Castle Acre Church of England Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Castle Acre Church of England Primary Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The executive headteacher of this school is Anne Neary.

This school is part of the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Oliver Burwood, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Beverly Tilman. The executive headteacher is responsible for this school and two others.

What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a calm environment for pupils to learn and make friends.... Positive and respectful relationships between staff and pupils gives pupils confidence to ask questions, share worries and be listened to. Pupils of all ages mingle happily together at break times.

Older pupils help the younger pupils to play safely.

Pupils enjoy the familiar routine of daily assemblies. They appreciate the way that the school recognises and rewards them for emulating the school's values.

For example, when they show that they have been a 'Good Samaritan'. Pupils know that learning is important. This supports them to be polite, attentive and engaged in lessons.

The school is ambitious for all pupils to learn important knowledge and skills. Lessons and additional catch-up opportunities support pupils to become better readers, writers and mathematicians. Pupils confidently read aloud and take part in speedy arithmetic and times table practice sessions.

Pupils enjoy talking about what they have learned.

Pupils take on a variety of leadership roles. They participate in a range of extra-curricular activities and community engagement events.

This supports pupils to develop confidence. Residential trips provide opportunities for pupils to make friends with pupils from other schools in the federation.

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

The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum which enables pupils to develop detailed knowledge and skills across subjects.

Regular checks on how well pupils are learning the curriculum enable teachers to make effective adaptations to lessons, for example to address misconceptions. These checks also enable leaders to make decisions about how to improve the curriculum. For example, the school has recently implemented new teaching methods to support pupils' writing accuracy.

This is beginning to help some pupils to write with increasing accuracy and stamina. However, these new techniques are inconsistently applied. Some pupils do not benefit from them as much as they could.

Children in the Reception Year benefit from staff's careful attention to their developmental needs. This enables the school to identify any additional needs at an early stage. Children begin learning phonics as soon as they join the school.

They benefit from plenty of repetition and practice. Well-trained staff support pupils to understand the sounds that letters make. For example, by using clear language, routines and signals.

The school ensures that pupils who need to catch up with reading receive ample support, such as extra reading practice with an adult.

Trust and federation networks support teachers to improve their subject teaching. Teachers aptly support pupils to learn important concepts and vocabulary that pupils can then talk and write about with ease.

Teachers frequently check that pupils understand and remember what they have learned in previous lessons. Teachers also quickly spot and correct pupils' misconceptions. As a result of this collaboration, pupils learn well from subject experts.

Pupils are well prepared for their next steps.

The school aptly supports pupils with a range of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff are aware of each pupil's academic, emotional and medical needs.

They take these into account when they support pupils to access tasks and experiences. All pupils with SEND access the full curriculum and take part in the wider life of the school. The school provides additional, effective support for pupils with SEND and their families in preparation for transition to high school.

The school is rightly proud of its work to promote high rates of attendance. The school works closely with families, creatively helping pupils to overcome any barriers and attend school more often. This work has had a highly positive impact on rates of attendance.

The school's expectations of behaviour are clear. They are applied fairly and consistently. Through positive relationships and understanding the reasons for any poor behaviour, the school supports pupils to respect each other and focus on their learning.

The school ensures that pupils learn about healthy relationships, how to keep themselves safe and how to have healthy bodies and minds. Pupils also learn about different kinds of families, cultures and beliefs. For example, in art where pupils learn about famous artists from around the world.

This supports pupils to develop empathy and awareness of others.

School and trust leaders are analytical in their approach to ensuring that all pupils experience a high-quality education. They consider staff workload and well-being in their decision making.

The school engages well with the community. For example, by providing drop-in sessions for parents and carers regarding their children's education.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some of the school's new approaches to supporting pupils' foundational skills are inconsistently applied. As a result, some pupils do not develop their writing fluency as well as they should. The school and the trust should ensure that staff have the confidence and expertise to support pupils to write with accuracy and fluency.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in November 2018.