The Wroxham School

Inspection of The Wroxham School Wroxham Gardens, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 3DJ

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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 Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

The head of school is Nicky Easey. This school is part of the Ivy Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Matthew Kleiner-Mann, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Deborah Thompson. There is also an executive headteacher, Philippa Moore, who is responsible for this school and one other.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected Wroxham Primary School as an academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection of the predecessor school. 4 and 5 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at The Wroxham are enthusiastic and interested learners. They like to work hard and want to achieve their best. Teachers have high standards and expectations and pupils happily try to live up to them. Pupils trust that staff will always help them. Staff make sure that pupils feel safe and are safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils behave well. Occasionally, pupils need to be reminded about the expectations for behaviour in class. This immediately helps them to refocus. Pupils and the staff have friendly and positive relationships. In the playground, pupils show care for one another. Children in the early years show independence and confidence when completing tasks. They are well prepared for the next stage in their education. This strong start continues as the pupils move through the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils can take on extra responsibilities and relish this opportunity. They realise that they can be a force for good. Pupils learn to become more resilient and other ways to build their character through the school’s ‘secret agents’. Pupils are learning British Sign Language, which helps them to develop empathy and communication skills.

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better?

The new school leaders have made major changes to the curriculum. They have also changed the teaching methods that staff are expected to use. For instance, staff now ensure that pupils recall past learning. This helps pupils’ knowledge develop securely. Staff have been well trained, and this training is ongoing. As a result, they now effectively implement the school’s updated teaching approaches. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. This enables them to explain learning clearly and give pupils knowledge, context and clarity. These changes have had a positive impact on pupils’ achievement. This is evident in nationally published outcomes. In the early years, children are exceptionally well supported in developing their communication and language skills. This gives them an exemplary foundation for their future learning.

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better?

In some subjects, ongoing curriculum changes are not yet fully embedded. The school is changing its teaching approaches and how it helps pupils to remember important key knowledge. As a result, pupils can remember new knowledge well, but have gaps in their understanding of past knowledge. This means that, in a few subjects, pupils do not remember and consolidate their learning as well as they could. Also, pupils have some gaps in their subject-specific vocabulary that have not been fully identified and addressed.

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better?

The school places a high priority on reading. Pupils enjoy reading and sharing why they like a particular book. This helps pupils to see the relevance of reading. Children learn phonics as soon as they start Reception. Skilled staff make sure children get the precise practice they need to build up their knowledge. This includes providing extra one-to-one sessions if they need this. Children make rapid progress 4 and 5 June 2024

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and are well prepared for their learning in Year 1. This positive start continues in key stage 1. Pupils achieve well in phonics.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported across the school. The school has well-developed systems to accurately identify pupils’ needs. This means that staff can provide precise, effective and targeted support for all pupils who need it. Collaboration with parents helps the school identify the pupils’ interests, strengths and development areas. As a result, staff know the pupils well. Pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Pupils know that everyone is unique and that we should celebrate and respect differences. They are eager to help others and know that their opinions count. Pupils asked the school leaders for more opportunities to raise money for charities. This happens and pupils work hard to help different groups of people through fundraising.

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Pupils understand, and most follow, the school rules well. Occasionally, pupils can become excitable and need reminders that this can disturb others. Pupils are clear that all teachers apply the school rules fairly and consistently. This means that pupils know what to do to behave well.

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Leaders, governors and the trust work well together to provide direction for the school. They share the same values and visions to ensure that pupils are ready for the next stage in their education. The school provides staff with focused and effective training. This improves their ability to provide pupils with a high quality of education. A few middle leaders need further development to be fully effective in their roles. Staff know and appreciate that their well-being is taken 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 some subjects, the school has changed its curriculum and is adapting its teaching approaches to improve pupils’ knowledge development. This means that pupils in the past have not always remembered learning securely and have gaps in their subject-specific language acquisition. The school needs to continue to make sure that pupils remember and consolidate knowledge securely through well-devised learning tasks. Also, any gaps in pupils’ subject-specific vocabulary need to be identified and addressed. 4 and 5 June 2024

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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). 4 and 5 June 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 16 and 17 May 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Ivy Learning Trust in October 2019.  The executive head started at the school in January 2023.  The school does not use any alternative providers of education.

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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 a 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, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and 4 and 5 June 2024

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding, including attendance, which puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, art and geography. 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 inspectors met with subject leaders and looked at a range of curriculum documentation and pupils’ work across other subjects, including writing, reading in key stage 2 and personal, social, health and economic education.  The inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher, head of school, deputy headteacher and the curriculum leaders.  The lead inspector also met with representatives from the trust, including the CEO and representatives from the governing board.

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 The inspectors spoke to pupils in class, in small groups and on the playground.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. They also considered the opinions of staff.

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Inspection team

Jessie Linsley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Nichola Pickford Ofsted 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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