Situated in west Norwich, we focus on achieving the very best results for our children, whilst providing them with a rich variety of extracurricular activities, which ensure the children love coming into school.
Our culture is underpinned by three key themes, Inspire, Aspire and Achieve. We cultivate this culture through providing excellent teaching, an exciting and high-quality academic curriculum and a vast array of activities and experiences to inspire our pupils.
We want to help our pupils to build independence, character, leadership skills and develop into aspirational young people ready to take their next steps at the end of Year 6.
Supporting Pupils at Every Stage
When children start school, they have a lot to get used to. They will be in a new setting, with more children and new rules and routines. Some children will manage this easily while others may need more help from parents and teachers. This is completely normal and we are here to provide as much support as a child needs to help them settle in.
When Will My Child Start School?
Children in England must be enrolled in primary school by their fifth birthday. Most children will attend preschool/ nursery in the year before starting school. Most children start school fulltime in the September after they have their fourth birthday.
Orientation to School
At Norwich Primary Academy we offer taster days for our new pupils so they can meet their teachers and spend time in their classroom.
We also complete home visits so the teachers can meet your child in their home environment and build good relationships. There will also be lots of opportunities for parents to ask questions.
Building Confidence
There are things parents can do to help children feel confident and optimistic about starting school. You could talk with them about what school will be like, borrow books from the library with positive stories about starting school and even share some happy stories from your own school days.
Parents can also help children to build confidence and optimism by encouraging a habit of positive thinking. Asking children to tell you about the good things that happen each day helps develop this healthy habit.
“ Norwich Primary Academy is a calm place to learn with supportive teachers and classes.
STUDENT
Getting Ready
To prepare children for school you could:
Involve your child in preparing for school, e.g. shopping for their uniform, school bag and lunch box
Make sure they can manage their lunchbox and school bag
Plan for healthy lunches, snacks and water to drink
Help your child learn to dress themselves, and to use the toilet on their own
Establish the bedtime and morning routine that they will have when they start school. It is very important that they get enough sleep
Practise the route you will take when you walk, drive or ride to school
Plan to take your child to school on the first day
Show them where you will pick them up at the end of the day
Make sure you are always on time. A few minutes can seem like a long time to a young child.
If your child is worried, ask them what would help, e.g. who should take them to school, where they want to say goodbye, what they want to do after school. Having some control can help children manage their fears.
At Norwich Primary Academy, we are committed to ensuring that learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are fully included in the life of the school and are able to thrive academically and socially.
We want all children to be happy and safe in our school. We have a specialist team of mentors who are on hand at all times to support all of our children. The inclusion team supports all children who join us ensuring they feel happy and confident in school.
Our special educational needs co-ordinator leads on the support for pupils who have additional learning needs. We have a team of teaching assistants who support our children in class and ensure they achieve their very best.
We have lots of routine and structure, and we also give praise and rewards. We support our children to develop confidence and focus on what is important such as being a good friend, being polite and taking pride in their work.
Children can gain house points towards reward activities and trips, as well as certificates in assemblies. We maintain regular communication with parents and carers so that we can celebrate their children’s successes together.
We take safeguarding extremely seriously, and all staff are subject to enhanced criminal records checks.
“
Pupils
say
that
they are safe and well looked after at school.
Parents and staff who spoke to us agree.
OFSTED
”
Pastoral Care and Safeguarding
Safeguarding is our highest priority here at Norwich Primary Academy and it is everyone’s responsibility within our school to ensure our pupils are happy and safe.
The emotional wellbeing of our pupils is always at the front of our minds and we know how important it is to nurture our pupils’ mental health in order to help them achieve academically. Therefore we help our pupils learn how to identify and name their emotions as well as ensure we check in regularly with them.
At Norwich Primary Academy, we promote a culture that encourages children to talk to the adults in our school and to let them know if they are upset or have any worries so that we can support them and help to make things better. Each and everyone one of our staff knows how important it is to listen and to give our pupils the time and space to talk.
Our Curriculum
From the very start of their educational journey in Reception right up to the end of Key Stage 2, we provide a nationally-recognised curriculum that is both inclusive and ambitious.
We focus on English and maths, supported by a belief in traditional values. Our children develop their reading, writing and maths skills every day to ensure they have strong foundations to build their knowledge of other subject areas.
Our curriculum also includes science, history, geography, religious education, art, music and PE. Pupils also have the opportunity to learn an instrument or to take part in music enrichment clubs.
Our approach and facilities encourage play and exploration, allowing students to develop their independence and creativity. To further enrich children’s learning, regular exciting trips and experiences support their teaching. Furthermore, we regularly invite speakers and experts to share their knowledge with the children.
Progress and
Attainment
Reading
Reading is at the heart of our curriculum and we are passionate about ensuring every child develops the skills and knowledge they need. With a focus on reading both in class and at home we inspire a love of reading that opens the door to the best academic opportunities.
In Early Years we teach children to read using the Read Write Inc. system of Phonics teaching, providing them with the ability and confidence to sound-out both familiar and new words. Our pupils are regularly assessed to ensure they are in the right group for their stage of reading development and when needed, our pupils are also supported with Phonics teaching in Key Stage 1.
Alongside Phonics, our pupils get to learn about and enjoy literature and poetry, with our curriculum being focused on high-quality literary texts. We have carefully planned our sequence of core texts to ensure our pupils encounter a range of themes and narrative perspectives as well as cultural and historical contexts.
At Norwich Primary Academy we ensure that our pupils achieve the best possible progress in all areas of their education and personal development. Pupils at the end of both KS1 and KS2 consistently achieve the national average attainment or above. We do everything we can to ensure our children achieve the best they can.
Music Matters at Norwich Primary Academy
The Inspiration Trust strongly believes in the power of music to enhance lives, both through the sheer pleasure of listening to and enjoying music, and through the discipline of individual and group playing and singing.
As part of our extended Arts and Culture Programme, pupils have the opportunity to take part in a variety of plays, concerts and music competitions. As part of our commitment to music education, we also
offer our students a range of lessons with our highly-skilled and experienced team of Visiting Music Teachers - these include piano, singing and recorder lessons. Learning to play an instrument helps students to develop cognitive and social skills, expand language and motor skills, as well as help build determination and patience. Plus, it is fun!
Our pupils are encouraged to participate in numerous trust-wide music competitions including the Piano Competition, and the Annual Music Competition.
Every year our Year 5 students get to take part in our trust-wide Carol Service.
An annual tradition, the Carol Service sees pupils from all across our sister schools - primaries, secondaries and sixth forms - join forces to perform a series of traditional carols and hymns in the winter term.
Always a big calendar event, the Carol Service is a fantastic opportunity for our students and staff to showcase their brilliant musical capabilities, whether through playing instruments or singing, while getting to perform in an iconic location.
The Carol Service is a fun Christmas event that always makes for a lovely family evening.
School Trips and Visits
At Norwich Primary Academy we give our pupils lots of opportunities to interact with the local community and to experience things that are new and exciting for them.
Some of these experiences have included:
IntoUniversity - IntoUniversity is a primary programme of immersive educational activities and workshops. These support students’ aspirations, attainment and development of key skills, promoting success at school and beyond. We take part in these workshops at UEA.
English Touring Opera - visits annually to provide a play for our KS2 pupils.
Assemblies are often delivered by a series of external visitors such as our local vicar, the RSPCA or aspirational speakers with interesting careers such as architects, vets and doctors.
Each year group has a series of trips and events each academic year, from visiting the beach, Gressenhall or Thetford Forest, to archery days and sporting events. All help to enrich the learning that we offer at Norwich Primary Academy.
Our Student Council
We believe that every pupil’s voice is important and therefore it should be heard. We launched our own Norwich Primary Academy Smart School Council in 2019 to help us achieve this in a simple, practical way.
There are three core parts to our Smart School Council: A Communication Team, Class Meetings and Action Teams.
Communication Team
The Communications Team is made up of a class representative from each class across the school who is elected each year. This small group of pupils help to run the Smart School Council and get everyone involved. Each pupil has a specific role which helps the Communication Team to run.
Class Meetings
Extra-Curricular Activities
As ever, we aim to provide as many opportunities as possible for our pupils.
Using our innovative extended school day we are able to offer extra-curricular activities that children might not be able to experience in a regular school day.
We offer a series of activities that are often chosen by the pupils such as sporting activities, arts and crafts, and drama.
All of the extra-curricular activities that we run in school are free of charge.
Class Meetings are pupil-led. They run every couple of weeks and last around 5-10 minutes. The Communications Team lead these using the Class Meeting Tool with their class.
Each meeting is based around a single question that small groups in each class discuss and pupils take turns to talk and debate. Votes and ideas are entered into the tool for the Communication Team to check and discuss with the Principal.
Class meetings have been used to discuss school improvements such as catering, playground equipment, book choices for library, rewards and trips.
Action Teams
Action Teams are small groups of pupils who help lead school improvement. They are based around different aspects of school life, such as: charity and fundraising, sports and other specific interests.
Our Action Teams open up the opportunity for children all across our school to make a real difference to our community and academy.
By being a member of our Smart School Council our pupils develop social skills and experience of being part of a team that makes a difference. It helps pupils get involved with school life and allows them to be more engaged in a positive school community.
Smart School Council is an important and useful way for our schools to provide leadership and development opportunities for all of our pupils.
Our House names reflect the importance and pride in our community in Norwich and each House is named after an important place in Norwich City. Bishops Bridge, Elm Hill, Dragon Hall, and Pottergate.
Our pupils learn in their assemblies about the historical connections in their community and build a sense of place, pride and develop cultural capital about our local area.
Each House owns a core value that is promoted in our school. The Smart School Council ran pupil voice sessions to come up with these core values, and the pupils’ ownership of this is at the heart of the House system.
Our House and Reward Systems are standardised and codified so that all staff and pupils know what can be rewarded and what level of reward should be issued. This ensures that the reward system is fair and consistent for all.
Primary Olympiads Our House System
The points are celebrated weekly in Rewards Assemblies and House Cups for House Points, Sporting Achievements and Star Achiever are awarded annually in our end of year celebrations.
Our weekly reward assemblies celebrate individual and House achievements. Assemblies throughout the year also educate our pupils about the House ethos, historical values and how they can build on their own character development through our collective worship curriculum.
Taking Part in Trust-wide Sports Competitions
At Inspiration Trust we pride ourselves on our sports provision which not only includes a nationally-recognised sports curriculum, but includes half-termly trust-wide sports competitions.
These competitions include football, athletics and dodgeball, and sees us working in partnership with brilliant local organisations such as the UEA Sportspark and The Nest in order to offer our students the very best facilities in which to compete. The atmosphere at these events is always described as electric!
Through taking part in sporting competitions our students are given the chance to shine outside of the classroom and learn vital skills such as the importance of team work, determination, patience and perseverance.
It is also proven that taking part in sport encourages higher standards of achievement, improves cognitive function and improves overall wellbeing through having fun and making friendships.
Whilst outstanding sports provision is often overlooked within the state sector, all of us at Norwich Primary Academy believe it is a core part of what every pupil should expect from their time in education and we are proud to deliver that.
All pupils have the opportunity to be involved in our trust-wide Olympiads. These see pupils compete in competitions within their favourite subjects, allowing them to shine in areas where they are gifted.
One of our strategic aims is to ensure each and every child fulfils their potential. We believe this potential is not only reached through academic success, but through wider opportunities such as competitive programmes.
Our Olympiads cover everything from maths and modern foreign languages through to geography and computer science. They help children learn about teamwork and morals, and offer a fun, alternative way to explore the subjects they love.
Our Uniform School Meals
At Norwich Primary Academy, all pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to a free school lunch.
We still ask that parents complete the free school meals application form if in receipt of benefits as this adds several thousand pounds funding per child to the money we have to spend on your child’s education.
Lunch choices are a hot main meal, a vegetarian hot meal, a jacket potato or a sandwich lunch (with choice of fillings).
For more details about the current offerings, please see the menu displayed in the school office and sent home periodically.
Children are still welcome to bring their own lunches, but we strongly encourage Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 children to take up the offer of a free lunch.
“All leaders share a strong vision to provide pupils with a rich and ambitious curriculum.
OFSTED
Impressed with the staff and effort put towards my child’s learning and wellbeing. Thank You!
PARENT
”We are proud of how smart children at Norwich Primary Academy look.
Non-logo uniform items are available at major supermarkets. Asda normally stocks a range of purple school items.
If a pupil comes to school wearing nonuniform or incorrect shoes staff will ask them to remove the item of clothing, if appropriate, and will phone parents to suggest they bring the replacement.
Children may wear single stud earrings in the lower lobe only. No other jewellery is permitted.
Our compulsory uniform includes:
White-collared shirt, or plain white or purple polo shirt
Dark grey school trousers or grey tailored shorts
Norwich Primary Academy logo jumper, plain purple school jumper, or plain purple school-style sweatshirt
Norwich Primary Academy tie (Year 3 to Year 6)
White shirt (polo shirt acceptable for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2)
Black school shoes or plain black trainers
Dark grey school skirt or knee-length pinafore dress
Norwich Primary Academy logo cardigan or plain purple cardigan.
Optional uniform items:
Norwich Primary Academy logo blazer (Year 4 to Year 6)
Purple gingham dress (in summer).
The Admissions Process Inspiration Pathway
As a named feeder school for Hewett Academy, our pupils will have priority for admission when compared to non-feeder schools.
The Hewett Academy has amongst the best facilities of any school in Norfolk, including a theatre, swimming pool, and sports pitches. They teach a wide range of subjects at Hewett Academy and have a dual specialism in English and creative subjects. Key Stage 3 students have access to an enrichment block after school, for which there is a wide choice of very different enrichment subjects that change regularly. If you need any other further information, please refer to the Hewett Academy website, contact the school directly, or pick up a copy of their prospectus.
Pupils that go on to study at Hewett Academy can take advantage of additional support. Inspiration Pathway can provide transport for your child with a free bus leaving and returning to Norwich Primary Academy every day throughout high school, as well as support with equipment and uniform to ensure that your child is given the best possible opportunities to achieve.
As part of Inspiration Trust, we share a common curriculum, which includes space for flexibility to further meet the needs of our pupils. By taking this approach we are able to benefit from a curriculum that is designed and shaped by subject-specialist curriculum leaders, both centrally by Inspiration Trust and independently by curriculum leaders in our school.
By law children must start statutory education full-time at the beginning of the term following their fifth birthday.
For first admission to school, the common application form will be sent to parents. The closing date for applications will be as per the published timetable. Children may start school full-time at the beginning of the Autumn Term before their fifth birthday. (Part-time admission will be considered on an individual basis.)
Our admission policy allows children to start school earlier than the law requires. However, the law also allows parents to ask for their child to be admitted but also delay the start date until later in the school year.
Your child must start school by the beginning of the term following their fifth birthday and the place must be taken up by the start of the summer term.
If you have any queries about an application for a place at Norwich Primary Academy or about the admissions process please contact the school office. A full overview of our admissions arrangements is available in our Admissions Policy and on our school webpage.
Admissions Team, County Hall
Martineau Lane
Norwich NR1 2DL
Telephone: 0344 800 8020
Email: admissions@norfolk.gov.uk
We are part of Inspiration Trust, twice ranked the country’s top family of comprehensive schools for pupil progress
