Fleggburgh CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Fleggburgh CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe.

They are known and valued as individuals. Staff care not only about pupils' academic progress but also their wider needs. Pupils trust that staff will help them to resolve any worries they may have.

Staff address pupils' concerns well before they become bullying issues.

Pupils read regularly and become fluent readers. Staff have high expectations for pupils' learning.

Pupils in mixed-age classes, usually have work that is well matched to their needs. However, occasionally, teachers do not extend and build on pupils' learning from... previous years well enough.

Pupils learn to treat each other with tolerance and respect.

They learn about the importance of this through regular assemblies. Older pupils support younger pupils, for example, by listening to them read. Pupils concentrate and follow classroom routines, so they learn without disruption.

Farm visits linked to the harvest and a cathedral trip linked to the Easter story, give pupils real-world experiences that relate to their learning in class. Pupils benefit from linking up with other schools for competitions but would value a greater range of clubs.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff work effectively together across a group of schools.

They can share ideas on what works well in designing the curriculum and teaching it. Important knowledge that pupils should learn has been carefully planned and is effectively taught. Typically, pupils build and develop their knowledge well over time.

Leaders have considered how mixed-age group classes can work most effectively. Teachers plan learning on a cycle where important knowledge and content are revisited. Older pupils build on their previous knowledge through age-group specific activities.

On occasions, this does not work as well as it might, because teachers have not checked carefully enough what pupils already know. In these cases, teachers plan activities that do not build on and extend what pupils already know. This slows pupils' progress.

Teachers use different ways to assess how well pupils learn to read. For example, in phonics, they check pupils can apply the sounds they have learned in words and sentences well. Where pupils need further support, they get it.

Teachers meet regularly to track pupils' progress and plan additional support. This enables pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to keep up with their reading.

In early years, teachers know how well children are faring with their learning.

This enables teachers to plan purposeful learning activities that are closely linked to children's individual development needs. Teachers skilfully combine specific opportunities for Reception children to learn through play, with more direct teaching as part of mixed-age group classes. This ensures children are well prepared for learning and working with others in Year 1.

Leaders have addressed that previously, there was not a sharp enough focus on pupils achieving well. Pupils now receive personalised support that sharply focuses on closing gaps in their knowledge.

Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND are supported appropriately.

Pupils' needs are effectively identified. Teachers have the information and strategies needed to adapt learning to help pupils with SEND learn well.

Leaders ensure that pupils learn to read fluently.

Pupils enjoy a range of books that link to the sounds they learn. They can sound out unfamiliar words and practise using their phonics knowledge. Older pupils love reading and particularly value the range of books in the library, including books related to empathy.

Pupils develop their comprehension ability effectively. For example, pupils study a range of poets, such as William Blake, to build their confidence to write and perform their own poems.

Pupils enjoy learning at school.

Teachers listen to them and seek their views. Any disruption to learning is very rare. Staff make sure pupils get the support they need to change any behaviour issues that do ever occur.

Pupils have a range of high-quality personal development opportunities. Pupils under-standing of key issues are deepened by real experiences. For example, pupils produced self-portraits to raise awareness of diversity and racism.

They visited and exhibited these, so they could take pride in having them publicly displayed. Pupils have a range of mean-ingful leadership opportunities. These include as house captains, where they have shared their views on the school with governors, who have used these to inform their plans.

The school is well led and managed. Leaders have established a collaborative culture. They take account of the views of staff on issues, such as workload and well-being.

Lead-ers and governors have raised standards by taking effective actions.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that safeguarding is at the forefront of everything they do.

They manage safer recruitment effectively. Staff receive appropriate training to be able to spot signs of harm. They meet regularly to link the wider picture of pupils' needs together.

Pupils are confident to share their worries with staff. A culture exists where pupils are listened to.

Leaders accurately record concerns about pupil welfare and act on these diligently.

They work with external agencies and professionals to ensure pupils get the support they need.

Pupils learn about risk though a well-planned personal, social and health education programme.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few cases, leaders have not ensured that what pupils learn, builds and extends on what they have learned before.

This is because teachers have not checked pupils' prior knowledge and understanding carefully enough, to know when pupils are already secure in their understanding of important knowledge and are ready to move to deepening their learning. In these cases, pupils do not extend and develop their knowledge as well as they might, as activities are not well matched to what they need to learn. Leaders need to ensure that teachers plan learning activities that are based on careful assessment of what pupils already know, so they build on pupils' previous learning effectively.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection.

However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2012

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