Normanton Common Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Normanton Common Primary Academy Castleford Road, Normanton, West Yorkshire WF6 1QU

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Outcome

Normanton Common Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Courtenay Walls. This school is part of Waterton 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), David Dickinson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Stephen Johnson.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming, happy and harmonious school. The ‘shine’ values of success, happiness, inspiration and nurture for everyone, are lived out by staff and pupils. The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and academic achievement. Pupils rise to meet these expectations. Pupils leave Normanton Common fully prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in school. They feel safe and happy. Unkind words are rare. Adults help pupils to get along if there are ever any arguments. Children in early years are excited by their learning. Pupils are welcoming to visitors. They have a variety of leadership opportunities, including being reading ambassadors or part of the trust pupil parliament. There is a ‘buzz’ in school. Pupils enjoy being here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The themes and topics that pupils study are wide and varied. As the school works to further strengthen the curriculum, teachers and pupils alike know exactly what content is to be covered in different subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a specific focus on helping pupils to understand and celebrate difference. A focus on significant people in the curriculum helps to broaden pupils’ understanding of British society.

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

The school wants to ensure that pupils are active learners, active citizens and active communicators. It is successful in doing so. These themes are alive in classrooms. 11 and 12 July 2024

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The school ensures that pupils develop a love of reading. This journey starts as soon as children join school. The school’s chosen phonics programme is expertly delivered. The progress that pupils make is carefully monitored. Staff ensure that any gaps in pupils’ phonics knowledge are identified and addressed. Pupils achieve well in phonics. They develop the skills that they need to become fluent, confident readers. The school has thought deeply about the texts and genres that pupils will study in English. Pupils appreciate the books that they read. The library and class reading corners are well used. One pupil summed this up when they said that, ‘Reading is like a holiday in your head.’

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In several subjects, such as history and mathematics, the school is very precise about what knowledge should be taught. This starts from the early years. In mathematics, for example, a sequenced set of ‘stem sentences’ is used to help teachers and pupils know how their learning builds step by step. In history, knowledge organisers help pupils to know exactly what they need to learn. Quizzes directly related to this knowledge help teachers to check how much pupils have remembered. Pupils’ understanding of chronology is particularly strong. The school is working to make sure that all subjects are as clearly considered as this. Some subjects are further developed than others.

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The school is inclusive. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully integrated into life at school. Their needs are met. Pupils accept each other’s differences. There is a tender approach to supporting pupils at school. There is a renewed focus on explicitly teaching the protected characteristics and fundamental British values. The approach is not tokenistic. This ‘challenge and educate’ approach is embedded within the curriculum and books that pupils study. Pupils know that they need to treat everyone equally, even though they may be different.

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The foundations for learning are set effectively in early years. Children focus well on their learning and develop well socially. They learn to care for each other, take turns and try their best.

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Pupils enjoy school. The vast majority attend school regularly and often. There are a range of clubs, sports events and visits on offer. These include football, dance, handball and residential visits. Pupils have the opportunity to contribute to their community through eco-council, school council and being subject ambassadors.

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The school works with parents in a variety of ways. Inspire mornings, where parents are invited into school to read with pupils or learn about the topics being studied, are appreciated. The school has an active social media presence, and events and successes are shared regularly with the local community.

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The school has a keen sense of its own strengths and areas for development. School leaders are supported by members of the trust in continuing to improve the school. Teachers appreciate the renewed focus on subject leadership.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 11 and 12 July 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subjects are further ahead in identifying the precise knowledge that needs to be taught and in what order. As a result, pupils’ achievement in some foundation subjects is stronger than others. The school should continue to develop all foundation subjects and ensure that these curriculums are implemented effectively.

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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 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). 11 and 12 July 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 26 and 27 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Waterton Academy Trust.  A new headteacher has been appointed since the previous inspection.  The school does not use any alternative providers.  A breakfast club operates on site under the management of the school.

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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 his evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, other school leaders, school staff, representatives of the academy standards council, representatives of the trust central team and the CEO. 11 and 12 July 2024

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector 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 inspector listened to pupils from Reception and Years 1, 2 and 3 reading to a familiar adult.  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 around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Michael Wardle, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 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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