Oliver's Battery Primary and Nursery School

Age group 4−11 Inspection date(s) 24−25 November 2011 Inspection number 379191 Oliver's Battery Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 116046 Local Authority Hampshire Inspection number 379191 Inspection dates 24−25 November 2011 Reporting inspector Janet Sinclair

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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 227 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Alison Walker Headteacher Jo Ayres (Acting) Date of previous school inspection 10−11 February 2009 School address Austen Avenue Oliver's Battery Winchester SO22 4HP Telephone number 01962 869496 Fax number 01962 870406 Email address headteacher@oliversbattery.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 three additional inspectors. The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 18 lessons, observing 10 teachers and several teaching assistants. Inspectors also held meetings with members of the governing body, senior staff and groups of pupils. They scrutinised samples of pupils’ work, and looked at a wide range of documentation including policies, particularly for safeguarding, the school development plan and records of pupils’ progress. They considered the 101 responses from questionnaires returned by parents and carers.

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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

 The attainment and rates of progress of all groups of pupils, but particularly any differences between the progress of boys and girls.  The match of work to the needs of pupils in the mixed-age classes.  The extent to which teaching and the use of assessment data are supporting pupils’ progress and the impact on pupils’ day-to-day learning, involvement and enjoyment.  The impact of the current senior leadership team in driving improvement and accelerating progress.

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Information about the school

Oliver’s Battery is an average-sized primary school with a below average proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is average; these are mainly moderate and specific learning, autistic spectrum disorder and speech and language difficulties. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are in two classes, one of which is single age and one which also has Year 1 pupils.

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Information about the school

The school has experienced a range of staffing challenges in the recent past, not least the long-term absence of some senior staff. Since September 2011, the deputy headteacher has been the acting headteacher for three days a week and a seconded headteacher from a local school has been the acting headteacher for two days a week. A new, full-time headteacher has been appointed and takes up her post in January 2012.

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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

Oliver’s Battery is a satisfactory school. It is beginning to settle down after a period of significant disruption, particularly at senior leadership level. A new headteacher has been appointed and in the interim, the acting headteachers are giving a strong steer to the school’s work. They have ensured that all staff are working together well as a team and have put much in place to improve the quality of the provision. Effective support from the local authority has helped the school during this difficult time.

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Main findings

Children make a good start to their education in the Early Years Foundation Stage due to a stimulating learning environment that engages their interest and good relationships that develop their confidence. Pupils mainly make satisfactory, and sometimes good, progress across the rest of the school to reach broadly average standards by the end of Year 6. There has been some underachievement in mathematics and for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities in Years 5 and 6, which the school has worked hard to address through targeted, small-group work and additional teaching provision. This is accelerating their progress. There is no obvious trend of difference between the attainment or progress of boys and girls.

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Main findings

Teachers plan and organise lessons well, but good questioning, the matching of work to pupils’ needs and ensuring pupils’ involvement in their learning are not universal. A whole-school tracking system is now enabling the school to track pupils’ progress carefully and has led to interventions to accelerate the progress of those not doing well enough. Pupils have a good understanding of healthy lifestyles and know the importance of a healthy diet and plenty of exercise. Much work has gone into improving attendance, which is now above average, and children enjoy coming to school. A small number of pupils also enjoy the well-organised breakfast club.

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Main findings

Senior leaders have an accurate view of the school and a determination to bring about further improvement, although recent changes have not yet had time to become fully embedded. There are detailed school development and action plans with a clear focus on raising attainment. However, the success criteria are not precise enough for the school to monitor their impact on pupils’ learning effectively. The school has maintained the position it was in at the last inspection, in spite of significant disruption. The acting headteachers are now accelerating the pace of change and with their continued involvement, the arrival of the new headteacher and support from the local authority, the school has a satisfactory capacity for sustained improvement.

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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

Up to 40% of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged as satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment and accelerate progress in all subjects, but particularly in mathematics and for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities in Years 5 and 6, by ensuring that:  work is more closely matched to pupils’ needs, particularly in the mixed- age classes, so that all pupils are fully challenged  teachers question pupils in a way that that develops their knowledge and skills more fully and challenges their thinking  senior staff carefully monitor the effectiveness of the additional support provided for mathematics and for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.  Involve pupils more fully in their learning through more consistent use of targets, self-assessment and opportunities to respond to teachers’ marking.  Improve school development planning through the use of success criteria that are specific and measurable to enable the school to check the impact of its

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

actions more accurately.  Ensure that new initiatives guarantee greater consistency of good practice across the school in order to accelerate the pace of change.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Pupils join the school with levels of skill and understanding which are below expectations. They make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage so that attainment on entry to Year 1 is at the expected level. They then make satisfactory, but accelerating, progress across the rest of the school, due to effective interventions to support those groups and individuals falling behind.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Pupils behave well and are keen and motivated to learn. For example, when responding to a video clip where they had to record the adjectives and similes they heard, pupils were clear about what they had to do and were fully engaged in the task, carefully noting adjectives such as ‘enormous’ and ‘terrifying’ and similes such as ‘sun like an egg yolk’. In another lesson, more-able pupils were extended well through a challenging task and effective teacher questioning. Sometimes, pupils lose interest because work is too easy, such as when they had to repeat similar co- ordinate tasks many times in order to create a flower and then colour it in. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from good support from teaching assistants, for example when involved in writing sentences using adjectives. In one lesson, pupils thoroughly enjoyed writing up about how they made their Mars rover vehicles and this ensured a good commitment to the writing process.

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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

In some lessons, pupils are fully involved in improving their work and assessing how well they are doing. They enjoy using traffic lights to show their level of understanding, for example a green traffic light accompanied by a written ‘I got it’. However, this is not consistent practice, so not all pupils benefit.

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

Pupils clearly know the difference between right and wrong, are considerate of each other and enjoy the sound opportunities for reflection that they get in assemblies. Although they engage well with each other within their school community, their knowledge of national and global communities is less well developed. They know that being active at break time, enjoying healthy snacks from the tuck shop and not smoking when they get older are important factors in a healthy lifestyle. Pupil governors enjoyed the opportunity to interview the new headteacher, but beyond this, they have had limited impact. Pupils say they feel safe in school because there is little bullying and teachers take good care of them.

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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?

Teachers make effective use of resources to enliven lessons, for example video clips to help identify parts of speech, models that pupils have made to stimulate writing, and the outside environment as a stimulus for poetry. Teachers have good relationships with pupils and use praise well. This ensures that pupils are confident about contributing. In some lessons, teachers challenge pupils and pupils have opportunities to explain their thinking, but this does not happen enough and, when it

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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

is absent, it can slow progress. While teachers mark work consistently, they do not involve pupils sufficiently in improving their work by responding to feedback, nor do they always involve pupils in assessing how well they are doing or in setting their own learning goals.

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

The curriculum is broad and balanced, and the recent focus on topics that provide interesting and relevant experiences, such as the Year 4/5 link with NASA engineers when making their Mars rover vehicles, bring the curriculum to life. Pupils also enjoy being involved in choosing their topics. However, the curriculum is not yet well enough matched to pupils’ needs to ensure consistently good outcomes.

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

The care for pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable is highly effective, and this ensures their inclusion and good personal development. The school is active in engaging with parents and carers, and they appreciate this. As one parent said, ‘We could not have wished for more caring teachers and support staff.’ Induction to the school is good and children settle well. Links with the local secondary school, although positive, are only beginning. Pastoral provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is good and academic guidance has improved so that it is now satisfactory.

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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?

Subject leaders are developing an increasingly accurate view of teaching and learning in their subjects, and are now more effective in identifying key areas for improvement and evaluating their success. They are fully aware that this has not yet led to complete consistency in the quality of teaching and learning, and more rigorous monitoring of teaching by senior leaders is already leading to improvement. The school is making sound use of its new tracking system to monitor the progress of different groups and check for any gender issues. This is an example of the school’s improving implementation of its commitment to promoting equality of opportunity and tackling discrimination.

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How effective are leadership and management?

The school has a generally positive relationship with parents and carers. Weekly newsletters keep them up to date with school events and workshops, and curricular information lets them know what their children are learning. Partnerships with others are satisfactory overall, and good with those that support vulnerable pupils. The school is a cohesive community and works with its local community well, for example

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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

in its links with the church and with local businesses. It is beginning to develop pupils’ awareness of wider national and global communities. Safeguarding procedures are satisfactory; effective policies and procedures are in place and are systematically reviewed. The governing body ensures that all statutory requirements are met and has a good knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Governors hold the school to account for its actions and have increasingly taken on responsibility for setting priorities for school improvement. However, they are not yet rigorous enough in evaluating the school’s work.

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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

Reception-age children achieve well due to good quality provision. For example, there is an emphasis on developing their letters and sounds and writing skills, which are below expected levels on entry. The learning environments of both classes are lively and stimulating. For example, in one class, children were fully involved in activities associated with the story The Three Little Pigs and enjoying building a house using bricks and wearing their safety helmets ‘in case a brick falls on my head’, writing stories about the pigs, making pig masks and counting pigs. In the other class, children were preparing for a journey and engaging in challenging writing activities. Through play opportunities such as these, children make good progress and learn to share and cooperate with each other. They enjoy their daily fruit at break-time and know that it helps to keep them healthy. All staff support and encourage children through effective interactions, although occasionally the activities

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Early Years Foundation Stage

they provide lack sufficient challenge and this slows the pace of learning.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Planning is good, with effective use made of both the indoor and outdoor learning environment. Regular assessments, with photographic evidence, are kept in learning

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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

journals and provide a good record of children’s learning. They are also used to ensure work is well matched to children’s needs. Leadership and management are effective and staff work together well as a team to monitor children’s progress and provide continuity in their learning. There are good relationships with parents and carers that support children’s learning.

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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 Early Years Foundation Stage

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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

More than the average number of parents and carers responded to the inspection questionnaire. Their responses indicated that most parents and carers are happy with the school and with what it provides. They consider that their children enjoy all that the school has to offer and that the school encourages them to have a healthy lifestyle. Most of those responding were confident that their children are kept safe. The main concerns expressed were about their children’s progress, meeting their needs and how the school deals with unacceptable behaviour. During the inspection, the inspection team found that not all children make enough progress, but that the current leadership has addressed this and progress is now at least satisfactory. The inspection team found no evidence of unacceptable behaviour during the inspection and the school has a robust approach to behaviour management. It is not always clear that the school meets children’s needs fully and this is a key issue for the

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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 Oliver’s battery 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 101 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 227 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 65 64 30 30 4 4 1 1 The school keeps my child safe 62 61 31 31 6 6 0 0 The school informs me about my child’s progress 43 43 46 46 11 11 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 34 34 46 46 14 14 3 3 The teaching is good at this school 43 43 43 43 11 11 0 0 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 36 36 51 50 11 11 0 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 40 40 54 53 1 1 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) 31 31 48 48 3 3 2 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child’s particular needs 34 34 48 48 13 13 1 1 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 28 28 52 51 14 14 1 1 The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 22 22 62 61 7 7 2 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 18 18 63 62 7 7 4 4 Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 50 50 36 36 12 12 1 1

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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

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Sixth forms 15 42 41 3 Special schools 30 48 19 3 Pupil referral units 14 50 31 5

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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 Oliver’s Battery Primary School, Winchester SO22 4HP

I am writing to tell you how much we enjoyed our visit to your school. We were pleased to learn that you enjoy school and get on well with each other. Your school is giving you a satisfactory education. This means that it does some things well but some things still need to be improved.

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Inspection of Oliver’s Battery Primary School, Winchester SO22 4HP

Here are some of the best things about your school.

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Inspection of Oliver’s Battery Primary School, Winchester SO22 4HP

 You get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Any of you who are particularly vulnerable are given very good support to help you fit into school life.  You behave well in lessons and around the school, and know a lot about being healthy.  Your acting headteachers and all the staff are working hard to make your school better.

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Inspection of Oliver’s Battery Primary School, Winchester SO22 4HP

These are the things we have asked your school to do to help you learn even more.

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Inspection of Oliver’s Battery Primary School, Winchester SO22 4HP

 Encourage you to share your ideas in lessons and help you to see how to improve your work.  Ensure your teachers question you in a way that will develop your understanding more fully, and always provide work that is at the right level so you do not get bored because it is too easy.  Ensure that all teachers provide similar experiences for you in class so that you all learn as well as each other.  Ensure that the school knows just how well you are improving.

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Inspection of Oliver’s Battery Primary School, Winchester SO22 4HP

All of you can help by keeping up your interest in lessons and your good behaviour.

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Inspection of Oliver’s Battery Primary School, Winchester SO22 4HP

We enjoyed talking to you and wish you every success for the future.

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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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