Woodcot Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 8–9 November 2011 Inspection number 357894 - Woodcot Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 116166 Local Authority Hampshire Inspection number 357894 Inspection dates 8–9 November 2011 Reporting inspector Gehane Gordelier HMI

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 166 Appropriate authority The local authority Chair Bev Early Headteacher Mrs June Kershaw Date of previous school inspection 1 July 2009 School address Tukes Avenue Bridgemary Gosport PO13 0SG Telephone number 01329 234381 Fax number 01329 823911 Email address adminoffice@woodcot.hants.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and two additional inspectors. Fourteen part lessons and seven teachers were observed as well as part of a dance club session led by two teaching assistants. Meetings were held with senior and middle leaders, the Chair of the Governing Body and a parent governor, groups of pupils and the school’s Primary Phase Inspector from the local authority. Inspectors observed the school’s work and scrutinised a range of documents including those relating to safeguarding. Consideration was also given to the 50 parental questionnaires received, the 20 responses from members of staff and the 78 responses from pupils.

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Introduction

The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school’s work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.

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Introduction

 To what extent are learning and progress consistently good or outstanding across the school?  How successfully is the school raising the levels of achievement and attainment particularly in English and for those pupils who are not known to be eligible for free school meals?  How consistently good or outstanding is teaching across the school, and is it meeting the needs of all groups of pupils equally well, especially those of higher ability in English and girls in mathematics?  How successfully are leaders and managers at all levels driving and embedding improvements across the curriculum, leading to higher levels of attainment? What is the quality of action and improvement planning and how rigorous are monitoring and evaluation?

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Information about the school

The school is smaller than the average primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average. The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage. Few pupils are from minority ethnic groups or are learning to speak English as an additional language. The proportions of pupils identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities and of those who have a statement of special educational needs are below average. The school runs a breakfast club as well as a number of lunchtime and after-school clubs. The school has the Investor in People award, the Active Schools award and is a National Professional Qualification for Headship development school. The headteacher is a Local Leader of Education.

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Information about the school

There is a privately-run pre-school that was not part of this inspection.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Main findings

Woodcot Primary is a good and improving school. In their responses to questionnaires and in the discussions with inspectors, staff and pupils often commented on how proud they are of their school. Inspection findings showed that the way the school engages with parents and carers is outstanding. One parent wrote, ‘We are extremely happy with how Woodcot suits the needs of our child. Communication with parents is superb.’

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Main findings

Children get off to an excellent start as a result of outstanding leadership and provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Pupils in the rest of the school make good, and at times outstanding, progress. They attain levels that are broadly in line with national averages in English and mathematics; however, few attain the higher levels for their ages by the end of Key Stages 1 and 2. This includes those pupils not known to be eligible for free school meals. Although pupils made good progress by the end of Key Stage 1 last year, progress is currently not as securely good given the much stronger outcomes by the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage in 2011. This is because teaching does not always build sufficiently well on pupils’ prior learning and development, especially in writing and mathematics.

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Main findings

The quality of teaching is more consistently good or better in Key Stage 2 than it is in Key Stage 1. The school has correctly identified the need to increase the level of challenge in English and mathematics for pupils of higher ability. The quality of support provided to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities has recently improved. This group of pupils now make good progress overall by the end of Year 6 and benefit from additional, well-targeted support. The quality of the curriculum is now outstanding. It provides pupils with memorable learning experiences, such as going into a time machine to find out what life was like in the past. Programmes of work link different subjects together and these are tailored extremely well to the interests and needs of pupils. A good example of the impact of this practice has been the increased level of engagement and attainment of girls, particularly in mathematics.

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Main findings

Self-evaluation, although at times generous, has nonetheless led to the identification of the right priorities for improvement. However, systems are not sufficiently robust for recording and evidencing how leaders and managers at all levels evaluate the impact of their work on different groups of learners. All leaders and managers produce action plans for their areas of responsibility, but not all subject plans include interim milestones against which the progress made by different groups of pupils can

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

be measured. The progress made since the last inspection demonstrates good capacity for continued improvement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the achievement of pupils so that attainment rises more rapidly and pupils attain higher levels in English and mathematics by the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 by:  building more effectively in Key Stage 1 on the outcomes that children attain at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage and by ensuring teaching is consistently good or better throughout the school.  Increase the effectiveness with which leaders and managers drive and embed improvements by:  ensuring that all subject plans include interim milestones against which the progress made by pertinent groups of pupils can be measured  developing a more robust system for recording and evidencing how leaders and managers at all levels evaluate the impact of school initiatives on different groups of learners.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Levels of attainment are rising, particularly in Key Stage 2. Pupils’ achievement in mathematics by the end of Year 6 is outstanding. Those pupils identified as being at risk of underachieving are now identified more swiftly and are being provided with effective additional support. Pupils are keen to do well and generally apply themselves diligently to their work in lessons. In an outstanding English lesson in Year 6, pupils refined their skills in writing descriptive text. They generated a good range of descriptive words and produced interesting sentences. They made excellent progress due to clear and high expectations and because they helped each other and knew how to support their own learning.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Pupils feel safe and recognise risks. Most pupils behave extremely well. However, not all pupils are able to maintain high levels of behaviour when not closely supervised by an adult. Pupils generally make healthy choices, and there is a high take-up of extra-curricular sporting activities. Pupils run a healthy tuck shop, participate in local events and proudly represent their school in inter-school sports and quizzes. Pupils’ basic skills are secure, and pupils apply them well to a range of contexts; for example, using information and communication technology (ICT) to make a poster to advertise events. Teams of pupils are allocated a budget every year to run a stall at the summer fair. The team that makes the most profit wins a shield. Links with local businesses help pupils to develop their understanding of the world of work. Consequently, pupils develop a good range of skills that prepare them for the future.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Attendance levels, although broadly average, are rising. Effective work with parents and carers is improving the attendance of targeted pupils. Pupils have good knowledge of popular culture and wider cultural issues. Older pupils can name the

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

current Prime Minister. Since the last inspection, pupils’ appreciation of cultures and faiths that are different to their own is much improved and is now good. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about aspects of the Islamic faith following a talk from the local imam.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for pupils’ outcomes

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

Taking into account: Pupils’ attainment 1 The quality of pupils’ learning and their progress The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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contribute to their future economic well-being

Taking into account: Pupils’ attendance 1

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How effective is the provision?

The learning environment is well resourced and attractive. Teaching typically includes good cross-curricular links, placing learning in a meaningful and increasingly exciting context. There is often a good balance between the amount of time that teachers spend giving instructions and the time allowed for pupils to complete their work. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to speak to each other about what they are learning and to work independently and in groups. Most lessons include a good range of practical activities, including the use of role play to fire pupils’ imagination and improve their understanding of what they are learning. Teachers generally make good use of questions to support pupils’ learning. However, they do not always check the progress pupils are making during lessons to ensure that a good pace of learning is maintained. Although pupils are developing a good level of ICT capability, the use of technology as a learning tool is not used routinely in class-

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How effective is the provision?

based lessons. Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly against learning objectives. Although this is usually done well, not all teachers provide encouraging comments alongside the guidance for pupils about how to improve their work.

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How effective is the provision?

The quality of support provided by additional adults is variable. This is due at times

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How effective is the provision?

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4 is low

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

to the lack of specific detail in individual education plans of how best to support and meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school has correctly identified the need to provide additional training for some of their teaching assistants and to improve the quality of planning in this area.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

The school is at the forefront of successful, innovative curriculum design. The curriculum provides pupils with relevant learning experiences. The curriculum is particularly well tailored to meet the interests and needs of all pupils. There are many high-quality embellishments to the curriculum including specialist teaching, numerous visitors and artists in residence.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Transition arrangements for the youngest as well as the oldest pupils in the school are a particular strength. Staff have been very effective in supporting the needs of pupils whose circumstances make them most likely to be vulnerable.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

Senior leaders are driving and embedding improvements successfully. Morale is high and outcomes for pupils are improving. Strong leadership in mathematics has contributed to the significant improvements in this subject. Although the leadership and management of teaching and learning are good, there is some exemplary practice. Teachers’ practice, for example, improves after teachers watch themselves teaching on video. Members of the governing body provide senior leaders with appropriate levels of challenge and support. They have ensured that safeguarding arrangements are secure.

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How effective are leadership and management?

A wide range of strategies are used to communicate with parents and carers. These include highly effective strategies to engage with those families whose personal circumstances can at times make them harder to reach. The school's ‘open door policy’ and staff’s friendliness and welcoming approach secure a high level of involvement of parents and carers with their children's learning and well-being. The school's links with other partners not only enhance the learning and development of pupils at Woodcot but in the wider community as well. The school tackles any discrimination effectively. The good promotion of equality of opportunity resulted in a reduction in the number of pupils identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities. Not all subject leaders are tracking the progress and levels of attainment of groups of pupils across the curriculum. There is also little in the way of

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

formal written evaluations for the foundation subjects.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Improvements to the promotion of community cohesion have enhanced curriculum provision and pupils’ cultural development.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for leadership and management

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driving improvement

Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The Early Years Foundation Stage leader has forged excellent links with the pre- school as well as with parents and carers. This has helped children to settle quickly and happily as they get off to a brisk start with their learning and development. Teaching and support staff lead a wide range of exciting activities with flair and imagination. Consequently, children make significant and often outstanding gains in their learning. They are challenged to make choices, for example about which resources to use to help them to make a robot. Children learn to take turns, for example when using the tricycles and being traffic wardens. In this session, they developed instructional as well as positional language and learnt aspects of how to keep themselves and others safe. Children make rapid progress in their mathematical development and in learning to read and write simple words. Adults and children make extremely good use of the outside area to support and enhance learning.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

However, the outdoor space provides limited opportunities for children to climb using different parts of their body. Assessment procedures are rigorous and thorough and are used extremely well to plan the next steps in children's learning. All practitioners are highly skilled and their management of children’s welfare and behaviour is outstanding.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

Inspectors received a broadly average number of completed questionnaires from parents and carers. The responses indicate that parents and carers are overwhelmingly happy with their children's experience at the school. They feel well informed about their children's progress and the vast majority believe their children progress well. A very small minority do not agree that the school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour. Inspection findings show that pupils make good progress and that the behaviour of pupils is well managed.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Woodcot Primary School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school. The inspection team received 50 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 166 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 37 74 11 22 1 2 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 25 50 18 36 3 6 1 2 The school informs me about my child’s progress 30 60 19 38 1 2 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 31 62 18 36 1 2 0 0 The teaching is good at this school 31 62 17 34 0 0 1 2 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 27 54 19 38 2 4 0 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 21 42 27 54 1 2 0 0 The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 28 56 17 34 1 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child’s particular needs 25 50 22 44 1 2 0 0 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 18 36 19 38 10 20 1 2 The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 24 42 23 46 2 4 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 27 54 19 38 2 4 0 0 Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 28 56 21 42 1 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 43 47 10 0 Primary schools 6 46 42 6 Secondary schools 14 36 41 9 Sixth forms 15 42 41 3 Special schools 30 48 19 3 Pupil referral units 14 50 31 5 All schools 10 44 39 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 08 April 2011 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.  The school’s capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils’ needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Woodcot Primary School, Gosport PO13 0SG

Thank you for making the inspectors welcome when we visited your school recently. We enjoyed meeting you, spending time in your lessons and listening to your views. The inspectors agree that your school is good. These are some of the best things about your school.

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Inspection of Woodcot Primary School, Gosport PO13 0SG

 The youngest children get off to an excellent start with their learning and development.  The curriculum is now more exciting and better tailored to your needs and interests.  The way the school works with parents and carers as well as other partners is outstanding.

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Inspection of Woodcot Primary School, Gosport PO13 0SG

To help your school to become even better we have asked your school to:

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Inspection of Woodcot Primary School, Gosport PO13 0SG

 help you to make even better progress in English and mathematics, so that more of you reach higher levels by the end of Years 2 and 6  make sure that all of your lessons are always good or better  make sure that all leaders and managers are able to measure at regular intervals the progress that you make  make sure the school writes down how it knows how well you are all doing

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Inspection of Woodcot Primary School, Gosport PO13 0SG

You can all do your part to help your school by making sure you all come to school when you are supposed to, and by letting your teachers know if you find your learning too difficult or too easy.

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Inspection of Woodcot Primary School, Gosport PO13 0SG

Gehane Gordelier Her Majesty’s Inspector

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from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy

of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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