Erpingham Voluntary Controlled Church of England Primary School

England Primary School

Address: School Road, Erpingham, Norwich, Norfolk, NR11 7QY Unique reference number (URN): 121036

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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This school requires special measures

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to provide an acceptable standard of education, and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils typically attend the school well. However, this is not reflected in the school’s published attendance. This is due to many pupils being on a flexi-schooled timetable. Leaders track and analyse pupil attendance at a whole-school level. Once a concern is identified, leaders act quickly to support the pupil. For example, some pupils have benefited from early morning pastoral support, which has helped improve their attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), generally behave well in school. They move around sensibly and behave appropriately at lunchtime. Leaders and staff have high expectations. Pupils understand what is expected of them. Staff follow the behaviour policy consistently. Clear routines help pupils feel safe and ready to learn. Pupils usually have positive attitudes to learning. Leaders keep a close eye on behaviour incidents and adjust support for pupils when it is needed. Records show that incidents of poor behaviour have reduced over time. Behaviour plans are used when pupils, including pupils with SEND, need more structured support. These typically help pupils to manage their behaviour well. Bullying rarely happens at the school. This is because leaders promptly manage concerns if they arise.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

More work needs to be done to ensure that pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are taught a curriculum that is suitably adapted to their needs and builds on their previous learning. Teachers do not routinely check what pupils know and remember effectively enough. As a result, learning activities do not typically provide opportunities for pupils to broaden and deepen their understanding.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The curriculum has recently been reviewed and updated by leaders. It is now more ambitious than it was previously, and learning is sequenced in a logical order. Leaders have identified the essential knowledge, including vocabulary, to be taught in each subject. Leaders deploy staff well. This has been challenging recently due to some staff changes. Leaders provide training and mentoring to staff. However, this package of support needs to be further developed as staff do not have the skills and knowledge they need to teach the curriculum consistently well. Leaders know the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum and teaching. They recognise that more needs to be done to ensure the curriculum is planned and taught well. Over the last 12 months, improvements have started to have a positive impact. For example, the school now has a systematic and synthetic phonics curriculum. Leaders have ensured that staff have received the training they need to teach phonics consistently well.

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Early years Needs attention

The early years curriculum is not coherently planned and sequenced across Nursery and Reception. This makes it hard for children to build knowledge securely over time. As a result, some children are not as well prepared for the next stage of learning as they should be. Leaders have begun work to address this but this is at an early stage and there is limited impact on children's achievement.

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Early years Needs attention

Children are welcomed warmly each day. They quickly build positive relationships with adults. Children, including the 2-year-olds, separate from parents and carers confidently at the start of the day. They then get busy with the tasks set out for them. Staff know the children well. They have created a safe and nurturing environment.

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Early years Needs attention

Staff typically use purposeful language and model new vocabulary. Children develop communication skills through conversations, stories and play. Phonics begins at the start of Reception. Staff teach sounds consistently and check children’s understanding. They act quickly when children need extra help.

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Early years Needs attention

Children access purposeful learning activities. They explore confidently, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, who benefit from thoughtful adaptations. This is because staff begin to identify any barriers to learning. Children play well together, take turns and manage their feelings. Staff work closely with parents and carers to support learning at home.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Within lessons, teaching does not routinely provide appropriate adaptations to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff do not have the knowledge and confidence to do this effectively. This results in some pupils not being able to access the intended learning successfully.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Due to the extensive flexi-schooling arrangements, some pupils miss out on the opportunities on offer here. Leaders work carefully to make sure that pupils feel included and part of the school community. For example, pupils can attend school clubs, theme days and educational trips.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders typically have a clear understanding of pupils’ individual needs. Staff identify barriers to learning early because leaders give clear guidance and support. The views of parents and carers are also considered and help to ensure that staff have useful information about pupils' needs. Leaders have begun to provide staff with the training they need to support pupils’ varying needs.

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Urgent improvement

Leaders oversee the school’s regular review cycle for pupils with SEND. They review and change support plans when needed. Leaders also work well with outside professionals. Targeted interventions, such as speech and language therapy, support pupils appropriately.

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Urgent improvement

Additional funding is used appropriately to support disadvantaged pupils. For example, extra help is provided when pupils have gaps in learning.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The school’s personal development programme has not been consistently implemented. As a result, pupils do not build up their learning in a systematic way. When taught, the curriculum for personal, social, health and economic education is ambitious and appropriately sequenced. It provides opportunities for pupils to develop their knowledge in areas such as online safety and healthy eating. Staff ensure that disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities can usually access the personal development curriculum.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The curriculum typically promotes pupils’ wider development. For example, pupils attend a range of educational trips, and visiting speakers help to spark pupils’ imaginations. Older pupils understand it is fine to be different. They also know they should be respectful of other people’s beliefs and interests. These opportunities help pupils to understand some democratic processes when living in modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The school typically develops pupils’ character appropriately. Pupils now benefit from leaders’ high expectations and opportunities. For example, pupil leadership roles, such as being a school councillor or eco-councillor, help pupils learn about the importance of listening to each other and caring for the environment.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Pupils have opportunities to access the school’s outside learning provision, which is well established. They describe how they learn about teamwork and how to use tools safely. These experiences encourage pupils’ independence and creativity. Staff also support pupils to stay physically and mentally healthy. For example, pupils can explain some simple strategies they use when they feel overwhelmed, such as sitting calmly or taking long, slow breaths.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Pupils can access pastoral support when they need it. Leaders and the pastoral team work closely with outside agencies to help identify barriers and support strategies. They provide targeted support as necessary.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Pupils have not achieved well enough for several years. For example, outcomes in the key stage 2 national assessments for reading, writing and mathematics remain well below the national averages. Similarly, pupils’ achievement in the Year 1 phonics screening check and the Year 4 multiplication tables check is also regularly below the national averages. Pupils across the school have not secured the essential skills in reading, writing and mathematics that they need. Pupils have not progressed through the curriculum as they should. As a result, pupils are not sufficiently prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, have too many gaps in their knowledge. This is because they have not been taught a curriculum that builds on their previous knowledge or they have missed school due to being flexi-schooled. Leaders have begun to address weaknesses in the curriculum and teaching. However, the impact of this work is limited at this stage.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Leaders have recently strengthened the phonics curriculum. Pupils have begun to develop appropriate reading fluency.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Over time, leaders have not addressed the improvements that the school has urgently needed. Improvements to curriculum design, assessment procedures and developing staff subject knowledge have not progressed quickly enough. As a result, pupils do not have the core skills they need to be appropriately prepared for the next stage of their education. Significantly, gaps in their knowledge remain unaddressed.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Governors’ and school leaders’ decisions are sometimes not in the best interests of children. Over time, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not achieve as well as they should. For example, the unaddressed weaknesses in the curriculum and the widespread use of flexi-schooling have contributed to below-average achievement in national assessments. This means that pupils are not prepared for the next stage of their learning journey.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders have provided training to develop staff’s curriculum knowledge and skills. However, this has not improved the quality or consistency of teaching. For example, staff do not use the school’s assessment procedures well enough to understand what pupils know and remember. Teachers then lack the knowledge they need when adapting the curriculum to build on pupils’ current knowledge.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The new leadership team has made some positive changes. However, with staff changes and leaders managing other schools in the federation, the capacity of leaders has been very limited. This has resulted in rapid improvements not taking place quickly enough.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

School leaders and governors consider staff workload. They appreciate that, with the increased expectations over the last year, some staff need extra support. Staff typically feel valued by leaders.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils attending this school do not receive the acceptable level of education that they are entitled to. Governors and school leaders have not rapidly addressed weaknesses in the curriculum and teaching identified at the previous inspection. Their decisions have not always been in the best interests of pupils. For example, the use of flexi-schooling is not well considered. Over many years, this has resulted in a number of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged, not accessing a full-time education.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils have too many gaps in their knowledge. These gaps are not quickly and appropriately addressed. As a result, most pupils are not prepared for the next stage of their learning journey. The school has recently improved the phonics and writing curriculum. However, it is too early to see the full impact of these improvements on pupils’ national assessments.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils typically enjoy school and show positive attitudes to learning. They usually behave well in lessons and around the school. Relationships between pupils and staff are positive and supportive. As a result, pupils usually feel they belong to the school community.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Staff know the pupils well. They use this knowledge to guide behaviour and provide support when needed. Pupils trust staff and say they feel safe. When concerns arise, staff respond promptly. For example, pastoral support is provided when needed. This helps to keep pupils safe in school. Pupils arrive on time each day. Leaders monitor attendance patterns and act early when concerns emerge.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils take part in wider curriculum opportunities. They enjoy outdoor learning, for example. They build dens, explore nature and develop their teamwork skills. Pupils learn about different cultures. They know that it is okay to have differing beliefs and views compared with other people.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the early years curriculum is coherently planned and taught so children build their knowledge securely across all areas of learning. Leaders should ensure that pupils develop the foundational knowledge they need to be well prepared for their next stage of education. Leaders should ensure that staff provide appropriate support and adaptations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities so that barriers to learning are reduced. Leaders should ensure that teachers have the subject knowledge and skills they need to teach the curriculum consistently well, including effective use of assessment so that gaps in pupils' knowledge are addressed swiftly. School leaders and governors should strengthen their strategic oversight so that decisions consistently support positive outcomes for all pupils. This includes careful consideration and review of the use of flexi-schooling so that as many pupils as possible

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Jeremy Marris.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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School and pupil context

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School and pupil context

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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School and pupil context

Inspectors spoke with the executive headteacher, school leaders, representatives of the governing body, local authority, diocese, staff and pupils.

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School and pupil context

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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School and pupil context

The school may not appoint early career teachers before the next monitoring inspection. The position regarding the appointment of early career teachers will be considered again during any monitoring inspection we carry out.

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School and pupil context

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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School and pupil context

The school uses no alternative provision.

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School and pupil context

The executive headteacher has been in post since September 2025.

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School and pupil context

This school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. It is in the Diocese of Norwich. Its last section 48 inspection was in November 2024.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support. National average: 3.5%

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2022/23 (final) S 59% S ‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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