Chief Ofsted Report Case Study!

We are thrilled to announce that Thurton Primary School was praised in the annual report of the Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The Chief Inspector’s reports come after 5000 inspections of schools and colleges and Thurton was used as an example of primary schools that succeed.

Case study from annual Ofsted Report 2014/15 p29

At the start of each day, children come into Thurton Church of England Primary School smiling with a spring in their step because they enjoy it so much. They are polite, well-mannered, respectful and exceedingly confident young people, but at the same time, they demonstrate humility and celebrate their own and each other’s achievements equally. All pupils have excellent attitudes towards learning and take pride in their work, as seen in the stunning displays of their work in classrooms and around the school. They are unafraid to make mistakes because they know that they will learn from them.

The leaders of this small primary school in Norfolk have created a culture and ethos that is outstanding in the way that it focuses relentlessly on teaching and learning and strives for excellence. The headteacher expertly communicates her profound and extensive knowledge of how children learn best. Leaders and managers at all levels are very effective and adapt to change enthusiastically. They take the best from current national and local initiatives and mould them into existing excellent practice. The headteacher is a local leader of education and the local authority describes this outstanding school as ‘inward-looking and outward-facing’. Immersed in a ‘can-do culture’, nothing is seen by pupils or teaching staff as a potential barrier to successful learning.

Teachers are extremely adept in planning work that meets pupils’ needs, abilities and interests; they use their knowledge and records of pupils’ previous learning advantageously. Where they detect that pupils have not grasped concepts, they adjust the weekly planning accordingly or on the spot in lessons if necessary. The challenge for the least able is not too easy and the most able pupils are fully stretched. All groups of pupils make remarkably good progress, including pupils eligible for the pupil premium.

From school inspection report, judged outstanding in March 2015