Normanton Common Primary Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that all teaching is of an equally high standard by making sure that teachers consistently:
  • identify the specific knowledge and skills that pupils should learn and use
  • give enough challenge for the most able, including in the early years.
• Develop the role of middle leaders in:
  • disseminating good practice
  • developing the teaching, learning and assessment in subjects other than English and mathematics, including pupils’ understanding of different cultures and religions.
• Develop early readers’ skills and confidence by giving them reading books that match their phonics knowledge.
• Ensure that the outdoor provision in Reception provides a more stimulating environment.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher has an ambitious vision and a strong passion to make a difference to pupils’ learning and life chances. She communicates her high expectations to staff and pupils.
• Parents, carers and pupils are highly positive about the good quality of education and care the school provides. Parents praise the impact of the changes introduced by the headteacher. Most parents who responded to the Ofsted online questionnaire would recommend the school. Parents bringing their children to school expressed positive opinions about the school in discussions with inspectors.
• Leaders’ accurate self-evaluation has led to effective action to bring about improvement. The headteacher has made strategic leadership appointments to strengthen weaker aspects of the school. Some of these promising appointments are relatively recent. It is too early to see the impact of their work.
• Leaders have strengthened the management of behaviour. Pupils and parents appreciate the tighter systems and higher expectations that have secured good behaviour.
• The leadership of English is strong and has brought about improvements in the teaching of reading and the frequency with which pupils read for pleasure. Leaders have established effective approaches for pupils to edit and improve their writing.
• The new leader of mathematics has an accurate understanding of strengths and weaknesses in different year groups and is working effectively alongside colleagues to ensure that teaching matches pupils’ needs and develops pupils’ reasoning.
• School leaders and subject leaders make good use of the support and guidance from the trust’s school improvement officers for different phases and subjects.
• The curriculum includes a suitably broad range of subjects. Leaders are carrying out a strategic review of the curriculum to strengthen plans for teaching subject knowledge and skills in subjects other than English and mathematics. Staff have taken on new responsibilities and are working collaboratively to develop the teaching, learning and assessment in subjects other than English and mathematics.
• Physical education is a strength of the curriculum because of effective leadership and management, including the use of the sport premium funding. Teachers have been well trained in a variety of sporting and physical activities. Boys and girls participate equally in different physical activities. Many pupils take part in out-of-school school sporting activities. Pupils also participate in a good range of other after-school enrichment activities. The breakfast club provides the pupils who attend with a good start to the day.
• Leaders deploy funding for special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively to match provision to the range of identified needs. As a result, pupils with SEND make good progress.
• Leaders have used the pupil premium funding effectively to ensure that disadvantaged pupils make good progress. The pastoral team has taken effective action to ensure good attendance and behaviour by disadvantaged pupils.
• The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development well through the school ethos, the codes for behaviour and the well-planned opportunities for personal, emotional and physical development. Opportunities for pupils to develop their knowledge and understanding of cultural diversity in modern Britain are more limited.

Governance of the school

• By taking responsibility for finance and business matters, the trust has enabled school leaders to focus sharply on improving teaching and learning. The chief executive officer (CEO) and the trust’s school improvement officers provide regular support and challenge for school and subject leaders. This has helped to bring about improvements in teaching, learning and the curriculum. The trust’s structured systems of regular review provide strong accountability for school leaders and effective support for school improvement.
• Governors on the school’s academy standards committee have a good range of expertise. Governors have clear roles and responsibilities and a good working relationship with the trust board and the CEO. Governors have an accurate knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses in teaching, learning and school performance. They question leaders effectively and maintain a good knowledge of the school through regular focused visits. They routinely check on safeguarding matters and recently reviewed the school’s safeguarding plan.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The school has robust procedures in place and a strong culture for safeguarding. Staff have received the necessary training and know how to report any concerns. Pupils regularly receive information about potential risks through regular visits from local agencies, including the police. Leaders keep accurate records of any concerns and the actions taken. Staff respond promptly and appropriately to any concerns. The school works successfully with external agencies. Pastoral leaders have positive relationships with parents, and staff are approachable.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers’ good subject knowledge and high-quality classroom commentary engage pupils’ interest, stimulate their curiosity and deepen their knowledge.
• Teachers’ skilful conduct of classroom dialogue and precise questioning promote pupils’ thinking and increase their knowledge and understanding.
• Teachers provide clear examples of what they want pupils to do or write. This enables pupils to work independently, apply their learning and succeed in the tasks they carry out. On occasion, teachers are not always specific enough about the skills and knowledge they expect the pupils to learn and apply.
• Teachers make effective use of brief, paired discussion by pupils. This focuses pupils’ thinking and enables pupils to express and share ideas in their own words.
• Teachers often incorporate an element of fun, which adds to pupils’ enjoyment of learning. Teachers use praise well to develop pupils’ intellectual confidence. Teachers challenge pupils effectively to speak in formal English, using full sentences.
• Pupils receive effective verbal feedback from teachers. They value the opportunities to edit their writing together with the teacher.
• A few activities do not provide enough challenge for the most able, who do not make as much progress as they could on such occasions.
• The well-organised resources and opportunities for reading enable most pupils to read widely and often. Some reading books that early readers take home are too difficult because the pupils do not have the phonics knowledge to decode the text and enjoy reading.
• The great majority of pupils from Year 1 to Year 6 who responded to the Ofsted online questionnaire said that they enjoy learning, teachers listen to what they have to say in lessons and teachers help them to do their best. Two thirds of pupils said that work is challenging in every lesson or most lessons and that behaviour in lessons is good all or most of the time.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils’ positive attitudes to learning contribute to their progress. Pupils collaborate well and show respect for each other’s views. In a few classes, pupils do not take enough pride in the presentation of their work in books.
• The high quality of pastoral care and support contributes well to pupils’ physical and mental well-being. Well-being Wednesdays are helping pupils to develop their self-awareness and skills in managing emotions and relationships.
• The school’s accurate assessment of the needs of pupils with SEND and the individual plans of support and regular reviews of progress promote these pupils’ development well. Several parents rightly praised the work of teaching and support staff in meeting their child’s special needs.
• Many pupils take part in a wide range of sporting and physical activities after school. Girls and boys participate equally in football, rugby, dance and netball. Pupils enjoy the competitions they take part in.
• Pupils feel safe and are confident that they can speak to adults about any concerns. Bullying and racism are rare. If such incidents do happen, adults deal with them well. Pupils know how to stay safe on the internet. They value the visits from outside agencies who have taught them about road safety, cycling safety and how to avoid getting caught up in drug dealing.
• Pupils have good opportunities to learn about democracy through the school council and the trust’s school parliament. Pupils enjoy the opportunities to take responsibility for aspects of school life. However, pupils have limited knowledge and understanding about different religions and cultures in modern Britain.
• The great majority of pupils who responded to the Ofsted online questionnaire were highly positive about the school and the opportunities to develop independence and their physical, emotional and mental health.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• The well-ordered and calm school environment contributes to good relationships and respectful communication. Pupils behave well around the school.
• Pupils are keen to learn and to contribute to lessons. Behaviour in lessons is good. Occasionally, in less well-planned and managed lessons, a few pupils are inattentive.
• Pupils have responded well to the new behaviour system. Parents and pupils say behaviour has improved as a result. Pastoral staff provide effective support for the few pupils with challenging behaviour.
• In 2018, attendance and persistent absence were in line with the national averages. Because of determined actions by staff, attendance has increased this year. The school works well with other agencies to improve attendance. Home visits and support for parents are helping parents to send their children to school more regularly. The school has raised the expectations for punctuality by setting an earlier cut-off time for lateness.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Current pupils are making good progress because teaching is effective and enables pupils to learn well.
• At key stage 2, over the last three years, Year 6 pupils overall have made consistently strong progress from their starting points at the end of key stage 1 in writing and mathematics. Middle- and higher-ability pupils have made consistently strong progress in all subjects. In 2018, pupils with SEND, low-ability pupils and those who are disadvantaged made limited progress in reading.
• In 2018, attainment at the end of key stage 2 dipped to below average in reading, writing and mathematics due to the high proportion of pupils with SEND in Year 6. Current Year 6 pupils are making good progress and are being well prepared for moving on to secondary school.
• At key stage 1, attainment in reading has risen strongly over the last three years and was above the national average in 2018. This is due to the improved resources for pupils to read for pleasure more often and widely and the improved teaching of vocabulary and comprehension.
• The proportions of key stage 1 pupils attaining a greater depth in reading and mathematics have increased markedly over the last three years and were above the national averages in 2018.
• Attainment in writing at key stage 1 declined in 2018 and was below the national average. This was because of weaknesses in some pupils’ phonics knowledge and spelling in this year group.
• In 2018, the proportion of pupils meeting the required standard in the phonics screening check in Year 1 declined to below the national average. This was related to the grouping and management of pupils for phonics sessions.
• Leaders have taken effective action to ensure that Year 1 pupils have caught up their phonics knowledge in Year 2. Plans are about to be implemented for new resources and staff training in phonics. Current Year 1 pupils are making better progress in phonics because they all acquired basic knowledge of letters and sounds in the early years.
• Disadvantaged pupils in school have made good progress from their starting points.
• Pupils with SEND make good progress in relation to the targets in their education, health and care plans. Well-tailored pastoral support for pupils with additional needs is enabling pupils with SEND or who are vulnerable to make good progress.

Early years provision Good

• In 2018, the proportion of children that reached a good level of development was above the national average. In addition, most disadvantaged children achieved this standard. Most pupils were ready to start Year 1.
• In Nursery and Reception, the calm and well-organised environment encourages productive play. The good range of equipment and well-planned resources stimulate children’s interests and promote their exploration and development. Children digging in the garden as part of their spring activities were pleased to find a caterpillar they were looking for on their chart.
• Children interact and collaborate well. They concentrate on activities they are involved in. They enjoy playing independently for a sustained period.
• Adults influence and support child-initiated activities thoughtfully to extend children’s knowledge and development. They provide clear direction in more formal activities, for example when helping a child to write a sentence on the line.
• On occasion, the most able children repeat what they can already do. For example, some children can count further than adults ask them to.
• Staff identify children’s needs accurately and support individual children effectively. Adults use observations and their knowledge of children’s interests to plan the next steps in children’s development.
• Trust systems for checking assessment contribute to the accuracy of staff assessment of children’s development. School information and children’s work show that children are making good progress from their starting points.
• Staff communicate well with parents, and parents contribute to the assessment of their children.
• The school makes effective use of external agencies to support the specific needs of children.
• Leaders have a clear vision and strategic plans for development. They are aware of strengths and weaknesses in provision. Training and development are improving the skills of staff in interacting with children to develop their speech and language.
• The small outdoor area in Reception restricts the range of children’s activity and physical development.
• The early years meets safeguarding and welfare requirements.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 141799 Wakefield 10059084 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 converter 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 349 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Matt Elliot Linsey Cavell Telephone number 01924 890 576 Website Email address www.normantoncommon.wakefield.sch.uk headteacher@normantoncommon.org.uk Date of previous inspection 27 February 2018

Information about this school

• The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is average.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND who receive support is average. The proportion of pupils who have an EHC plan is above average.
• The school offers part-time Nursery places for mornings or afternoons.
• The school provides a breakfast club.
• The headteacher joined the school in 2016.
• The school joined the Waterton Academy Trust in 2015. The board of trustees has a CEO who leads the trust. The trust board is the responsible body. The governors on the school’s academy standards committee act in an advisory capacity.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes and carried out some observations jointly with senior and subject leaders.
• Inspectors looked at pupils’ work in lessons and reviewed samples of pupils’ work in books with school leaders.
• Inspectors met with pupils, listened to several pupils read and observed and talked with many pupils around the school.
• Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders and middle leaders. An inspector met the CEO and two senior school improvement officers from the trust. He also met with the chair and two governors from the school’s academy standards committee.
• Inspectors evaluated a wide range of school documents, including the school’s monitoring and evaluation, information about pupils’ progress, and behaviour, attendance and safeguarding records.
• Inspectors spoke to several parents before school. Inspectors took account of the 66 responses from parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including 36 written responses.
• Inspectors took account of the 175 responses from pupils to Ofsted’s online questionnaire.

Inspection team

Bernard Campbell, lead inspector Linda Collier Larissa Thorpe

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector