Gooderstone Church of England Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Pupils, parents and staff recognise the progress made by the school's leaders since the previous inspection. Systems to check the effectiveness of teaching, learning and assessment are robust.

Leaders take swift action to improve teaching. As a result, pupils are making good progress. Leaders, including governors, know the school's strengths and weaknesses well.

Improvement plans are tightly focused on the right priorities. Leaders rigorously check their actions are improving outcomes for pupils. Governors provide senior leaders with effective support to improve the quality of teaching.

They hold leaders to account for their work.... Teachers plan interesting learning experiences for pupils across the curriculum. Staff ensure that, wherever possible, they make links between subjects.

This supports pupils' understanding and makes learning more meaningful. Children in the early years get off to a good start. They make good progress in all areas of learning.

Safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. Pupils say that they feel safe and well looked after. Most parents agree.

Pupils show positive attitudes. They behave positively in lessons, are attentive and try hard to do their best. Pupils are polite.

They are respectful to adults and to each other. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported effectively, both emotionally and academically. This helps pupils make good progress.

Developments to the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics have led to improved achievement for pupils. Even so, further work is needed to build on these improvements to ensure that more pupils reach at least the standards expected for their age. Improvements to the way teachers assess pupils' knowledge, skills and understanding in English, mathematics and science mean that teachers plan tasks that precisely meet pupils' needs.

Work has begun to make sure that teachers apply the same accuracy to assessments in all subjects.

Information about this school

Gooderstone Church of England Primary Academy is much smaller than the average primary school. It consists of three classes; one of children in their Reception Year and pupils in Years 1 and 2, one class of Year 3 and Year 4 pupils and one class of Year 5 and Year 6 pupils.

The school is part of the Churchside Federation with Mundford Church of England Primary Academy. It is a member of The Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust (DNEAT). Trustees are primarily responsible for holding the school's leadership team to account for the quality of provision.

They delegate these powers to a local governing body. The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage. The percentage of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average.

The proportion of pupils with SEND support is below average, as is the proportion with an education, health and care plan. The executive headteacher and head of school took up their substantive posts in September 2018 and January 2019 respectively. There have been significant changes to staffing since the previous inspection.