Docking Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further develop the monitoring of pupils’ outcomes in subjects other than English and mathematics, so that all subjects are monitored as rigorously, for both individuals and groups of pupils.
• Increase the level of challenge for the most able pupils, by:
  • providing even more opportunities for them to extend their learning across the whole curriculum
  • ensuring that tasks in lessons and homework are consistently high so that the pupils are fully challenged and they find work interesting and motivating.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• New leaders have developed a comprehensive and accurate understanding of the school through rigorous self-evaluation, and by external scrutiny from the local authority’s challenge partners. Most parents think that the new leaders have made positive changes as a result of their increased knowledge of the school.
• The school has developed the leadership of English and mathematics. Through careful monitoring and support, leaders more confidently provide support and challenge to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. For example, their robust monitoring of grammar and spelling across the curriculum has resulted in improved outcomes for pupils.
• Leaders’ accurate assessment of pupils’ achievement of learning targets in English and mathematics means that staff are able to address any gaps in pupils’ learning. For example, leaders have prioritised using assessments to identify and close gaps in the learning of less able pupils in mathematics. The teaching of phonics and reading has also been improved because of the careful monitoring of assessment outcomes.
• Systematic monitoring provides leaders with a precise picture of the quality of teaching and learning. Leaders use this information well to support staff and improve their knowledge and skills. Monitoring of outcomes in subjects other than English and mathematics is not as well developed.
• There are high expectations of all staff. Leaders, including governors, rigorously and robustly manage their performance. Staff all value the high level of professional development they receive and are proud to be members of the school.
• The curriculum is effective, balanced and varied. There is a range of linked extra-curricular activities. Topics are carefully planned on a rolling, four year programme as the school is small and year group sizes fluctuate each year. This means all pupils are able to fully access all aspects of the curriculum across each key stage. The wider curriculum has been developed well. For example, science lessons are designed to teach aspects of English and mathematics and are designed to challenge pupils of all abilities.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural needs are met through a wide range of opportunities. This is well supported through close links with the local church. Visits are carefully planned so that pupils experience a wide range of cultures and lifestyles. For example, Year 6 pupils have a yearly residential visit to a diverse inner-city Birmingham school.
• British values are successfully taught throughout the school, such as experiencing voting through a European Union school referendum. There is an active school council, which is fully involved in school decision making. For example, the school council contributed to developing the behaviour policy. As a result, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Leaders ensure that the pupil premium is used well to ensure that the small number of disadvantaged pupils make good progress across the curriculum from their starting points. This includes the most able pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities who are eligible for support through this funding. Monitoring of the effectiveness of the school’s spending ensures that the individual needs of pupils are met well. For example, targeted small group activities to challenge the most able pupils result in good progress in English and mathematics. Despite this, in some lessons the most able pupils would make even better progress if the level of challenge was higher.
• Leaders use the additional physical education (PE) and sport premium funding well to improve pupils’ skills and engagement in PE lessons and in extra-curricular sport. The school has benefited well from shared coaching and events across the federation and the local cluster of schools, which has resulted in increased participation in physical education.
• Leaders have made good use of partnerships with other schools. For example, assessments are more rigorous and secure as a result of shared moderation across a cluster of schools.
• Support from the local authority has effectively contributed towards improvement through regular review of the school’s work and challenge for leaders to make improvements. Leaders and governors have welcomed the rigour that this support offers.

Governance of the school

• The governance of the school is effective.
• Membership of the governing body has developed effectively since the school joined a federation with two other schools. Responsibilities of different governors have been refined. The governing body is more reflective and focused on how to make sure the school is successful.
• Governors have been well supported by the local authority through training provided for them. This includes developing an understanding of how pupils’ knowledge and skills are assessed, so that governors are able to effectively scrutinise outcomes provided by senior leaders.
• Governors know the school well because they are fully involved in all aspects of the school. They attend a wide range of activities, such as assemblies and parents events and improve their understanding through informal discussion, annual surveys of pupils and parents and by frequent visits to see pupils learning.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Pupils are happy and safe because safeguarding is a high priority of all leaders and the culture of the school is caring and supportive. Leaders have a good understanding of each pupil’s needs and how to keep them safe and secure because they get to know the pupils well. This is through a wide range of information and consultation with parents and professionals.
• The vast majority of parents consider that their children are happy, safe and secure at school.
• Pupils feel safe. A national child protection charity has worked in lessons across all years so that pupils know how to keep themselves safe and who to go to if they have any concerns. For example, all pupils have learned the telephone number of a national children’s telephone helpline through rhyme and actions.
• Checks on staff and other adults working in the school are rigorous and sound. As all staff are provided with regular and effective training about how to safeguard pupils, they feel confident in identifying risks and how to report any concerns. They feel strongly that pupils are safe.
• The teaching of online safety is fully embedded across the school and pupils are able to comprehensively explain how to keep themselves safe online. The school is rigorous in protecting pupils on the internet through effective online filters.
• Through training, all staff and governors have a full understanding of their duties to protect pupils from radicalisation and extremism.
• Monitoring of attendance is used effectively to keep pupils safe by identifying those who are missing their education.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers use their good subject knowledge and enthusiasm to sustain pupils’ interest in learning. For example, in French a wide range of resources have been collated from trips to France and the pupils find them exciting. This results in pupils making good progress in learning French, with older pupils confidently creating simple French sentences by the time they transfer to secondary school.
• A systematic approach to teaching phonics and better training for support staff have improved teaching and outcomes in reading. The focus on developing early reading skills in the early years is beginning to improve the outcomes of the majority of the pupils in key stage 1.
• The development of pupils’ English and mathematics knowledge and skills is taught well across the curriculum. For example, in science in Year 5/6 pupils used calculations of area to problem-solve and find the optimum area of a parachute.
• All staff have high expectations of most pupils, which results in pupils applying themselves to their learning and wanting to succeed. Most pupils are motivated by the level of challenge in lessons and the extension of their learning through planned challenges. For example, in a Year 4/5 mathematics lesson the most able pupils added unrelated denominators, whereas the rest of class was using denominators of one.
• Effective questioning results in deeper learning and enables pupils to develop their thinking skills well. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on their learning through challenges, which results in improved progress in learning.
• Teaching is adapted well to the different needs of pupils across the curriculum. Less able pupils make improved progress because of the focus on raising their achievement in English and mathematics. For example, careful monitoring has identified that less able boys were underperforming in reading. This was despite the school making sure that the teaching of phonics was regular and systematic. After the introduction of a new reading programme, designed to excite older pupils with gaps in their reading skills, less able boys are making better progress. All pupils talk enthusiastically about this programme and are keen to read more.
• Improvements in reading have not consistently resulted in pupils’ improved writing skills, because their learning in reading is not always applied to their writing.
• Most teachers plan effectively for the most able pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. However, there are occasions when the level of challenge is not high enough. The most consistent challenge is in mathematics. For example, a most able pupil is motivated by the ongoing level of challenge in mathematics and stated, ‘When I am older I want to be a mathematician’. He feels the school is giving him the teaching to achieve his aims. The Year 6 teacher has worked closely with the local secondary school to develop the mathematics curriculum for one of the most able mathematicians. However, the most able pupils are not consistently challenged enough across the whole curriculum.
• A parent commented on the successful provision for different groups of pupils. ‘My son struggles with his reading and I think the school is on it. It is good, and my daughter is very good at maths and so she is in a little group where they push her on.’
• Teachers mostly use support staff effectively to work with the pupils which their careful monitoring has identified as being at risk of falling behind. The progress of those pupils who receive additional support is mostly good. Teachers are reflective about identification of needs and flexible in their use of support groups. For example, a Year 4 pupil was immediately given an opportunity to work in the most able mathematics group based in the teacher’s recent assessment.
• Parents are encouraged to support their children’s learning at home. They are given information on how to help their children to improve their learning, but not enough parents are fully engaging with this. The level of challenge in homework varies, so that the opportunities for successful home learning vary. One parent stated that, ‘There is definitely good learning, as my child is quite bright and the school has definitely listened to my concerns. My son has extra tasks in class and he is bringing extra homework home.’ Some of the most able pupils expressed that ‘homework is at the right level’, but others said that the ‘homework is quite easy’ and ‘I can do my spellings quickly’. They stated that they get the same spellings as the less able pupils. The school is appropriately reflective of its homework systems and is developing strong homework links to improving reading.
• Teachers promote an understanding of diversity and equality through a carefully planned topic-based curriculum. They mostly ensure that they use opportunities to reflect on issues well. For example, through learning about world development.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Staff build positive relationships between pupils. The vast majority of pupils do not have concerns about bullying. Pupils can mostly explain what bullying means well, although some younger pupils find it more difficult. There have been few reported cases of bullying and there have been improvements in the school’s response to instances of bullying since the last inspection. For example, there is a planned ‘Say no to bullying’ topic for each year group. Parents are satisfied that the school deals well with any issues arising. One parent stated, ‘I am always happy that if I go to see teachers it is dealt with effectively’.
• Pupils relate to each other with tolerance and empathy. For example, they are particularly patient and empathetic when working and playing with pupils who have special educational needs and/or a disability. The school addresses the specific needs of individual pupils well. For example, as a result of counselling, pupils have improved their progress in learning as well as in their social and emotional development.
• Pupils are encouraged to contribute to the development of school life. For example, they have contributed to the school’s new single equalities policy. There have been no recently reported examples of prejudice against others.
• Pupils keep physically active through a wide range of PE and sports activities. They are emotionally healthy because of the broad range of ways the curriculum and the ethos of school promotes their physical and mental well-being.
• Pupils are encouraged to have high aspirations for the future. For example, in an assembly about heroes, local ‘heroes’ talked about what they do to help local people and inspired all pupils to help others.
• Preparation for pupils’ next steps is effective because the school systematically plans activities to support this. For example, there are frequent visits to the local secondary school for pupils in Year 6 and individual, additional activities are planned for those with specific needs. Children in Reception are well prepared for their next stage. They settle effectively into Year 1 at the end of their Reception Year in readiness for the next academic year.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• High standards of behaviour are expected. The majority of pupils, parents and staff agree that behaviour is consistently managed.
• The school environment is calm and orderly and pupils are aware of routines and expectations. Pupils respond quickly to staff requests. As a result, lessons flow smoothly, both between activities and different lessons.
• Pupils have pride in their school and are confident and secure with adults.
• There are good standards of behaviour in assemblies.
• The curriculum contributes to pupils’ good behaviour well by developing a culture of respect in all aspects of school life. Pupils and parents are carefully involved in developing policy and practice around behaviour. Most parents think that their children are happy and safe in school. For example, a parent stated that her children have ‘grown into confident, well-educated, caring individuals and a large part is due to this school’.
• Positive attitudes to learning results in pupils learning effectively and making good progress. For example, pupils asked their teacher to allow them to continue writing at the end of a planned activity in the Year 5/6 class because they were so motivated by the improvements they had made in their writing during the lesson.
• Pupils respect each other; they work well in pairs and groups and have empathy for those who have specific needs. Pairs work together as problem-solvers in mathematics.
• Pupils are clear about the school’s rewards and sanctions. Staff apply the behaviour policy consistently well and so behaviour is good. Play and lunchtimes are well supervised, with a wide range of available activities.
• Attendance has improved since the last inspection. It is broadly in line with the national average. Leaders carefully monitor the attendance of all pupils and put effective strategies in place for individuals who do not attend regularly. These plans have been successful in raising their attendance.
• The school has acted quickly to provide parents and families with good support through its parent support adviser.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Leaders have improved outcomes since the last inspection. From very low starting points, pupils make good progress across the school.
• From very low starting points at the beginning of the early years, children make good progress in phonics and reading by the time they reach the end of key stage 1. Most pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities who struggle to achieve the expected levels in the Year 1 phonics check make significant gains by the end of Year 2. Further monitoring and the school’s new systematic approach to teaching and assessment of phonics means that outcomes are improving across the school.
• Standards in reading, writing and mathematics at key stages 1 and 2 have improved over time and are broadly in line with national results. Results in national tests of pupils’ grammar, spelling and punctuation in key stage 2 are broadly in line with the national average.
• Most year groups make good progress across the curriculum, including in English and mathematics. There has been a notable increase in progress made by pupils in mathematics because the school has developed the teaching of mathematical challenges and problem-solving techniques.
• The progress of the least able pupils is broadly average. It has improved since the last inspection as a result of the school prioritising initiatives to improve the quality of teaching and interventions. The least able pupils across the school have responded well to increased challenges in mathematics.
• The most able pupils make the best progress in key stage 1. However, the most able pupils do not make as much progress in national assessments at the end of key stage 2. This is because not all teachers provide sufficiently challenging work for them.
• The progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities has improved from their different starting points across the school because targets for their next steps in learning have been fine tuned to their specific needs. Where pupils are not making enough progress, it is because of their social and emotional needs. These needs are being successfully addressed to prepare the pupils for learning.
• The small number of disadvantaged pupils, including those who are most able, make good progress across the curriculum from their starting points because of successful interventions in individual and small-group activities.
• The majority of parents told the inspector that their children make good progress at school.

Early years provision Good

• Effective leadership ensures that children are well prepared to start Year 1 by the end of the Reception Year. Teachers and adults know the children’s individual needs well. They regularly check how well children are doing and plan activities to help them improve.
• Leaders use data on children’s learning well and have an accurate understanding of the setting’s strengths and areas for development. For example, they have identified that in 2016 children attained above national expectations in number, but were below in space, shape and measure. As a result, leaders have successfully introduced a range of activities and careful monitoring to make improvements.
• Assessment information has been used well to plan improvements to increase opportunities to improve children’s physical development. For example, the outside learning environment has been developed to give more opportunities for children to play and learn together, and develop their physical skills.
• Good opportunities inside and outdoors enable children to develop, reinforce and practise their literacy and numeracy skills. The outdoor learning environment has been improved since the last inspection so that it is able to meet the range of interests and abilities of the children. There is a wide range of activities to support the development of children’s literacy and numeracy.
• The majority of children make good progress. The proportion of children who attain a good level of development by the end of the early years is in line with national expectations. Outcomes from starting points have improved for most groups since the last inspection. This includes a reduction in the gap in achievement between boys and girls, and the improved progress of disadvantaged pupils.
• Lower ability children and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities also do well. For example, on entry a child was unable to hold a pencil or make marks on paper, but after six weeks he was able to write over his name legibly.
• The proportions of the most able children who exceed national expectations are in line with national figures, reflecting the high level of challenge provided to enable them to make good progress from their starting points
• Staff have a good understanding of each child’s needs, based on rigorous assessments made on entry and setting into different groups of similar ability for some activities. The few children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities have effective plans for support.
• A high level of staff training and better resources have resulted in improved outcomes in learning, particularly in phonics. Teaching staff correctly use phonics to systematically plan for children to progress in their learning and they have high expectations of children across the curriculum.
• The behaviour of the children is good. Children are happy, safe and settle quickly. Leaders ensure that the early years environment is secure and parents agree that their children are happy and safe in the setting. Older pupils support the younger children as ‘buddies’. One parent said, ‘The teaching is good and the school makes a big effort to promote kindness amongst the children, with the older ones helping the younger children.’
• Children are motivated and interested in learning; they quickly develop good behaviours for learning. They learn well together and independently through purposeful activities.

School details

Unique reference number 121207 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 10021794 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 109 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Ward Headteacher Sarah Bocking (executive headteacher) Telephone number 01485 518344 Website www.docking.norfolk.sch.uk Email address head@thestmaryfed.norfolk.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 3–4 December 2014

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school is part of the St Mary Federation of three primary schools.
• The school is smaller than average.
• Most pupils are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average.
• The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium funding is below average.
• The early years provision is available for Nursery-aged children and operates full time in the Reception Year.
• There is on-site pre-school provision, which is owned and managed by a different organisation. This was not part of the inspection.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector observed teaching and learning in 16 lessons in all classes. Most lesson observations were carried out jointly with the executive headteacher or the deputy headteacher.
• The inspector held meetings with governors, a representative of the local authority and school staff, including senior and middle leaders.
• The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at documentation, including the school’s analysis of its strengths and weaknesses, information on pupils’ attainment and progress, curriculum planning, records of behaviour and safety, the monitoring of teaching and the management of teachers’ performance, minutes of governing body meetings, safeguarding documents and the website.
• A discussion was held with a group of pupils and informal conversations took place during lesson times and in the playground. The inspector listened to pupils read and talked to them about the books they enjoy.
• The inspector took account of 24 responses to the online parental questionnaire (Parent View) and 21 text responses from parents and spoke with 13 parents informally at the start of the school day. The questionnaires completed by 16 members of staff were also considered.

Inspection team

Linda Bartlett, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector