Norwood Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that even more pupils achieve the higher standards at the end of each key stage by: for larger numbers of pupils, setting even higher expectations and targets for what they can achieve from very early in their time at the school.
• Provide more opportunities for pupils to practise and develop their writing skills, particularly in the early years.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher, governors and senior and middle leaders promote a clear sense of vision and purpose. Since the previous inspection, they have tackled issues quickly and created a culture in which everyone works together so that pupils do well.
• Relationships across the Norwood Primary School community are positive. Morale is high and pupils try their best. As a result, the school has improved quickly.
• Leaders have an accurate view of the school’s effectiveness. There are clear plans in place to improve the quality of teaching and leaders have clear roles and responsibilities, based on their expertise, in improving the school. The quality of teaching and learning has improved and pupils are making better progress.
• Parents are very positive about the school. They are confident in the school’s leadership and feel that staff are supportive and approachable. One parent spoke for many by saying, ‘All of my children have really enjoyed Norwood Primary School and are doing well because of it.’
• Leaders monitor the performance of teachers rigorously and effectively to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Good professional development ensures that the quality of teaching and learning is constantly improving. Teachers appreciate the opportunities they receive to improve their practice and follow the advice they are given. The school has benefited from increased opportunities to see and share best practice in other schools. As a result, more teaching is consistently good over time.
• Middle leaders play a key role in the school’s monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning. Subject leaders in English and mathematics make regular checks on classroom practice and pupils’ performance and this detailed information helps to improve skills further. However, pupils need to benefit further from more opportunities to practise and apply their writing skills, particularly in the early years.
• The school has a broad, interesting and stimulating curriculum which meets the needs of almost all pupils, including those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Pupils study many different subjects and take advantage of the high-quality outdoors environment. All pupils participate in the Forest School and make the most of the many extended curricular opportunities. Pupils enjoy representing their school in inter-school sports activities. These enrichment activities effectively stimulate and enhance pupils’ learning.
• The school successfully uses the pupil premium funding and monitors resources and support for disadvantaged pupils closely to ensure that these pupils make good progress and that the difference between their attainment and the attainment of non-disadvantaged pupils nationally is decreasing.
• The school provides a good level of support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The funding to support this group is targeted effectively so that these pupils achieve their best.
• The use of the primary physical education (PE) and sport premium is very effective. A specialist teacher delivers high-quality PE lessons and there is increasing pupil engagement in physical activity.
• The school provides good opportunities for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils fully understand the school’s values of Aspire, Respect and Enjoy, which is linked to the fundamental British values.

Governance of the school

• Since the previous inspection, governors have been quick to respond and sharpen their skills and approaches in holding school leaders to account.
• Governors provide a positive presence in the school. They have an accurate view of the school’s priorities and performance, particularly in their understanding of pupils’ achievement.
• Governors have clear roles and responsibilities, allowing them to get to grips with issues quickly and effectively.
• Governors ensure that the pupil premium funding is effective in improving pupils’ achievement. They continually assess how resources are used and challenge where activities show little impact.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Comprehensive processes are in place to support pupils and their families where necessary. The designated safeguarding lead knows pupils well and is in a strong position to take prompt action when needed.
• The culture of the school is caring, supportive and safe. Leaders ensure that pupils are involved and understand their role in making sure that there is a culture of safeguarding. For example, internet safety is a high priority in the school’s curriculum and pupils are able to explain clearly how to keep themselves safe online.
• Staff and governors are confident in their knowledge of safeguarding procedures and good relationships promote a safe culture in the school.
• Pupils say that they feel safe at school and are confident that staff will quickly resolve any issues or concerns they may have.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Thorough systems to check on the quality of teaching have been embedded since the last inspection. All teachers and leaders engage in and support this process, which informs the professional development needs of staff. Progress meetings take place regularly and the school’s ‘exploding the objectives’ process for pupils who are falling behind is effective. As a result, teaching is usually good and pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or have special education needs and/or disabilities, are making better progress.
• Teachers and leaders are fully involved in ensuring that almost all pupil groups make at least good progress over time. However, more pupils need to achieve at the highest levels across the school.
• Teachers have secure subject knowledge and high expectations for their pupils. Pupils’ mathematics and English books show that good learning and progress takes place and that teachers have high expectations regarding presentation and the completion of work. The guidance given to pupils is supportive and informative and enables them to improve their learning.
• Relationships between pupils and teachers are very strong. This results in pupils being confident, responding enthusiastically in all lessons and developing positive attitudes to learning. Pupils told inspectors that they liked learning in all subjects and that learning was interesting and full of fun. They stated that they especially like learning in a wider range of subjects.
• Pupils have good opportunities to develop their knowledge and apply their thinking in a wide range of scenarios. For example, in an assembly pupils learned about how to consider what words mean in practice. In a lesson in the forest, pupils used their mathematics skills to determine the number of insects in the area. Learning is planned expertly, using a range of resources and techniques to develop and apply pupils’ skills.
• Assessment information is used effectively to plan activities that match pupils’ needs, allowing them to make good progress in their learning. During the inspection, inspectors observed some pupils repeating activities too many times before moving on to more-challenging activities. This affected the learning of some pupils and did not allow them to test themselves with more challenging work.
• Some Year 6 pupils spoke about how they like the challenge of completing work that they would do in secondary school. They thrived on the challenge of working together to solve problems, which were new to them.
• Reading and mathematics are taught well throughout the school. All pupils are encouraged to read regularly and some, especially the most able, read fluently and with confidence. There are a growing number of pupils who read for pleasure at home. Pupils have the opportunity to learn new mathematical techniques by working together and using interesting resources to solve problems.
• In early years, pupils use their knowledge of phonics (letters and the sounds they make) to support their reading of new words. Phonics is taught well and helps pupils to build essential skills. However, some pupils are limited in their opportunities to develop and practise their writing skills, particularly in early years.
• Teaching assistants make an important contribution to the good progress pupils make. They have a very positive relationship with all pupils and often use their good subject knowledge to support learning.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Because of the school’s very clear vision, pupils, staff and parents have created a caring culture and there is a high level of respect for all. Pupils at Norwood Primary School are exceptionally well cared for and happy. Very strong relationships are in place across the school’s community.
• It is apparent that adults have a thorough understanding of each pupil’s needs, enabling them to respond quickly when it appears that all is not well. Parents say that they are very happy with the way that their children are cared for and with the progress that they make.
• Pupils are highly courteous in lessons and around the school building. They look very smart in the school’s uniform and their pride in themselves and the school has a direct impact on their learning and progress in lessons. Inspectors saw only well-presented work in books. For those pupils who need additional learning or emotional support, the school provides focused assistance or group work and as a result few fall behind.
• Pupils respect the views of others and are taught to be tolerant and solve issues for themselves where they can.
• Pupils’ personal development is exemplary. They have a well-developed moral code and care for each other. The school develops pupils’ leadership skills through giving them increasing responsibility. As an example, there are many pupil ambassadors and mediators in the school.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• The school’s methods of allowing pupils to take ownership of their own behaviours are very effective. A good example of this includes pupils managing their own behaviour and rewards system, which adults have only to monitor occasionally. Adults provide an environment where pupils enjoy their school and learning. Pupils are encouraged to recognise what other people believe and respect everyone.
• The school systematically develops pupils’ abilities to communicate with each other and with adults. There is calmness about the school. Pupils move quietly and integrate very well at playtimes.
• The school celebrates and recognises all achievement and success. Pupils take responsibility for their own behaviour and are prepared to intervene positively when someone does not live up to expectations, which is rare.
• Because of their strong personal development, pupils work just as hard when adults are not directing them. Pupils are confident, can learn on their own or in groups and through discussion with learning partners. This helps them learn quickly how to work productively and collaboratively. Pupils have well-developed social skills, which will serve them well as they graduate to high school.
• Pupils say incidents of bullying are very rare and when they do occur, they inform their teacher, knowing that they will deal with the problem.
• Almost all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities, have good attendance. The proportion of pupils who are persistently absent is below that found nationally and exclusions occur only very rarely.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• At Norwood Primary School, the large majority of pupils make good progress across the school in a wide range of subjects.
• Children make a good start to their education in early years and by the time they finish their Reception Year, the proportion of children with a good level of development is just below that of other children nationally.
• Last year, almost all pupils in Year 1 met the standard expected for their age in the Year 1 phonics screening check.
• Teachers in Years 1 and 2 accelerate the good start made in Reception so that, at the end of key stage 1, pupils have made further progress and are in line with the national average in reading, writing and mathematics.
• In 2016, results at the end of key stage 2 were similar to the national average in writing and above the national average in mathematics. In reading in 2016, some pupils, including some disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, did not achieve as well as expected.
• In 2017, because pupils are taught consistently well across the school, their work shows that higher proportions are working at the expected standard in reading, writing, mathematics and a range of other subjects. However, not enough pupils achieve at above the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.
• The teaching and development of reading is good across the school. There are clear approaches to encouraging reading in school and at home. Pupils said that they thoroughly enjoy reading and are enthusiastic about the books they have read and the authors, which inspire their learning.
• The school has improved writing and most pupils are now achieving in line with the national average. However, given more opportunities to practise their writing skills throughout the school, pupils could achieve even better outcomes.
• Most disadvantaged pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, are now making good progress in reading, writing, and mathematics and across the wider curriculum. They receive high-quality support and extra help that matches their individual needs and abilities.
• Those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their starting points. This is because they are taught consistently well and have good catch-up support. The small number of pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve as well as their classmates.
• The most able pupils are making good progress overall. Most pupils are working towards achieving above age-related outcomes. Work in pupils’ books shows that most of the most able pupils make good progress because they are set challenging work. However, a small number are not achieving their potential in reading.

Early years provision Good

• The leadership and management of all aspects of the early years provision are good.
• Children joining the school in the early years have skills and levels of understanding below those typical for their age, particularly in speech, communication and language. Because of good teaching, achievement by the end of the Reception Year is in line with that typically found in schools nationally.
• Children benefit from an interesting, stimulating environment, both in the classrooms and in the outdoor learning space. The environment is well cared for and resourced, and children have opportunities to explore for themselves, with friends, or with the whole class and the teacher.
• Children’s personal development, behaviour and welfare, as in the rest of the school, are outstanding in early years.
• The quality of teaching and learning is good and assessment is effective. All children have learning journeys, which show good information about their progress. Some pupils, however, need more opportunities to develop writing skills and to achieve more than the early learning goals.
• The development of communication, speech and language is a priority and starts in the Reception class. Children are encouraged to develop key sounds and letter formation. The teaching of phonics is highly effective.
• Teachers give children plenty of opportunities to practise reading and encourage them to talk about their thoughts and ideas.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 104865 Sefton 10032179 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 Maintained 5 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 428 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Mr George Baumber Mr Lee Dumbell 01704 211960 www.norwoodprimaryschool.com head@norwood.sefton.org.uk Date of previous inspection 16–17 June 2015

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school is a larger-than-average-sized primary school.
• Currently, the large majority of pupils are from White British families. There are growing numbers of pupils who originate from a range of minority ethnic groups.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium is below average.
• Only a small number of pupils speak English as an additional language or are in the early stages of learning English.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in each class and attended a school assembly. A joint lesson observation with a senior leader took place.
• A wide range of pupils’ workbooks were looked at by inspectors throughout the inspection.
• Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, subject leaders, the leader for special educational needs and/or disabilities, five governors (including the chair of the governing body) and a representative from the local authority.
• Inspectors spoke to pupils informally in class and around the school at break and lunchtimes to seek their views about the school.
• Inspectors met with groups of pupils more formally to discuss many aspects of school life.
• An inspector heard some pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 read.
• Inspectors scrutinised the school website and a range of school documents, including assessment information, minutes from governors’ meetings, the school’s own evaluation and safeguarding records.
• Inspectors considered the 54 responses to the Ofsted online Parent View questionnaire, including free-text comments. They also spoke to some parents after school.
• Inspectors took account of the eight questionnaires completed by members of staff.

Inspection team

Gary Kelly, lead inspector David Deane Leon Bernstein Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector