Wicklewood Primary School and Nursery

Wicklewood Primary School Inspection report

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121205 Unique Reference Number NORFOLK Local Authority 292055 Inspection number 25 °26 June 2007 Inspection dates Jill Bavin Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Primary Type of school Foundation School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 165 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Kevin Oelrichs Chair Mrs Brenda Scade Headteacher 15 October 2001 Date of previous school inspection Hackford Road School address Wicklewood Wymondham Norfolk NR18 9QJ

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01953602333 Telephone number 01953602333 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 25 °26 June 2007 Inspection dates 292055 Inspection number .

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors

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Description of the school

This is a small school serving a rural area just outside Norwich. There are more boys than girls. Most pupils are of White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is broadly average but twice as many pupils as usual have statements of special educational need. Very few pupils are eligible for free school meals. The number of pupils in each year group varies but cohorts are often small. Far more pupils than usual leave or join the school after Year 2.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Wicklewood Primary School, 25 °26 June 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school providing good value for money. It has sustained the many strengths found at the time of the previous inspection and continued to develop. Parents value the school highly. They write, for example, that their children have 'flourished' at the school; 'very much enjoy' school; 'I have been astounded at the progress made by both my children' and 'I have been amazed at what he has achieved in one school year'. Those whose children have joined the school during Key Stage 2 write that they appreciate the 'warm welcome' their child has received. Many children join the school with lower skills than expected for their age; this is especially marked in language skills for those children who start in the reception class. Standards by the end of Year 6 are average. All groups of pupils make good progress throughout the school, including pupils in the Foundation Stage, those who find learning difficult, those who stay in

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Grade: 2

school longest and those who join during Key Stage 2. This is because of good teaching and good leadership and management. Senior staff, teachers and teaching assistants work as a cohesive team with the stated intention of fostering a love of learning in all pupils. This contributes to pupils' enjoyment and readiness to learn. However, opportunities for pupils to learn independently are sometimes missed. The curriculum is good; well matched to pupils' interests and abilities. The richness of language teaching and special projects support pupils' spiritual and cultural development exceptionally well. Pupils are well cared for. They feel safe and confident of adult support in a nurturing environment. This helps them make good progress in their personal development. Outstanding spiritual and cultural development means that they are remarkably mature in their tolerance of people who differ from themselves as well as in their consideration of life's difficult questions

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Grade: 2

and their self-awareness. Academic guidance is good but the sharing of short-term goals with individual pupils which they can use to measure their own learning is inconsistent. The school's successes are the result of good leadership at all levels within the school. The headteacher and deputy are far from complacent. They and the governors know the school well and their priorities for continuing improvement are well chosen. Subject leaders make a positive contribution to monitoring standards in their subjects and raising them further. This is why previous strengths have been sustained, further improvements made and new initiatives embraced. There is scope for the school to analyse even more fully the impact of its curriculum initiatives on pupils' learning because it does not always know what does or does not work well and why. Nevertheless, the school is well placed for further improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that teachers consistently use assessment information to set targets for individuals as well as for groups of pupils, and share these with pupils. • Give pupils more opportunities to learn independently and to plan and evaluate their own learning. • Evaluate and analyse the impact of curriculum initiatives on pupils' learning so that the school is in an even better position to bring about any needed improvements to provision. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Wicklewood Primary School, 25 °26 June 2007

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good throughout the school. Standards on entry to the Reception class vary slightly year-by-year. However, for most children it is typically low across the range of expected skills. Good teaching means that, by the end of reception, children have made good progress. Consequently, standards are closer to expectations for their age, but still below average. Good teaching and learning continue so that standards are broadly average by the end of Year 2. Despite good progress being made in Key Stage 2 standards remain broadly average at Year 6. This is due to significant pupil mobility. Fewer than half the pupils who start Year 3 continue at the school to the end of Year 6 and over half the Year 6 pupils have joined the school at some point during Key Stage 2. Inspection findings indicate that, given their starting points, all pupils including late entrants, make good progress. The school is good at assimilating

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Grade: 2

newcomers, including pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and, as a result, pupils with additional needs also make good progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development is good overall. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Opportunities such as watching partridge chicks hatch in the school's incubator, and appreciating why some die, make a major contribution to their exceptional spiritual understanding. Pupils behave well, treat each other with respect, develop a strong sense of justice and tolerance and understand how to keep themselves safe. This is a significant part of their development in social responsibility and community understanding. Pupils say learning is fun. Their attitudes to school are good and attendance is above average. However, opportunities for them to learn more independently are not yet embedded in all lessons. Parents appreciate the significant strengths of the school such as the opportunities provided to learn languages, which support exceptional cultural and multicultural development. The school council

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Grade: 2

plays an increasing role in school life, for example in interviews for the next headteacher. All these strengths stand pupils in very good stead for their future lives.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Teachers have high expectations of pupils, seamless behaviour management skills and good subject knowledge. Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to pupils' learning, providing sensitive support, especially for those pupils who find learning difficult. Accurate assessment means that most lessons are planned to meet the needs of the full range of abilities within the class effectively. However, learning is sometimes constrained because, whilst teachers identify unambiguous learning intentions, they do not routinely share these clearly enough with pupils. Teaching methods do not always allow pupils to work as independently as possible or involve them in identifying what they have achieved. However, working relationships are strong. Pupils appreciate the help they receive and this makes an important contribution to their enjoyment, readiness to learn and good progress.

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Grade: 2

5 of 11 Inspection Report: Wicklewood Primary School, 25 °26 June 2007

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Grade: 2

Activities, including those in the Foundation Stage, are good overall and fully meet national curriculum requirements. They are well planned with due attention to developing pupils' key skills. The school has undertaken a significant curriculum review over the past couple of years. What is taught is now tailored ever more effectively to pupils' needs. Work has been, and is, focused on the development of themes which cross subject boundaries, becoming increasingly interesting for pupils and contributing significantly to their enjoyment. The analysis and evaluation of the impact of these exciting initiatives on pupils' learning are underdeveloped. There is good provision for extra-curricular clubs and activities, and enrichment work for gifted and talented pupils, including Latin. Pupils' experience of at least two modern foreign languages is a growing strength and supports pupils' literacy development well. Personal, social and health

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Grade: 2

education helps to underpin pupils' personal development, and their understanding of citizenship and healthy lifestyles.

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Grade: 2

Care and pastoral support for all pupils are good. Pupils place justified trust in adults at the school. Systems for tracking pupils' academic progress, and identifying any potential underachievement, are good. Pupils say they feel well-supported by teachers both academically and personally. However, teachers' use of assessment information to set targets for individuals, as well as for groups of pupils, is inconsistent. Guidance for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is particularly strong. Individual education plans for these pupils are very good because they are pupil-friendly and help them understand how to make progress. Pupils understand the value of healthy eating because healthy lifestyles are promoted well. There are strong links with other schools and support agencies. There is good support and guidance for pupils as they move from one stage of education to the next. Procedures for safeguarding

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Grade: 2

pupils are clear and understood well by staff: they are reviewed regularly by senior staff and governors. Pupils are enabled to have a good understanding of how to stay safe at school. Concerns raised by some parents during the inspection were discussed with the school and are being examined by the appropriate bodies.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good at all levels. The headteacher, ably supported by her deputy, leads a highly inclusive and welcoming school. Parents write that they value the school's 'stable and nurturing' learning environment. Senior management is supported well by colleagues in the drive for continuing improvement. There is a shared determination that pupils will develop a love of learning. There are good systems for checking the school's performance overall. Consequently, the headteacher and deputy have a good knowledge and understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development. They share with their colleagues an accurate assessment of the school's work and well-chosen priorities. This keeps staff well informed and working together as an effective team. Thus, subject leaders, in spite of many being new to their roles, make a positive contribution to judging what is working well in the school and what

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Grade: 2

needs to be prioritised next. Consequently, the school is successfully meeting challenging 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Wicklewood Primary School, 25 °26 June 2007 targets. However, the monitoring of curriculum initiatives has not been able to identify exactly what has been successful and why. This is limiting the school in its ability to make curriculum decisions based on the very best possible information. Some parents would like to receive more information from the school and governors. Governance is good. Governors take their role seriously, keep a close check on the school's development and keep records of the outcome of most of their visits. However, they do not always make the extent and outcome of their work clear to parents. Nevertheless, they have a good understanding of the challenges faced by the school and are prepared to take difficult decisions. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Wicklewood Primary School, 25 °26 June 2007

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Wicklewood Primary School, 25 °26 June 2007

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Wicklewood Primary School, 25 °26 June 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Wicklewood Primary School, 25 °26 June 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

27 June 2007 Dear Children Inspection of Wicklewood Primary School, Wicklewood, NR18 9QJ Thank you for being so friendly and welcoming when we visited your school recently. A special thank you for letting us use the room set aside for the partridge chicks which meant you couldn't visit them. We agree with you and your parents that you go to a good school. Here are some of the very best things about your school:- • everyone makes good progress in English and mathematics • you behave well, are kind to each other and enjoy learning • you are unusually grown up in talking about your feelings and serious ideas • you are genuinely interested in different cultures and languages, much more than many children of your age • you have lots of really interesting activities • you get on well with the adults in your school and know they care about you, so that you feel safe and happy • the headteacher and deputy lead the school well, so all the adults share ideas about how to

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

make sure the school keeps getting even better. We have asked the headteacher and staff to make sure that you know exactly what you have done well and how to make your work even better, more often. Sometimes you sit very quietly for a long time in lessons. We have asked teachers to organise lessons so that you are even more actively and independently involved in them. The school is good at finding new fun things for you to do. We have asked them to make sure they know which new ideas work best. Thank you again for talking with us so helpfully. We hope you continue to enjoy learning this much. Jill Bavin Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Wicklewood Primary School, 25 °26 June 2007

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