Junior school in Swaffham praised by inspectors

A Swaffham school has been praised by inspectors in its first assessment since it obtained academy status.

The Swaffham CE Junior Academy completed the transition three years ago, and is part of the Diocese of Norwich Academies Trust.

Now, the school has been rated as good by Ofsted inspectors, following a two-day assessment completed in March.

The report praised headteacher Tracey McCarthy for what it called her “relentless drive” to improve the school and the “robust” systems of tracking pupil progress.

It continued: “Support for pupils’ well-being is a strength of the school.

“The nurturing environment and the precise support for pupils and families ensures that the most vulnerable pupils receive the support they need and are consequently prepared for their learning.”

The inspectors also praised the consistently good quality of teaching and learning across the school, although they suggested more work was still needed to ensure the most able pupils were challenged.

It added: Although progress in reading and writing is improving, teaching and learning is not always precise enough to support pupils to improve their vocabulary and language skills sufficiently to secure attainment in line with national average.”

Concerns were also raised about high levels of persistent absence among a small group of pupils, although overall attendance was in line with the national average.