Normanby Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

This is a good school. It provides a good quality of education, within a stimulating, nurturing and secure environment. Pupils achieve well and reach above-average levels in English and mathematics, because teaching and support for learning are good through the school.

It is a happy and caring school which gives equal importance to pupils' academic and personal development, both of which are good. Pupils are valued and involved, resulting in very positive attitudes to school and learning. Their behaviour is outstanding.

Attendance, which is above average, has previously been pulled down by a small number of irregular attenders. Good systems and procedures have been implemented as well as rein...forcing to pupils the links between good attendance and progress. Pupils enjoy learning and strive to reach their targets.

Tasks are usually carefully planned to help pupils of different abilities to reach their potential, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, work is not consistently chosen carefully enough to help gifted and more-able pupils or those with specific talents, to achieve as well as they could. This is because the work set does not always put to the test pupils' ability to apply their learning to unfamiliar settings and practise higher-order skills.

The acting headteacher has gained in confidence and through regular monitoring of a range of aspects of the school's performance, outcomes for pupils continue to be good. Writing levels, for example, have improved through Key Stages 1 and 2 because of the focus on specific grammatical skills and regular extended writing tasks. In particular, daily teaching of letters and sounds through the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Year 1 provide a solid foundation for writing, which is quickening progress through Key Stage 1.

Good progress continues through the school, facilitated by grouping of pupils of similar ability and every opportunity taken to reinforce writing skills in other activities. Teachers work conscientiously with the acting headteacher to plan for learning and improvement. They have an accurate understanding of how the school can move further forward, such as planning individual targets for gifted and talented pupils.

They have no formal subject leadership roles to support the acting headteacher's work. This situation has resulted in less time for her to monitor the quality of teaching to ensure that the school's evaluation is accurate. The governing body takes its role seriously, with an important strength being its relationships with parents and carers and knowledge of the day-to-day happenings in school.

It does not monitor the school's work comprehensively enough to be able to help steer the school, but it contributes to the effective running of the school and to maintaining parents' and carers' confidence. The school's good track record of achievement, its maintenance of effective provision, combined with pupils' positive attitudes to learning, indicate a good capacity to move forward.

Information about the school

The school is much smaller than the average primary school.

It serves the village and several adjoining areas. All pupils are White British. An average proportion has special educational needs and/or disabilities, of which most are moderate learning difficulties.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well below average. The school is being led and managed by the Acting Headteacher for a second year. She is also the coordinator of the Early Years Foundation Stage.