Little Snoring Community Primary Academy

Inspection of Little Snoring Community Primary Academy Thursford Road, Little Snoring, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 0JN

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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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The headteacher of this school is Suzannah Hayes. This school is part of the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies 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), Oliver Burwood, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Beverly Tilman. 17 and 18 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this caring and supportive school. The school’s motto, ‘have faith, flourish and fly high’, is deeply rooted across the school. Pupils feel safe and are valued. Staff encourage pupils and strive to meet their individual needs. Pupils benefit greatly from this daily support. They trust staff to listen to them and to help to solve any problems they share.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school holds high expectations for every pupil. Pupils learn important knowledge and skills through an ambitious and well-planned curriculum. The school ensures that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the curriculum effectively. Pupils enjoy the varied lessons that the staff plan for them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show positive attitudes to learning. Staff create calm, purposeful classrooms that help pupils to stay focused. Pupils understand the school’s rules and follow them well. Playtimes are enjoyable and friendly. Pupils form positive relationships with each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take part in a wide range of clubs and trips and take on leadership roles. These activities build their confidence and social skills. Pupils particularly enjoy sports tournaments. These experiences nurture their interests and talents. Leadership roles, such as reading buddies and Year 6 prefects, give pupils opportunities to contribute to their school community.

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

The school ensures that all pupils study a broad and balanced curriculum. It has been thoughtfully sequenced. The school has precisely defined the essential skills and knowledge it wants pupils to learn across all subjects. This enables pupils to build on their learning over time. Teachers regularly check pupils’ work. Pupils’ errors and misconceptions are quickly identified. Pupils are then able to learn from their mistakes. Staff have undertaken a range of curriculum training. This helps them to develop the skills and knowledge they need to teach the curriculum well.

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

The school has a strong reading culture. There is a sharp focus on making sure that pupils are taught the knowledge they need to become fluent readers. Pupils who struggle to read are quickly identified. Effective, targeted support is then provided, enabling pupils to quickly catch up. However, on occasion, teachers do not always ensure that the books some pupils read accurately match their reading and phonics knowledge. This means that some pupils are not able to develop their reading fluency as well as they could.

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

Children get off to a great start in the early years. Staff establish strong routines and relationships so that children settle quickly into school. The environment is safe, welcoming and designed to encourage children’s curiosity and exploration. Staff have a strong understanding of early childhood development. They plan a broad range of activities that meet children’s individual needs. Staff work hard to establish positive links with families. This helps to ensure that parents and carers are involved with their child’s learning. Consequently, children are prepared well for Year 1. 17 and 18 June 2025

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The school supports pupils with SEND incredibly well. Leaders have a clear overview of all pupils with SEND. Pupils’ learning support plans are detailed. Staff spend time understanding pupils’ individual needs and any barriers to learning. Teachers then expertly adapt the curriculum to meet these needs. This is helping pupils with SEND to access the curriculum successfully. They achieve well from their various starting points.

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The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and attendance. Pupils usually listen respectfully to staff and to each other. Staff skilfully support pupils in managing their emotions when needed. The school has strong procedures in place to promote good attendance. The school has built positive relationships with many pupils’ families. This helps to ensure parents clearly understand why regular attendance matters. Due to this work, more pupils now attend school regularly.

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The personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education programme is well planned and delivered with skill. Pupils learn how to stay safe outside of school and when online. They also learn to respect different cultures and faiths. They know the importance of good physical health and the value of positive mental well-being. Staff respond quickly to pupils’ worries. They address common concerns in PSHE lessons and assemblies effectively.

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The trust and school leaders have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and development priorities. They are proud of the school’s achievements and progress since the previous inspection. Leaders regularly consider staff well-being and have made positive changes to reduce staff workload. Staff are very proud to work at the school and feel well supported in their roles. For example, they have received support and a range of training delivered by the trust. This has given them the confidence and knowledge they need to teach the curriculum well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not always ensure that some pupils’ reading books accurately match their reading and phonics knowledge. This means that these pupils are not always able to read the books independently and this affects their reading fluency. The school should ensure that pupils’ reading books match their reading and phonics understanding so that they become confident and fluent readers. 17 and 18 June 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). 17 and 18 June 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 23 and 24 November 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust.  The school is federated with two other local primary schools, sharing school leaders and a local governing body. These are Sculthorpe Church of England Primary Academy and Colkirk Church of England Primary Academy.  The school provides a breakfast and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 17 and 18 June 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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.  The lead inspector met with governors, including the chair of the governing body and trust leaders, including the deputy CEO and the CEO.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, school leaders, staff and pupils.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics 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. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 considered responses to Ofsted’s pupil and staff surveys. They also considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments.

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Inspection team

Benjamin Axon, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Rob Edwards Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 June 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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