Norfolk House School

Norfolk House School is a preparatory day school located in Edgbaston, Birmingham, catering for boys and girls aged 3 to 11 years. Founded in 1967, the school operates under the governance of a limited company. Since the last inspection, the school has undergone significant refurbishment, including the addition of a new Transition classroom. The current headmistress, Mrs. Susannah Palmer, has been in her position since September 2018. The school comprises an Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) department for children under five and one class for each year group from Year 1 to Year 6.

The school aims to provide all pupils with opportunities to achieve their academic potential while fostering a lifelong enthusiasm for learning. It strives to create a family-like environment that addresses all aspects of children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development. The school emphasizes safety, happiness, motivation, fulfillment, and confidence, aspiring to develop mutual respect, tolerance, and understanding among pupils. The goal is to nurture caring, responsible citizens who contribute positively to their community and society.

Pupils at Norfolk House School come from professional and business families in the local area, reflecting the diverse ethnic backgrounds of the community. Nationally standardized test data indicate that the school's ability profile is above average. The school has identified seven pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), all of whom receive in-class support. Additionally, two pupils speak English as an additional language but are competent in spoken English. The school has identified fifteen pupils as the most able, for whom the curriculum is modified, and participation in challenges, quizzes, and competitions is arranged.

The regulatory compliance inspection conducted by the Department for Education (DfE) confirmed that Norfolk House School meets the standards outlined in the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014. The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) is responsible for inspecting schools that are members of the Independent Schools Council (ISC). The inspection focused on compliance with key regulations, including safeguarding, health and safety, staff suitability, information provision, and complaint handling. The inspection concluded that the school meets all relevant standards, and no further action is required.

In terms of educational quality, the school uses its own framework to determine pupil attainment rather than the national framework. The documented curriculum is supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, covering the required breadth of material. Teaching enables pupils to make good progress, and effective behavior management is in place, supported by suitable resources. The assessment framework for pupils' performance is also established.

The spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development of pupils is actively promoted, facilitating their growth as responsible and tolerant citizens. The school has established arrangements to safeguard and promote pupils' welfare, ensuring good behavior and preventing bullying. Health and safety requirements are met, including fire safety and first aid provisions. The school maintains proper supervision of pupils and keeps admission and attendance registers as required.

The school ensures the suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors through appropriate checks, maintaining a register as required. The premises provide suitable toilet and changing facilities, and the school is maintained to a standard that meets health and safety requirements. Adequate outdoor space is available for physical education and outdoor play.

A range of information is published and made available to parents, including details about the proprietor, the school's ethos, curriculum, admission arrangements, behavior policies, health and safety, and the complaints procedure. The school effectively handles parental complaints through a three-stage process, ensuring clear time scales and appropriate record-keeping.

Leadership and management at Norfolk House School demonstrate good skills and knowledge, fulfilling their responsibilities effectively. The proprietor ensures that the leadership actively promotes the well-being of pupils, and the standards relating to leadership and management are met.

The educational quality inspection highlighted that the quality of pupils' academic and other achievements is good. Pupils achieve excellent results in competitive entry examinations for senior schools, with most gaining places at their chosen institutions. Pupils of all ages and abilities exhibit positive attitudes toward learning and achieve a good level of success. Strong communication skills are evident across the school, with older pupils demonstrating good information, communication, and technology (ICT) skills, although younger pupils have limited opportunities to develop these skills.

The personal development of pupils is also rated as good, with excellent social development. Pupils build strong relationships with peers and staff, and older pupils develop leadership skills through various opportunities. Pupils are aware of how to keep safe at school and in the wider community, emphasizing their feelings of safety and security.

Recommendations for improvement include enhancing pupils' independent thinking and verbal contributions, increasing the range of extracurricular activities, and developing ICT skills across the curriculum. The school is encouraged to monitor teaching practices to share best practices among staff.

Overall, Norfolk House School provides a nurturing environment that supports the academic and personal development of its pupils. The school fosters a strong sense of community, encouraging pupils to become responsible and caring citizens while achieving their academic potential. The commitment to high standards in education and personal development is evident in the positive feedback from parents and the successful outcomes for pupils.