Blofield Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Blofield Primary School North Street, Blofield, Norwich, Norfolk NR13 4RH

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Outcome

Blofield Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve well in this nurturing school. They delight in the many and varied outdoor activities that enrich their learning. The wide range of sports clubs widens pupils’ interests and talents. They are proud to represent their school in inter-school sports competitions. Pupils develop resilience and character during trips. They enthuse about exciting new activities, such as abseiling and archery.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils understand the schools’ new rules, rewards and consequences system. However, during some lessons the behaviour of a few pupils interrupts the learning of others. At playtimes, pupils play together well. Pupils are kind and helpful towards each other. Older pupils develop a sense of responsibility as play leaders. They help younger pupils use equipment and organise team games.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know teachers are available to help them when learning is tricky or if they have a worry. Pupils feel safe at school. They use their ‘safeguarding hands’ to remember the five trusted adults they can turn to for help. Pupils are confident to ask for a ‘golden ticket’ to attend the ‘nurture club’. This gives children a calm space to play board games and forge new friendships.

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

The school has a well-thought-through ambitious curriculum. It sets out what pupils will learn and by when. The key knowledge pupils learn builds over time. Pupils revisit what they have learned. Regular ‘knowledge drops’ and ‘daily calculations’ help pupils practise and remember what they have learned. This means gaps in learning are identified quickly so that pupils receive extra help to catch up. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Plans identify what will help them to achieve highly. This means they receive support to access the same learning as their peers. Some pupils with SEND enjoy learning in a small group. This helps them achieve their individual targets. 4 and 5 June 2024

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Teachers present information clearly and explain the meaning of new words. Pupils misconceptions are quickly corrected. Trips to museums and places of historical interest supplement and enrich learning. Over time, this helps pupils’ gain more knowledge. They remember more and confidently integrate this with new learning. For example, pupils used their knowledge from geography, mathematics and reading to plan the most cost- effective holiday. They calculated expenses and found the cheapest solutions to the best locations. Pupils achieve above others nationally in reading and mathematics.

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Pupils develop a love of reading. Well-trained staff teach phonics daily from reception. The books pupils read match the sounds they already know. This helps them become confident, fluent readers. Regular checks identify pupils that need help to keep up with the pace of the phonics programme. Pupils like the wide range of books available. They talk in detail about the plot and empathise with characters. This promotes understanding about moral and social dilemmas, such as war and bereavement. Children use their phonic knowledge to write letters and words. Some children do not do this accurately or do not have a firm pencil grip. Over time, for some pupils this is not corrected, and they do not develop the physical skills to write well. This leads to written work that is difficult to read.

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The school’s behaviour policy is in the early stages of being realised. There is a shared vision for the revised expectations among staff. Yet these are not fully understood by all pupils or reflected in their commitment or engagement in some of their learning. This results in instances where some pupils are distracted, and the learning of others is interrupted.

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Well-planned trips, visits and experiences broaden pupils’ development. Pupils learn to take managed risks and keep safe in forest school sessions. They learn to light a fire and warm marshmallows. Pupils learn to play musical instruments and can attend different clubs. This widens pupils’ interests and develops new talents. Children in the early years benefit from a range of visitors that broadens their understanding of the world. They learn the importance of oral hygiene from a dentist and the role of a police officer. Pupils’ spiritual development is enhanced by learning about world faiths and different cultural celebrations. They enjoy visits from the local pastor and visiting different places of worship, such as Norwich Cathedral.

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Staff share leaders’ vision to provide a positive environment for all pupils. They welcome the changes they are making and ongoing training. Staff feel supported and that their workload is well considered.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 4 and 5 June 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is variability in the quality of pupils’ written work. This is because pupils do not all develop the knowledge to form their letters, or hold their pencil, correctly. This makes some of their writing difficult to read. Leaders should ensure that they establish an effective programme to make sure pupils acquire the knowledge and physical skills to develop competent handwriting over time, starting from the early years.  The school’s revised expectations of the behaviour policy are in the early stages of implementation. These expectations are not fully reflected in all pupils’ commitment or engagement with learning. This means there are instances where some pupils are distracted, and the learning of others is interrupted. Leaders must ensure that they support staff to manage low-level disruption and promote positive learning behaviours.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 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.

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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 4 and 5 June 2024

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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). 4 and 5 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Paul Culley-Barber

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller school than is found on average nationally.  The school has breakfast club provision daily.

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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 met with the headteacher, deputy head teacher, teachers, pupils, subject leaders and special educational needs coordinator.  The inspector spoke with a representative from the local authority and the school’s education consultant. 4 and 5 June 2024

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 The inspector met with members of the governing board, including the chair and vice chair.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, around the school and at lunchtime. The inspector spoke to pupils and staff about pupils’ behaviour.  The inspector reviewed a wide range of documents, including the school’s self- evaluation, improvement plans, governor minutes and information on the school’s

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website.  The inspector considered 43 responses to Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free- text responses. The inspector also took account of responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Mireille MacRaild, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 4 and 5 June 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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