St. Clements Hill Primary Academy

Inspection of St. Clements Hill Primary Academy 50 Le Safferne Gardens, Norwich NR3 4AR

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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 Jessica Gardner. This school is part of the Broad Horizons 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), Owen Jenkins, and overseen by a board of directors, chaired by Chris Snudden. 17 and 18 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at school. They have lots of kind friends and feel part of a caring school community. Pupils enjoy learning because teachers make lessons interesting and fun and explain things well. If pupils are stuck, staff give them the support needed to understand the work. The school has high expectations for what all pupils can achieve, and standards are rising.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour in lessons and around the school is usually calm and orderly as all staff use the behaviour policy consistently well. Some pupils have difficulty managing their own behaviour. There are effective strategies in place to help them, but very occasionally other pupils’ concentration is interrupted. Pupils have a trusted adult they can go to if they are worried about anything, so they feel safe at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are many opportunities for older pupils to contribute to the life of their school. For example, pupils are proud to be team captains, especially leading meetings and handing out certificates in assembly. All pupils take part in the many enrichment activities such as learning sign language. Pupils enjoy the varied curriculum visits, visitors and clubs the school provides.

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

The school has addressed the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection. The trust has ensured the right staff are in place to secure further improvement. The curriculum identifies the important knowledge pupils will learn and is carefully sequenced. Leaders have accurately identified small improvements still needed in a few subjects and are actioning these. Teachers help pupils remember what they have learned. For example, they use ‘flashbacks’ to help pupils to recall and build on prior learning.

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

Teachers have strong subject knowledge due to the effective training and coaching they receive. Leaders advise teachers on how best to teach different subjects and check that pupils are learning well in these subjects. Staff are proud to work at the school due to the strong teamwork ethos, support for their well-being and helpful professional development.

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

Children begin learning phonics as soon as they start in Reception. They rapidly learn their sounds and can read simple sentences by the end of Reception. Phonics teaching continues through key stage 1. The school rapidly identifies any pupils who are falling behind and gives effective support, so they quickly catch up. Most pupils are fluent readers by the end of Year 2. Most pupils enjoy reading. They love choosing books and reading in the library as well as in class. Older pupils find reading relaxing because they ‘can get sucked into a book for hours.’ Many choose a book to read when they get home. Older pupils can name their favourite authors, the types of books they prefer, and say why.

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

The school provides exceptionally strong support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has robust systems to identify pupils’ individual needs. It works effectively with parents and carers and external experts to ensure pupils 17 and 18 June 2025

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get the best support to meet their needs. Staff are well trained and ensure that pupils’ individual needs are met. Pupils with SEND are included in all school activities. The curriculum is suitably adapted so that pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Children in Reception are happy, safe and enjoy learning. The curriculum is carefully designed so children gain knowledge, understanding and skills in readiness for Year 1. There are suitable adaptations for children with SEND. Children behave well because they enjoy learning activities. Strong, consistent routines help children to settle quickly and concentrate well. Staff use effective questioning to deepen children’s thinking.

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Pupils know and understand the school’s approach to behaviour. Pupils value the range of rewards for good behaviour and the opportunity to reflect and improve their behaviour. As a result, suspensions have reduced throughout the year. Attendance continues to improve because the school supports and challenges families when needed.

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The regularly reviewed ‘St Clement’s 60 Experiences’ maps out how all pupils will gain experiences across sports, the arts, life skills and the outdoors. For example, there are opportunities for all pupils to help tend the beautiful garden and to feed local chickens. Pupils understand and embrace difference and there is a strong sense of community across the school. However, pupils lack opportunities to contribute to the wider local community, so they do not know enough about the needs in the area their school serves. The school has an effective transition programme for pupils who join the school and for those moving on to high school. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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Leaders know the school’s strengths and have accurately identified areas for further development. Local governors and the trust provide stringent oversight and effective support to the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils lack opportunities to make a positive contribution to the wider local community. They do not know about some of the needs and context of their local community. The school should ensure that all pupils can contribute to the life of the school and the wider local community. 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 2 and 3 February 2023, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This academic year the school has a Year 6 cohort for the first time.  Pupils regularly join the school at different times, not always from Reception.  The school does not currently use 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. 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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 17 and 18 June 2025

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, inspectors met with senior leaders and representatives from the Broad Horizons multi-academy trust.  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 met with the special educational needs coordinator and reviewed the provision for pupils with SEND.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, history, mathematics, and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils

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about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. In addition, inspectors spoke to pupils about their work in some other subjects.  Inspectors spoke to some parents before school. Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s parent survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. They also reviewed responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Julie Winyard, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jules Stops 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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