Peterhouse CofE Primary Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the early years foundation stage by:
  • ensuring that leadership at all levels plan, implement and review the effectiveness of strategies to ensure a sharp focus on learning and development of skills, so that children make strong progress in all areas
  • continuing to develop the outdoor area to promote children’s learning.
• Ensure that the strengths in teaching across the school are more consistent between classes.
• Continue to develop a range of activities to engage pupils at lunchtime, to ensure that the highly positive behaviour found in lessons and around the school during the rest of the day is just as good at lunchtime.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Over the last 18 months leaders have implemented improvements in the quality of teaching and learning, assessment, pupils’ behaviour, the curriculum, pupils’ outcomes and, most importantly, in ensuring that pupils are kept safe.
• Leaders have introduced a curriculum that engages pupils’ interest. It covers the full range of national curriculum subjects. Leaders check how well pupils acquire the knowledge and skills specific to the various subjects, but this is very new. The new curriculum was introduced for all subjects in September 2017. This new curriculum is providing a rich and varied approach to learning. Teachers are able to bring learning to life and resource their topics with a plethora of activities. A recent parent survey shows that very nearly all parents who responded believe that their child is enjoying the new curriculum. Pupils speak enthusiastically about trips and visits. The school even has a farm. Pupils work in partnership with a major local caterer selling farm produce and in turn learn about the business. Pupils’ books show how the activities are used to develop pupils’ learning.
• Middle leadership is very effective. Subject leaders are rapidly developing appropriate skills through training provided by the multi-academy trust (MAT) and external experts. Teachers understand and share the headteacher’s vision.
• The school’s approach to safeguarding has been transformed. The MAT has worked with the school to ensure that all procedures are secure, additional site security has been put in place and access to potential hazards is either managed or fenced off.
• The quality of teaching has risen, partly because of the regular programme of training throughout the year. Teaching assistants make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning and leaders have invested in regular training for them.
• There is a clear strategy for the effective use of the physical education and sports additional funding. Coaches are increasingly providing activity at lunchtime and pupils enjoy after-school sports clubs.
• Leaders and teachers now have a secure understanding of information regarding their pupils’ progress. The MAT monitors the school by collecting assessment information each half term. The academy review meeting takes place each term. These review meetings involve the headteacher, chair of governors for the school, the MAT improvement director and trustees. The headteacher is challenged rigorously about pupils’ progress and performance in these meetings.
• The school has a large proportion of disadvantaged children, with particular spikes in certain year groups; for example, three quarters of Year 6 pupils are disadvantaged. The provision for disadvantaged children is closely monitored by senior leaders. Additional funding ensures that all children have access to equal opportunities and provision. The pupil premium funding enables the school to offer musical instrument lessons to all children in Years 1 to 6 so that children leave school with the basic knowledge of how to read music and play simple instruments such as the recorder, violin and ukulele.
• Pupil premium funding is ensuring high-quality provision in Year 6. This takes the form of two extra teaching assistants. Since the provision has been enhanced, there is clear evidence of improving outcomes. For example, the school’s information on pupils’ progress shows that disadvantaged children in Year 6 have made more progress than non-disadvantaged children in mathematics and writing. Leaders identify particular barriers to pupils’ learning. However, as the proportion of disadvantaged pupils in the school is large, the key is often high-quality teaching for everyone.
• Pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities are supported well, and as a result they are making good progress from their starting points. These pupils have a passionate champion in the leadership of this area.
• Leaders ensure that pupils have many experiences to develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural knowledge and understanding. A range of trips and visits broaden pupils’ understanding of life beyond the immediate area. Leaders recognise that preparing pupils for life in modern Britain is a priority. For example, during last year’s general election, the school held its own mock election. Campaign posters went up around school and the children had to decide whom to vote for. Voting booths were set up and all children had their say. This was then linked in to their lessons and led to creative writing and activities in personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE). Similarly, assemblies are used regularly to reinforce laws and rules. For example, during the inspection, an assembly was part of a series looking at the ‘Golden Rule’ adopted by the United Nations. It was carefully linked to the text from the Gospel according to Matthew chapter 7, verse 12: ‘do to others what you would have them do to you’. Pupils gave examples of how they put this rule into practice.

Governance of the school

• There is a close and effective partnership between MAT trustees and the local governing board. The headteacher is ‘impressed’ by the level of training and support for governors. The MAT appoints local governors, who are supplemented by staff and parent governors. Regular training takes place. For example, on the evening of day 1 of the inspection, governors received training informing them of their potential involvement in exclusion panels.
• MAT trustees’ main contribution to the school’s improvement has been to find and appoint the current headteacher. Since his appointment 18 months ago, all aspects of the school’s provision and outcomes have improved. This is especially the case with safeguarding. MAT trustees now carry out regular checks on all aspects of safeguarding, including recruitment processes. Trustees have recently carried out a safeguarding audit. School leaders feel very accountable to the MAT.
• The MAT is fully involved in the school’s long-term planning, which has clear and very ambitious goals. Curriculum leaders keep subject portfolios to show the developments and achievements in their areas of responsibility. These are updated regularly and presented to governors as part of their monitoring.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders are very aware of the safety and welfare needs of their pupils. Staff are diligent in ensuring that secure arrangements for child protection are in place. All statutory requirements are met. Most importantly, pupils say that they feel safe. Parents agree. New fencing has made the site more secure and reassures pupils.
• Staff are vigilant in looking out for pupils’ well-being and reporting any concerns. This enables leaders to build an overview. Records of liaison with external agencies are well maintained and very clear.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching has risen due to a combination of training, target-setting and robust performance management. Most lessons are characterised by effective planning that ensures that learning flows well.
• Teachers have clear expectations of pupils. Well-established routines maximise learning time. Pupils worked well together, getting on with tasks. Strong professional relationships encourage a strong culture of ‘it’s okay to learn from mistakes’, leading to children developing resilience well.
• Teachers’ subject knowledge enables them to teach confidently and effectively.
• There is effective support from teaching assistants, who are increasingly skilled because of their weekly training. As a result, lower-ability pupils are supported well most of the time. Sometimes there is insufficient communication between teachers and teaching assistants so that pupils have insufficient time to complete tasks or learning discussions.
• The quality of teachers’ questioning is usually a strength. It helps pupils to develop their thinking and enables teachers to quickly check pupils’ understanding.
• Challenge is often provided for the most able pupils. Often these challenges are chosen by the pupils.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are well supported, through additional support out of lessons and through support in the classroom.
• The school’s marking policy is not implemented consistently by all teachers. As a result, there is some variability in the extent to which pupils in different classes understand what they need to do to improve.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils’ books demonstrate that the majority of pupils take pride in their work. For example, they are very proud when they receive their pen licences.
• The school is working hard to develop pupils’ ability to speak fluently and confidently. This is something that does not come easily to many pupils.
• The school places a high priority on promoting healthy lifestyles through, for example, the plentiful supply of fresh fruit.
• Pupils are effectively taught respect for others’ ideas through subjects like religious education and PSHE.
• Pupils know that staff look after them. Pupils know how to stay safe, especially when using the internet.
• Pupils learn about being enterprising and learn some basic business ideas through the farm and selling its produce to a major regional business.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• In lessons and in assembly pupils’ behaviour is usually exemplary. Pupils respond to teachers’ instructions speedily. This ensures that learning time is used very productively.
• There are a small number of pupils who have severe behaviour issues. Most of the time staff manage their behaviour well.
• Since the arrival of the current headteacher the number of exclusions has reduced. The school is actively working with Norfolk County Council to lower exclusions and is part of an inclusion project.
• Provision at breaktime and lunchtime has been revamped to encourage good behaviour. An indoor club has been introduced so that not all children have to go outside. Pupils told inspectors that, where there is poor or aggressive behaviour, it occurs outdoors at lunchtime. Leaders have increased organised lunchtime activities and trained lunchtime supervisors in an effort to ensure that behaviour is consistently as excellent as it is when pupils’ time is clearly structured.
• The vast majority of pupils enjoy coming to school and love learning. However, attendance at this and the predecessor school is historically low. Leaders are taking every action available to them in order to try to remedy this picture. For example, a data manager role has been created so that one person has overview of all attendance data. The data manager tracks and records all attendance patterns and liaises regularly with parents and carers. First day calling is in place and, if there is no answer, home visits are commonplace. This helps to locate children and ensure their safeguarding. The school works closely with the attendance officer at Norfolk County Council. He meets on a regular basis with the data manager and advises on steps to be taken with parents. He also assists with fast-track meetings and fines. A free breakfast is available to all pupils to encourage attendance.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• In 2017, pupils’ attainment in the end of key stage 1 national assessments was in line with the national average or above average for pupils’ reading and writing at greater depth. For the last two years pupils’ performance in the Year 1 phonics screening check has been in line with the national average. Inspectors listened to conversations with pupils about reading. It is clear that the school inculcates a love of reading in its pupils. However, by the end of key stage 2, in the summer 2017 national tests, pupils’ attainment was below average and progress in reading, writing and mathematics were all well below average.
• The previous curriculum in key stage 2 was not effective and resulted in large gaps in learning. For example, there was little structured approach to English to match the successful approaches in key stage 1. This meant that children floundered in Year 3 and got behind in their learning. There was no clear system in place to ensure that all of the key stage 2 objectives were met. This resulted in children reaching Year 6 with gaps that were too large to fill.
• Current key stage 2 pupils have had a much more structured experience. As a result, the school’s assessment information, together with work in pupils’ books in Year 5 and Year 6, demonstrates that pupils are attaining in line with pupils of a similar age nationally and they are doing so across a wide range of subjects.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities have their progress monitored carefully. They make good progress from their starting points.
• The results for Year 6 in 2016 and in 2017 show that disadvantaged pupils performed less well than other pupils nationally. The current school information shows that they now often perform as well, and in some cases better than, all pupils in the school. Progress information shows that disadvantaged children in Year 6 have made more progress than non-disadvantaged children in mathematics and writing, with, on average, positive progress across all reading, writing and mathematics combined.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• The school’s assessment of the work of children currently in the reception classes shows that they are making insufficient progress from their low starting points to prepare them well for Year 1. This is in contrast to last year, when children made good progress.
• The progress of children in the early years is not checked as well as it is for pupils from Years 1 to 6. As a result, leaders in the early years are unable to identify quickly, and then address, children’s needs. Learning opportunities are not maximised. Leaders are unable to use assessment information to ensure that the provision reflects the needs of groups of pupils, as well as individuals, to ensure strong progress from their below-average baseline.
• Behaviour overall is good. Children interact well with each other and adults. They are happy to talk about their learning with confidence. They show sustained concentration with tasks: for example, a child made a model for 20 minutes. Children are happy and engaged in learning: for example, pupils cut up lettuce to explore capacity in mathematics and, afterwards, discussed the animals to which the vegetable would be fed.
• Safeguarding is effective. For example, there are well-established routines for the start and end of school day, ensuring the safe ‘handover’ of children with parents. School policies are followed and staff in the early years foundation stage are clear about what to do if they have any concerns.
• Adults other than teachers are used effectively within the early years to support groups of pupils as well as individuals.
• Children enjoy learning and are keen to find out about the world around them. They show curiosity and are willing to talk about their learning. The system used for checking children’s progress shows a wide range of experiences across the early years curriculum.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 141691 Norfolk 10041751 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy sponsor-led 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 448 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Dorcas Cogger Ryan Freeman 01493 661046

www.peterhouse.norfolk.sch.uk office@peterhouse.norfolk.sch.uk

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected as an academy

Information about this school

• Peterhouse CofE Primary Academy converted to become an academy school on 3 April 2015. When its predecessor school, Peterhouse CofE VA Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to require improvement. The school is now a member of the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust. It is a larger than average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is over twice the national average. The proportion who have an education, health and care plan is above average.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is average.
• The school meets the current government floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ achievement.

Information about this inspection

• The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and two Ofsted inspectors.
• Inspectors observed pupils learning in each class, some of which were seen jointly with a senior leader. In addition, several short visits were made to a further range of lessons. Inspectors observed pupils at break and lunchtime and before and after lessons. Inspectors observed the teaching of reading and listened to conversations about reading. Pupils’ books from different year groups were checked to see progress.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher and other leaders, five groups of pupils, a group of teachers, the chair and a member of the local governing body, the chief executive and members of the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust.
• Inspectors looked at the 24 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and 11 written text comments on the same questionnaire.
• The inspection team scrutinised information about pupils’ achievement, behaviour and attendance, looked at the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans, read minutes of the meetings of the governing body and scrutinised pupils’ work in lessons.

Inspection team

Adrian Lyons, lead inspector Heather Hann Debbi Flowerdew

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector