Southville Primary School

School Report Southville Primary School Merrywood Road, Southville, Bristol, BS3 1EB

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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This is a good school

 Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Most, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, reach levels of attainment that are above national averages.  Teaching is almost always good or better. Lessons provide good levels of challenge, although not always enough for the most able pupils. They are enjoyable and usually well paced.  Pupils’ behaviour is good and this helps their learning. They are aware of how to work and play safely together and this helps the school to be a very harmonious place, free from bullying, that both they and their parents and carers appreciate.  Leaders and managers have high expectations of teaching and pupils’ achievement, which are both improving. They are supported strongly by members of the governing body who provide robust evaluation and challenge across all of their activities.  The good curriculum in Key Stages 1 and 2 provides interesting challenges for pupils both

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This is a good school

in and outside lessons. This helps them develop excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural values.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not yet sufficient outstanding teaching to further develop pupils’ good achievement so that it is also outstanding.  The curriculum in the Early Years Foundation Stage does not always provide enough challenge for the most able children.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was carried out with one day’s notice. Inspectors observed the school’s work, scrutinised its policies, a range of documents and records of pupils’ assessments.  The inspectors observed 17 lessons taught by eight teachers over nine hours. They held meetings with staff, pupils, members of the governing body and held informal discussions with parents and carers.  The inspectors took account of the 58 responses from parents and carers to the on-line questionnaire, Parent View, in planning for the inspection.

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Inspection team

Carolyn Carnaghan, Lead inspector Additional inspector Trevor Neat Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Southville is an average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. Those from minority ethnic groups and who speak English as an additional language form groups that are smaller in proportion than those seen nationally. Most pupils are from a White British heritage.  The proportions of pupils supported through school action, school action plus and with a statement of special educational needs are below average.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average. The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Deliver a greater proportion of outstanding lessons by ensuring that: – teachers check that pupils always understand what they have to learn and that this is clear and appropriate for all – pupils have the time and opportunity to reflect on the success of their learning during and at the end of the lesson – lessons are always clearly planned with the needs of all pupils in mind, including the most able.  Ensure that the curriculum in the Early Years Foundation Stage provides sufficient challenge and opportunity for all children, including the most able, so promoting faster progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the Nursery with expected levels of skills for their age and make good progress across the school. They leave Year 6 having reached above average levels of attainment. This represents good achievement for all groups of pupils. The school ensures equal opportunities for all its pupils.  Progress in both English and mathematics is good and many pupils achieve the higher levels in tests and assessments. Where very able pupils have not reached the heights the school is aiming for, it is because lessons do not always ensure activities are stretching enough, but this is rare.  Reading is promoted strongly in school and pupils attest to enjoying all types of books. Attainment in reading is above average by the end of Years 2 and 6. Reading, writing and mathematics are used across a range of subjects, such as history and geography, to ensure strong development of these skills.  Pupils who are eligible for free school meals or who speak English as an additional language

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The achievement of pupils is good

make good progress from their starting points. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, including those who are supported by school action, school action plus and with a statement of special educational needs, make good progress and achieve well. Those who are eligible for the extra support afforded by the pupil premium similarly make good progress because they receive help from dedicated learning support assistants and enjoy opportunities such as additional music lessons and educational visits to build on their school experiences.  After entering the Nursery, children quickly settle into school life and make very good progress in their personal development in the Early Years Foundation Stage. However, the opportunities they receive in Reception do not fully match the needs of all children, particularly the most able, so their progress slows down.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Much of the teaching is based securely on teachers’ assessments of pupils’ prior learning so most lessons match their needs. It is rare when they do not. Most lessons are enjoyable and engaging and this supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, promoting their curiosity and ability to work together. Good quality teaching is the prime factor in the good progress that pupils make.  Teachers employ interesting methods, such as the wizard puppet in Year 1 who helped everyone stay fully absorbed in the activities. Tasks are well explained and learning is characterised by pupils’ high levels of engagement which demonstrate their good attitudes to school.  Teachers make good use of assessment within lessons, such as where pupils were asked to write their autobiographies and learning was checked regularly. When this does not happen, or when the lesson’s objectives are not clearly explained, pupils do not always

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The quality of teaching is good

understand their successes and what they need to do to improve.  Marking of work is generally good with opportunities for pupils and teachers to engage in useful discussions about it.  Plans are not always sufficiently clear on how activities will provide the appropriate level of challenge for the most able pupils.  Pupils work very well together on tasks in lessons and this ensures learning is sociable. However, sometimes this means noise levels are a little high, which interrupts some pupils’ concentration. Occasionally, the pace of learning slows and learning suffers as a result.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils demonstrate good attitudes to learning and towards school in general. Their behaviour is good and good conduct in lessons contributes well to pupils’ progress. Pupils are polite, respectful and helpful; they say they enjoy school, feel safe and speak well of one another.  Relationships between pupils are harmonious, so that playtimes and lunchtimes are pleasant, relaxed occasions. Some pupils lead groups in activities and act as buddies and monitors.  Pupils’ attendance is above average and this has a positive impact on their achievement and their development of spiritual, moral, social and cultural values.  Parents and carers report few concerns about behaviour in school, although occasionally some pupils’ behaviour does not match the norm. This is well handled by staff.  The absence of bullying and racist incidents is evidence of pupils’ strong spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and it helps pupils to feel safe in school. Exclusions are

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

rarely used and overall are extremely low in comparison with other schools. Strong support for pupils who may be vulnerable helps them to do well.  Pupils’ awareness of staying safe, both in everyday situations and in using the internet is good.

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The leadership and management are good

 Effective leadership and management support the good achievement of pupils. Consistently high expectations are communicated to staff and pupils alike and are upheld by members of the governing body.  The school’s self-evaluation is robust and, with effective support and challenge from the local authority, it has ensured strategic developments in teaching and provision that have led to a rise in achievement over the last few years.  Close monitoring of teaching and effective performance management lead to good opportunities for teachers’ professional development and improvements in teaching. Regular pupil performance meetings ensure that teachers are held to account for the progress of pupils in their class.  The good curriculum is well organised and resourced, providing for a broad range of experiences both in and outside the classroom. For example, pupils enjoyed finding out about their rights and responsibilities which ultimately led to them voting for members of

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The leadership and management are good

the school council.  The curriculum contributes to the safety, well-being and enjoyment of all pupils. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural values are encouraged through arts and community-based activities that develop good understanding of the world and its people. For example, pupils were involved in producing a CD of songs for their community, including producing the excellent artwork for the cover.  Parents and carers are seen as key partners in the education of pupils and the school actively supports them. They receive help in supporting their children, through clubs, workshops and consultations.  The governance of the school: – Members of the governing body understand the school and the needs of pupils. They effectively hold the school’s leaders and managers to account through robust evaluation and performance management, backed up by regular monitoring of teaching and learning. – The governing body is highly involved in school life and members have developed an

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The leadership and management are good

excellent understanding of the strategic needs of the whole school. This helps pupils to achieve well and ensures that their reading, writing and mathematical skills are at, or above, expected levels. – The activities of the governing body ensure equal opportunities for all pupils, and that there is no discrimination.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school

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Grade Judgement Description

is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 108964 Local authority Bristol Inspection number 401026

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 245 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Richard James Headteacher Sandra Smith Date of previous school inspection 26–27 January 2010 Telephone number 0117 3772671 Fax number 0117 3772671 Email address southville.p@bristol.gov.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available 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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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

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 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,

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School details

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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School details

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

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