Norton Road Primary School

Inspection of Norton Road Primary School Norton Road, Luton, Bedfordshire LU3 2NX

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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 26 and 27 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ welfare and education are top priorities at this school. Pupils benefit from the school’s nurturing approach. They trust adults to listen to them and value their opinions. This develops a sense of belonging in pupils. New pupils receive a warm welcome, which helps them settle well. Relationships between pupils and staff are respectful and considerate. Pupils feel safe and cared for.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils contribute to the school through different leadership opportunities. These include being house captains, school councillors or prefects. They develop their talents and interests through a variety of clubs, all chosen by the school council. Pupils feel empowered to help others in this caring community. They have a strong sense of fairness and equality. They believe ‘everyone has a right to be who they want to be’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have steered the school through considerable changes, especially this academic year. As part of this, staff expect the best from and for their pupils. Pupils rise to these expectations. They have high aspirations for their futures. Pupils know they need to work hard in lessons to achieve their ambitions, and they do.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is calm and orderly. Lunchtimes are sociable. Pupils thrive in this inclusive and loving school.

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better?

The many recent changes have brought about a strong leadership team. Everyone, including governors, is united in their ambition for pupils and the school. Staff value the coaching and training they receive. They feel very well supported by leaders, who are considerate of their well-being and workload.

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better?

The school has taken decisive action to improve the curriculum. These improvements are most notable in early reading. All staff have received effective training so they have the expertise to support pupils in learning to read. This ensures the phonics programme is delivered consistently well. Children in Reception learn sounds as soon as they start school. They are confident in using these sounds to read and write words. Pupils build on this effectively in Year 1 and Year 2. They use the strategies they have learned to read books accurately and fluently. Pupils continue to develop their reading skills as they move through the school. Effective systems are in place to check pupils’ progress. When needed, pupils get additional help with reading quickly to help them catch up. Pupils are enthusiastic about reading. There are a wide range of texts for pupils to choose from, including books from other cultures.

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better?

Older pupils encourage younger ones to read. They take on the role of ‘reading doctors’ and recommend books for them . 26 and 27 March 2024

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There are well-planned curriculums in place for other subjects, such as mathematics and computing. These identify the important knowledge and skills pupils need to learn from the early years through to the end of Year 6. In these subjects, teachers are well trained. Pupils learn effectively and achieve well. In a few subjects, teachers have not yet had enough time to fully understand all the content in the new curriculums. They have not had the training and guidance so that they teach these consistently well. Consequently, pupils’ achievement varies.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in all aspects of school life. The school identifies these pupils’ needs accurately. Teachers are given detailed information about how best to support these pupils. However, some teachers do not use this to adapt learning tasks as carefully as needed. Some staff lack the training needed to support pupils with SEND well. As a result, some pupils with SEND do not make as much progress as they could.

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The school has taken well-considered actions to support pupils’ attendance. It works closely with families to help them understand the importance of regular attendance. The school tailors its approach to individual circumstances. Its actions to improve attendance have positive results.

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Staff support pupils to behave well. This starts with children in Reception. Staff support them to develop concentration and perseverance. As a result, children have positive attitudes towards learning and playing. They know and follow the school routines. In Year 1 and beyond, pupils’ eagerness for learning continues. Pupils cooperate and help each other. They are polite and considerate. Everyone is proud to be part of this strong school community.

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The school prioritises pupils’ well-being. Pupils learn how to be healthy in mind and body, as well as how to stay safe. Pupils learn about different world faiths and cultures. They understand the changes they will encounter as they grow and mature. This ensures they are ready for the next steps in their education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subject curriculums are newer than others. T eachers do not yet know the content of some of these new curriculums in sufficient detail. Teachers do not adapt learning precisely enough for all pupils. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they might in these subjects. The school must ensure that teachers have the subject knowledge and skills they need to teach all subjects effectively. 26 and 27 March 2024

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 Some t eachers do not adapt the curriculum well for pupils with SEND. Some adults lack the skills and understanding to support pupils with SEND as needed. This affects how well some pupils with SEND learn and develop their independence. The school should ensure all staff receive support and training, so they can more effectively meet the needs of all pupils with SEND.

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How can I feed back my views?

school, 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). 26 and 27 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.nortonroadprimaryschool.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 2 and 3 February 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative 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 judgement about the quality of the school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff, pupils and parents; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, physical education and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors spoke 26 and 27 March 2024

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to subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils and looked at work in pupils’ books. Inspectors also heard pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other senior leaders, including the special educational needs coordinator. They also spoke to subject leaders, teachers and support staff.  Inspectors met with leaders and teachers to talk about the curriculum, workload and the behaviour and personal development of pupils. They also met with groups of pupils to talk about learning and well-being and to hear about their views of the school.  Inspectors held discussions with governors, including the chair of governors. A separate discussion was held with the local authority school improvement partner .  Inspectors considered a range of documents, including the school’s plans for improvement and minutes of meetings of the local governing board.  Inspectors observed the behaviour of pupils during lessons, around the school, in

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the lunch hall and in the playground. Inspectors looked at behaviour and attendance records and considered leaders’ analyses of these.  Inspectors considered the 19 online responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, including 14 free-text comments. They also considered the 25 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff and the 64 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for pupils.

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Inspection team

Karen Stanton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Lucille Pollard Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 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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