ‘goes over and above in meeting the needs of SEND pupils’.

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Teachers make sure that the pupils in mixed-age classes achieve well in mathematics. They give time for pupils to practise key learning before extension tasks are used. Pupils’ errors are picked up well. For example, some pupils thought that decreasing the denominator meant that a fraction would be smaller. This was discussed with the whole class to overcome the misconception. Teachers have a secure understanding of the mathematics curriculum because of the training that leaders have organised.

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Pupils are enthusiastic about subjects in the wider curriculum, such as history. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and check pupils’ learning effectively. In history, for example, previous learning is recapped well, and this helps pupils link their knowledge of Ancient Greece to their current work about the Mayan civilisation. The school has identified the key knowledge pupils need in order to achieve a deep understanding of the history being studied. However, pupils do not consistently achieve these ambitious learning goals.

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Leaders have provided high-quality training to help all teachers to teach phonics and reading effectively. Some staff are expert in teaching phonics. Pupils learn new letters and sounds quickly. Teachers plan interesting tasks for reading. They make sure that books are well matched to pupils’ abilities and the sounds being learned. Those who find phonics and reading more difficult get expert support to keep up with their peers. Parents make a good contribution to developing pupils’ love of reading.

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Older pupils love reading. They enjoy the wide range of books available to them. The curriculum prioritises reading in many subjects. Pupils are very pleased that the school library has been upgraded in collaboration with the school council. Books such as, ‘I Am Not a Label’ and ‘How Not to Lose It’ give pupils a good insight into mental health and well-being. Pupils read with meaning because teachers model good reading skills well.

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Across the school, pupils cooperate exceptionally well with adults and their peers. The foundations for this start in early years and lead to exemplary behaviour in school. In early years, children cooperate very well together in a vibrant and welcoming environment. Staff use good questioning to engage children and develop communication skills. Children enjoy singing songs such as ‘10 Green Bottles’ to learn how to count. Nursery and Reception children enjoy the stories that are read to them. Children are well prepared for learning in key stage 1.

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Pupils appreciate the extensive programme of personal development available to them. They take on roles such as those of school councillors, ‘good buddies’, sports ambassadors and safe-school ambassadors. Pupils make a significant contribution to the life of the school. They have a good understanding of the different world religions. Pupils 29 February 2024

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are proud of the ‘Following the Footprints’ badges awarded for living out the school’s mission.

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The trust and local governing body are diligent in checking how well the school is meeting its responsibilities to pupils, parents and staff. All staff enjoy working in the school. They appreciate how well leaders take their workload into account.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of foundation subjects, the school is not consistently delivering the ambitious goals that are described in the curriculum plans. This means that pupils’ understanding is not extended or developed as much as it could be. The school should continue to support staff to ensure that the planning and delivery of these subjects are consistent, so that pupils are challenged to deepen their understanding equally well in all subjects.

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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 February 2019.

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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. 29 February 2024

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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). 29 February 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 8 February 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been significant changes in staffing and leadership since the previous inspection. The headteacher was appointed from 1 January 2023. Previously, he was the deputy headteacher.  At the previous inspection, the school was part of St Therese of Lisieux Multi-Academy Trust. This trust closed, and the school became a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust on 1 July 2022. The school has a Christian character.  The school’s most recent section 48 inspection for schools of a religious character was in March 2022. The school was judged outstanding. The school’s next section 48 inspection is expected to be within five school years.  The school does not use any alternative education providers.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 29 February 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector met with the headteacher and subject leaders. He held a discussion with a representative of the trust, four members of the local governing body and the deputy chief education officer. The lead inspector also held a discussion with a member of the local education authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with curriculum leaders, 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 listened to some pupils reading.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the lead inspector: reviewed the single

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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 observed pupils’ behaviour throughout the day. They spoke to pupils about their views on behaviour in school. Inspectors considered how the school supports pupils’ personal development.  The lead inspector spoke with a number of parents at the end of the school day. He analysed responses to the online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. The inspectors checked the responses to pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Jim McGrath, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Nick Styles Ofsted Inspector 29 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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