Blofield Primary School

Blofield Primary School Inspection report

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120788 Unique Reference Number NORFOLK LA Local Authority 313738 Inspection number 17 October 2007 Inspection date John Messer 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 Community School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 209 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Ken D'Rosario Chair Mr Chris Clements Headteacher 23 February 2004 Date of previous school inspection North Street School address Blofield Norwich NR13 4RH 01603 713386 Telephone number 01603 716294 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 17 October 2007 Inspection date 313738 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 one Additional Inspector. The inspector evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the quality of provision in the Foundation Stage, the progress made in literacy and numeracy in Years 1 to 6 and whether pupils have enough guidance about reaching the next stages in their learning. Evidence was gathered from classroom visits, discussions with staff and pupils and examination of school documents, especially assessment data. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail but the inspector found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation form, were not justified and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

This village school is slightly smaller than average. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is below average. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds. A small number of pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is below average. Attainment on entry to the school is average. Most pupils come from within the village but an increasing number come from further afield, often at different times during this phase of their education.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: Blofield Primary School, 17 October 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school where pupils achieve well. All staff share a common commitment to doing everything they can to help pupils succeed. Consequently, some features of the school are outstanding. Children receive an excellent start to their schooling in the Reception class where they make exceptionally good progress in all areas of learning. Pupils, including those with learning difficulties or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress in Years 1 to 6. In national assessments and tests for pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 the school's performance is always above national averages in English, mathematics and science. Pupils in Year 6 did particularly well in English in 2006 when results were exceptionally high and the proportion of pupils who exceeded the national target of Level 4 and reached the higher Level 5 standard was well above the national average. The curriculum is good and provides pupils with a well rounded education. Sport features

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Grade: 2

strongly, the choir sings beautifully and pupils produce some top quality work in art and design. French is taught in Years 3 to 6 and pupils reach a high standard. There is a good range of visits, including to Paris, that add an extra dimension to pupils' learning and social development. Visitors to the school, including a builder who explained how he used mathematics in his work, enhance learning. Special 'Enrichment Weeks' are organised to provide pupils with good opportunities to enjoy learning new skills. Pupils' personal development is outstanding because they are encouraged to become confident learners. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Behaviour in and around the school is exceptionally good. Older pupils relish opportunities to help the younger ones, such as helping them at playtime. They also use their skills in science and technology to make electric quiz games for the younger ones. Pupils develop a good understanding of their

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Grade: 2

responsibilities to the wider community by supporting charities and wholeheartedly participate in the school's recycling initiatives. Attendance is above average. Overall, care, guidance and support are good. The nurturing approach to pastoral care and guidance successfully helps pupils to know how to stay safe and look after themselves. All child protection and safeguarding requirements are met. Academic guidance is rightly identified by the school as an area for development. Pupils have targets to aim at to improve their work but these do not always give them a clear enough understanding of exactly what they need to do to reach the next stages in their learning. They have an excellent understanding of how to lead a healthy lifestyle. They talk sensibly about their work and become self-assured young people who are proud to be members of the school community. Pupils are prepared well for the next phase of their education.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good because teachers are skilled at motivating pupils to learn. Consequently, pupils are eager to please, keen to succeed and demonstrate a high degree of enjoyment for learning. Lessons are carefully planned. In the best lessons teachers tell pupils precisely what new skills they are expecting them to learn during the course of each lesson. Towards the end of the session they assess the success of the learning and this feeds into plans for subsequent lessons. The school is working towards introducing more technology, including additional interactive white boards, to support teaching and learning. The leadership, management and governance of the school is good because leaders set the tone and successfully promote a productive climate for learning. The school aims to enable all pupils to do their very best and although standards are above average, it is not complacent. It 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Blofield Primary School, 17 October 2007

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Grade: 2

has just embarked on a programme of personalised learning that helps set targets for each pupil. Nevertheless, there is scope to make the target setting process even more robust. The school recognises the need to identify very precise goals in relation to the amount of progress expected for each pupil in literacy and numeracy over each term and each year. Inspection findings confirm that the school's self-evaluation is accurate. The headteacher carefully considers the school's continuing development and sets a clear focus for action. The school's improvement and management plan is used well as a tool to bring about change as it presents a clear picture of how the school intends to bring about any necessary changes in provision. Consequently, the school demonstrates good capacity to improve. Parents are delighted with the education provided for their children. They appreciate all the hard work that the staff put in to create such a productive learning environment. One comment

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Grade: 2

was typical, 'The school has helped to build the confidence of our children and they feel they are part of a big family rather than being lost in the crowd'. The school's finances are managed extremely well and overall, the school provides good value for money. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. The leadership is always seeking to make further advances and welcomes fresh ideas to support learning. The school has good capacity to go from strength to strength.

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Grade: 1

Children receive a warm welcome and settle quickly in the Reception class. Teaching is excellent so children make exceptionally good progress in all areas of learning. The classroom and the outside area have been carefully planned to provide an exciting learning environment. There is a strong emphasis on developing early reading and writing skills as well as on numbers, shapes and patterns. Consequently children get a excellent grounding in developing early literacy and numeracy skills. Children are encouraged to be independent. They mix the ingredients to make their own play dough, for example, and are taught how to use knives safely to cut up fruit to make fruit juice drinks. They enjoy making 'silly soup' with objects beginning with 'm' and pedalling carefully around the miniature road, obeying road signals. They take photographs with digital cameras and large coloured photographs are displayed around the room. These

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Grade: 1

help children to remember what they have experienced, provide good talking points and help to consolidate learning. Most pupils exceed the early learning goals by the end of the reception year.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Identify even more precisely how much progress pupils are expected to make each term in literacy and numeracy and set clear targets that help pupils make as much progress as possible. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Blofield Primary School, 17 October 2007 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: Blofield Primary School, 17 October 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? Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 1 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 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 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 The behaviour of learners 1 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. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: Blofield Primary School, 17 October 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: Blofield Primary School, 17 October 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

18 October 2007 Dear Children Inspection of Blofield Primary School, Blofield, Norwich NR13 4RH What a good school! I thoroughly enjoyed my short visit. Thank you for being so friendly and helpful. I was impressed by many things about your school. The youngest children in the Reception class receive an excellent start to school. They do lots of exciting things, such as cutting up an amazing range of different fruits and making their own delicious 'smoothies'. The older ones are very good at helping the youngest children and that helps to make the school seem very much like one big happy family. Your behaviour is excellent and you love learning new things. You work hard but also enjoy having fun. You always do your best and so you make good progress in your learning. You are good at reading, writing, mathematics and science. You are also good at sports and I was amazed at the number of trophies you have won. You produce

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

some lovely work in art and design and the choir sings beautifully. The grounds are lovely and the swimming pool is used well so that everybody learns to swim. I was pleased to see that you are so keen to look after our planet by saving energy, recycling as much as possible and using water carefully. You know how to stay safe and look after yourselves and others. You told me that one of the best things about the school was the teachers and I agree. All the grown ups do their best to help each and every one of you to feel happy and to learn successfully. Mr Clements and all the teachers and support staff are keen to make the school even better and to make your lessons even more exciting. There's not much to do to make the school even better. I think that everybody needs to be clearer about their targets and exactly how much progress you are expected to make each term so that teachers can see if everybody is definitely doing as well as they possibly can. This might

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

help some of you to reach even higher standards. I wish you every success in the future. John Messer Lead inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Blofield Primary School, 17 October 2007

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