Edgar Sewter Community Primary School

Inspection of Edgar Sewter Community Primary School Norwich Road, Halesworth, Suffolk IP19 8BU

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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 Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Katherine Milk. This school is part of ASSET Education, a 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), Clare Flintoff, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Simon Evans- Evans. 3 and 4 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Edgar Sewter Primary School are happy and safe. The school has established high expectations of pupils. Pupils know the expectations and are striving hard to meet them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

After an unsettled period, the school has developed a well-planned curriculum. Pupils benefit from stronger teaching. As a result, they receive a much-improved quality of education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour expectations around the school are evident. Pupils know the simple but effective rules: ‘be ready, be respectful, be safe’. They generally behave well. Learning typically proceeds without disruption. In the playground, pupils benefit from a range of well-organised sporting activities. This means pupils are active and collaborate well with others in their play.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Post pandemic, the school identified a need to improve its pastoral support for pupils and their families. Pupils receive regular check-ins and support from trained adults in school. Forest school gives pupils an opportunity to take risks and build resilience. These opportunities help pupils to regulate their emotions and be ready to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils eagerly take on leadership roles and ensure that pupils have a voice. School and eco councillors make a meaningful contribution to school life. Pupils develop their confidence and leadership skills in these valued roles.

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better?

There was an unsettled period at this school. Inconsistencies in staffing led to a drop in standards. Published outcomes in 2023 reflect this. However, this academic year, clear improvement has taken place. The school, with the support of the trust, has established clear systems and expectations. Pupils are now typically learning the planned curriculum successfully.

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better?

Early years provision is a strength. Children show positive learning behaviours in both Nursery and Reception. The curriculum identifies what children should learn across all areas. Adult-led tasks and a well-resourced environment provide a wide range of learning activities across all areas. The knowledge pupils learn is carefully considered. Pupils build on what they learn as they move through the early years into Year 1. Children are well prepared for their next stage.

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better?

The early reading curriculum is effective. Staff receive training to teach reading as leaders intend. Skilled staff support pupils to learn sounds successfully. Pupils read books matched to their reading ability. Staff check pupils’ progress regularly. They provide extra targeted support where needed. As a result, pupils become confident, fluent readers. 3 and 4 July 2024

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The school has created clear ‘blueprints’ that set the expectations across the core subjects. For example, non-negotiables of writing are in place across all year groups. Leaders monitor this to ensure that staff insist on these consistently. There is a clear, structured approach to teaching reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers check what pupils know and they have catch-up support when required. Pupils are really benefiting from this. They are now achieving well.

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The wider curriculum is clearly planned. Links connect learning across year groups and subjects. This supports pupils to develop knowledge over time. However, on occasion, the wider curriculum is not adapted effectively. Curriculum content is not always broken down. As a result, not all pupils can access learning well. Therefore, some pupils have gaps in knowledge. Established systems and processes support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Plans identify and successfully remove pupils’ barriers to learning in core subjects. However, the provision to support all pupils, including pupils with SEND across the wider curriculum, is not yet as well established.

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Overall, the school manages effectively the behaviour of pupils across the school. Leaders have trained staff to manage pupils’ behaviour. Pupils know the expectations and benefit from the clear and consistent approach that leaders expect.

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Pupils have a strong understanding of various cultures and beliefs. Pupils value difference and understand the importance of respecting others. Pupils also have a clear understanding of bullying. They recognise that it does happen on occasion but know staff deal with it successfully.

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While many parents are positive about the school’s work, some parents do not feel part of the school community and would like more opportunities to communicate with school leaders. This has led to a feeling of disconnect between the school and some of its families.

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Staff feel valued and supported in their well-being and workload. They also value the training and support they receive to do their jobs effectively.

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The trust knows the school well. It provides a balance of support and challenge to school leaders. Local governors are developing into their roles. The trust is actively training and recruiting governors to strengthen this area.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 3 and 4 July 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, the school does not successfully adapt learning for pupils in some curriculum subjects. This means some pupils, including those with SEND, are unable to learn the planned curriculum successfully. The school should appropriately adapt learning tasks to meet all pupils’ needs. This will ensure that all pupils can make successful progress across all subjects.  The partnership between school and parents is improving, with many parents feeling positive about the school’s work to improve. However, where parents feel that there is a lack of effective communication and approachability within the school, they find it challenging to engage proactively with the school. The school should continue its work to develop structured communication channels and enhance the visibility of leaders so that the school can address parental concerns swiftly and consistently well.

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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). 3 and 4 July 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 26 and 27 February 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any providers of 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

 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.  Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors held meetings with leaders, including the CEO, deputy CEO, headteacher, deputy headteacher and members of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, religious education, history and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors 3 and 4 July 2024

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discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also listened to a sample of pupils read with a familiar member of staff.  To further inspect the curriculum, inspectors scrutinised a sample of workbooks to examine pupils’ writing from across the curriculum.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documentation, including behaviour logs, attendance records, pupil records, minutes of meetings of the local governing body, school development plans and school self-evaluation documents.

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 The inspection team considered the views of parents through responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also spoke with parents as they arrived at school.  Inspectors gathered the views of pupils and staff through the online staff and pupil surveys and discussions conducted throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Jonny Wallace, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lynn Ayling Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 July 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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