Beeston Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Beeston Primary School Chapel Lane, Beeston, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE32 2NQ

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Outcome

Beeston Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The executive headteacher of this school is Mark Cuenca-Farrow. This school is part of Unity Education 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), Glyn Hambling, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Alan Jones.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this welcoming and inclusive school. They feel happy, valued and secure here. They describe their school as a place where they are supported and safe, with staff who listen and help when needed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils successfully learn a range of important knowledge and skills across the curriculum. This is because the school has high expectations of their learning. Teachers support younger pupils to quickly become confident readers through expert instruction. Older pupils deepen their fluency and comprehension through encounters with a wide range of books.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is calm and respectful throughout the school. Staff teach routines and expectations that help pupils to focus and engage in their learning. Pupils show kindness towards one another. Teachers notice and reward pupils’ efforts and achievements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s focus on enrichment and personal development ensures that pupils grow not only in knowledge, but also in character. Daily assemblies encourage pupils to think about culture and conservation. Pupils have opportunities to engage in activities such as outdoor learning sessions. These foster resilience and teamwork. Leadership roles, such as house captains, encourage and develop responsibility. Pupils leave well prepared for their next steps. They are equipped with the skills and resilience to succeed. 17 December 2024

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

The school provides an ambitious curriculum. It is regularly reviewed and adapted to ensure it meets the needs of the mixed-age classes. As a result, pupils learn successfully and develop new interests in subjects such as history. Teachers teach new concepts in clear and engaging ways. This supports pupils’ learning in the wider curriculum, for example about the past, different religions and how to use modern technology. However, in some areas of the wider curriculum, the school does not always precisely check how well pupils learn. It has started to address this, but the impact is not yet secure.

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

Recent changes to the design of the mathematics curriculum have ensured that pupils learn important vocabulary to explain their thinking. Occasionally, due to limited practice, some pupils take longer to develop mathematical fluency. The school has plans to further strengthen teaching approaches that support pupils’ fluency in mathematics.

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

The school’s knowledge of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) ensures that pupils’ needs are identified quickly and accurately. As a result, pupils with SEND access the full curriculum as well as the school’s enrichment offer. The school has ensured that staff have the necessary expertise to make appropriate adjustments. These include additional adult support and physical resources where needed. The school’s strong focus on early reading benefits pupils, particularly pupils with SEND. This helps them to gain confidence and positive attitudes to learning.

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

Teachers expertly support children in the early years to learn the sounds that letters make. This solid foundation continues throughout the school. Teachers systematically address gaps in pupils’ reading ability. They provide targeted interventions to help them catch up when this is required. Pupils enjoy reading. They speak enthusiastically about their favourite books and stories.

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

Pupils display positive attitudes towards school. This is reflected in their calm and purposeful behaviour in lessons and during social times. Pupils understand routines and expectations. They respond positively to praise and rewards. This includes in the early years, where children learn successfully how to sing, dance and work together in pairs and groups.

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

The school’s provision for pupils’ wider development is well designed and effective. Pupils benefit from enrichment activities such as visits to museums and cultural events. These increase their awareness of the world around them. The personal, social, health and economic curriculum prepares pupils well for life beyond school. It teaches them about healthy relationships, internet safety and respect for diversity.

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

The school is focused and ambitious. It works closely with trust representatives to sustain high standards. The trust creates opportunities for collaborative working across schools. Consequently, staff benefit from shared expertise and support. Teachers feel supported by clear priorities and manageable workloads. The school is reflective, and committed to addressing gaps in curriculum design and staff training, particularly in the few subjects 17 December 2024

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that are not as far along in their development. The school monitors attendance carefully and works closely with families to effectively address potential barriers.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some areas of the wider curriculum, the school does not always precisely check how well pupils learn. As a result, pupils’ gaps in knowledge occasionally go unnoticed. The school should continue to sharpen its assessment strategies to ensure that any gaps in pupils’ knowledge are identified and promptly corrected.  Due to occasionally limited practice, some pupils take longer to develop mathematical fluency. This can limit their progress. The school should continue to embed teaching strategies to support and improve pupils’ fluency in mathematics.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2013. 17 December 2024

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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). 17 December 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use alternative provision.  The school provides before- and after-school care.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  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.  The lead inspector met with the CEO of the trust, a trustee and the director of quality assurance.  To evaluate the quality of education, inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 17 December 2024

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the school’s 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 inspectors spoke with several groups of pupils and observed their behaviour in lessons and at breaktimes.  The inspectors met with staff and considered their views expressed through Ofsted’s staff survey. The lead inspector also considered responses made by parents and carers to Ofsted Parent View and the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Hannah Stoten, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sally Garrett Ofsted Inspector 17 December 2024

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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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