Nacton Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Nacton Church of England Primary School The Street, Nacton, Ipswich, Suffolk IP10 0EU

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Outcome

Nacton Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Gemma Taylor. The school is part of the St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Tracey Caffull, and overseen by a board of directors, chaired by Andrew Blit.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and happy at school. Bullying is rare and everyone is kind to each other. School values are evident in pupils’ behaviour and their eagerness to learn. There is no disruption of any kind in lessons because pupils respect staff and one another. Pupils listen attentively to their teachers and take pride in their work.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning because the curriculum is interesting. They like the visits and visitors that bring to life the subjects they learn. Teachers have high expectations for what all pupils can achieve. They explain things well and help pupils to improve their learning. If pupils get stuck, teachers help them to figure out problems for themselves, so they develop independence. Pupils achieve well and standards are improving because pupils are clear about what they must learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take an active part in the life of their school. They participate in the wide range of extra-curricular activities, including the many clubs provided. Pupils value the opportunity to make a difference, for example by assisting school improvement through the school council and their other responsibilities, such as house captains. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education and life in modern Britain. 4 March 2025

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

The school has radically overhauled the curriculum since the previous inspection. It has created an ambitious and carefully sequenced curriculum. The introduction of ‘knowledge gems’ helps to ensure that pupils gain the important knowledge the school has identified. In a few subjects, although pupils remember key facts, they do not have sufficient opportunity to revisit underlying concepts. This means pupils do not always understand how facts help build towards key themes. For example, in art and design, pupils cannot explain how the techniques they have learned will help them to improve their drawings.

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

Teachers are generally happy with how the school considers their workload. They acknowledge that the rapid curriculum change has meant they have had more to do over the last year. Most value the support and training they receive from the school and the trust.

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

Reading is of the highest priority to the school. Children rapidly learn their sounds in the Reception class. Most can read simple words and some can use their phonics knowledge to write simple sentences. All staff have been trained effectively in the phonics curriculum, so phonics is taught consistently well throughout the school. Most pupils can read fluently by the end of Year 2. Pupils love reading. Many talk enthusiastically about their favourite authors and the types of books they like to read. Older pupils are pleased that they have time to read their favourite books every day at school. Some choose reading a book, in their own time, above their electronic devices.

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

The school has recently revised and simplified its behaviour system. Staff use the new approach consistently well and there is a calm and purposeful working environment in all classrooms. Pupils value the house points that they earn for behaving well in lessons and around the school. Breaktimes are a happy, social occasion because pupils enjoy playing with their many friends. Pupils appreciate the wide range of activities provided at lunchtimes that help keep them physically active.

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

The school has effective systems to identify pupils with special educational needs and or disabilities (SEND) and has put in place provision to meet their needs. Teachers carefully adapt learning activities so that all pupils can access the curriculum. Pupils with SEND make strong progress through the curriculum. The school works well with external experts to ensure that pupils get the help they need to achieve their best.

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

Children in the early years benefit from a well-designed and engaging curriculum. They are eager to learn and behave well when collaborating in learning activities. There is a strong focus on developing children’s vocabulary through stories, rhymes and role-play. Children rapidly learn to express their ideas in full sentences. They can explain what they are learning using technical vocabulary. There are many opportunities to practise their skills in reading, writing and mathematics throughout the day.

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

There is extensive provision to enable pupils’ personal development. Pupils have many opportunities to contribute to the school and wider community, for example the young entrepreneur team and raising money for charity. Pupils learn how to manage their 4 March 2025

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mental health and well-being and to sustain positive relationships. They learn the importance of democracy, including through visits from local councillors.

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Members of the local governing body know their school well. They benefit from the strong governance of the trust and the training they receive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, pupils do not have sufficient opportunity to revisit fundamental concepts. This means pupils do not always understand how the facts they learn help build towards the important knowledge and understanding the school has planned. The school should ensure that pupils have opportunities to revisit important concepts as well as facts so that they know how these facts enable them to understand broader themes and more complex ideas.

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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 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in October 2019. 4 March 2025

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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). 4 March 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 1 and 2 October 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher was appointed in January 2024. She had been acting headteacher from September 2023. There have been several other staffing changes since the school was last inspected.  The trust has appointed a new chair and chief executive officer since the last inspection.  The school uses one registered alternative provision.  This Church of England school is part of the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. Its denominational education was last inspected, under section 48 of the Education Act 2005, in 2017.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 4 March 2025

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, inspectors met with senior leaders, teachers, the chair and members of the local governing body, representatives from the trust and the diocese.  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 scrutinised provision for pupils with SEND.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. The inspectors considered

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responses to the survey for parents and carers, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Julie Winyard, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Alastair Heath-Robinson Ofsted Inspector 4 March 2025

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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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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