Emsworth Primary School

Emsworth Primary School Victoria Road, Emsworth, Hampshire, PO10 7LX

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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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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The strong leadership of the headteacher and commitment and hard work of staff and the governing body have helped improve the school well since its last inspection. It is well placed to improve further.  Rigorous and regular checking of the impact teaching and curriculum planning have on pupils’ progress ensures that emerging weaknesses are accurately identified and quickly addressed.  Pupils are well taught. Good subject knowledge, clear demonstrations and explanations, and effective opportunities for discussion help pupils to achieve well, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs.  Attainment is rising, with the very large majority of pupils reaching the levels expected for their age, especially in mathematics and literacy, including reading. Their understanding of the sounds letters make in words (phonics) is especially good.  Strong behaviour management, good provision

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and very effective safeguarding procedures ensure behaviour and relationships are good. Pupils enjoy school and work hard.  A significant strength of the school is the very effective partnership between staff and members of the governing body. Governors hold the school to account well, and are very supportive of staff, regularly undertaking joint monitoring activities.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Too few pupils attain the higher levels in the national assessments for Years 2 and 6 pupils because they lack some of the more complex reading, writing and mathematical skills that would help them to do so.  Only a small minority of teaching is outstanding because of the slower pace of learning in some lessons, the lack of specific learning targets and activities for some ability groups, and inconsistencies in the use of assessment and target-setting procedures.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed seven teachers over 13 lessons of which three were joint observations with the headteacher. In addition the inspection team made a number of other short visits to lessons, heard a sample of pupils read and scrutinised a sample of pupils’ written work.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, members of the governing body and staff, including senior and middle managers. Representatives of the local authority were also spoken to.  Inspectors took account of the 31 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and a small number of parents bringing their children to school were also spoken to.  They observed the school’s work and scrutinised a number of documents including the school’s records on current pupils’ progress, behaviour and attendance. Documents relating to planning and monitoring and safeguarding were also looked at.

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Inspection team

Diane Wilkinson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Anthony Hayes Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Emsworth is a smaller than average-sized primary school in which some pupils are taught in mixed-age classes.  A greater proportion of pupils than is seen nationally join or leave the school between Reception and Year 6.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported by school action is above average as is the proportion supported by school action plus or a statement of special educational needs.  The school does not use any alternative provision for pupils.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups including those who speak English as an additional language is low.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupils premium, which provides funding for children in local authority care, children from service families and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, is in line with the national average.  The school meets government floor standards in English and mathematics, the minimum

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Information about this school

standards for pupils’ attainment and progress required by the government.  The current headteacher joined the school in September 2012. There is an acting deputy headteacher.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Build on and extend the rise in pupils’ attainment by increasing the proportion of pupils exceeding the expected levels in national tests through:  ensuring that younger pupils can easily describe the plot and characters in the stories they read and that more older pupils can deduce what might happen or how a situation could be resolved from clues in the text  providing more opportunities for pupils to plan, write and re-edit their written work independently, particularly in the younger classes  setting more demanding mathematical investigations where pupils need to collect the relevant information, decide which methods to use and devise a report on their findings with little adult support.  Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by July 2013, particularly through:  making sure that pupils work at a good pace throughout lessons, including by setting explicit time limits for pupils working independently or in groups with little adult supervision

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 providing more activities to stretch pupils on the cusp of achieving levels above those expected for their age  making clear at the beginning of lessons exactly what is expected from pupils of different ability  ensuring that assessment and target-setting procedures are consistently used across all year groups and in different subjects to help promote pupils’ progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ achievement has improved well, a fact praised by parents. Currently, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is slightly above average and well placed to rise further.  On entry, Reception children’s skills are mainly below those expected, especially in their independence and confidence, speaking and listening and some literacy and numeracy skills. The strong focus on these aspects ensures children make good progress, most attaining average levels although few exceed them.  Good progress in Years 1 and 2 and the very effective teaching of phonics ensure the Year 1 phonics screening test results are above average. Virtually all Year 2 pupils read fluently. Their attainment in reading is above average although few easily explain the plot and characters by referring well to the text.  Pupils’ good progress in Years 3 to 6 is raising attainment. Most Year 6 pupils reach the levels expected for their age, but only a small minority exceed them which limited attainment until

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The achievement of pupils is good

recently. Addressing this is a priority for the school, resulting in improvements in 2012. School assessment data indicate attainment is well placed to rise further.  Most Year 6 pupils understand what they read although only a small minority confidently deduce a character’s traits or how a situation might be resolved from clues in the text.  Year 2 pupils’ handwriting, spelling and punctuation are mainly accurate. They use vocabulary increasingly effectively when writing in different formats, for example in poetry. However, they are less secure at choosing the content or deciding the order independently.  Year 6 pupils confidently write in a wide range of formats using interesting and varied vocabulary that engages the reader, making the setting or character come alive. Good opportunities for writing independently have started to increase the proportion of pupils attaining above the expected level, with staff working determinedly to raise this further.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 A strong promotion of place value and use of number lines helps Year 2 pupils calculate accurately and solve problems set by their teacher. This is built on well, with Year 6 pupils’ good calculation skills ensuring they work confidently with decimals, fractions, percentages, data or measures; for example, using negative numbers in analysing temperature.  Year 6 pupils enjoy the very demanding mathematical problems set by their teacher, but have fewer opportunities for planning and carrying out their own investigations.  A strong commitment to providing equality of opportunity and preventing discrimination ensures disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and pupils from minority ethnic groups achieve as well as their classmates.  Pupils premium funding is helping to close the gap in attainment well between these pupils and others, as measured by the average point scores in Year 6 assessments.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Improvements in teaching since the last inspection are due to effective monitoring and support and a good programme for staff development provided in part by the local authority. Good teaching in the Reception Year has been maintained.  This is underpinned by staff commitment to continue to improve their teaching, their willingness to listen to and accept advice and their determination to support senior leaders in their drive for further school improvement.  Teachers’ and learning support assistants’ subject knowledge is good so that new skills and concepts are demonstrated and explained clearly. Most staff question pupils well to help their understanding although a few learning support assistants new to the school too readily correct pupils’ misconceptions rather than probing to help pupils recognise these for themselves.  Planned activities take secure account of pupils’ differing ability although only a minority of

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The quality of teaching is good

teachers provide activities that really stretch pupils on the cusp of achieving a higher level to help them reach it. Staff are good, however, at checking how well pupils are progressing throughout lessons and adapting activities to encourage further progress.  For each lesson teachers clearly set out what pupils should be aiming for, although sometimes this is too general and, in particular, teachers do not always make it clear that expectations of the more able pupils are higher. However, good support provided for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, both in lessons and targeted group or one-to-one activities, helps ensure they progress well.  Consistently good behaviour management and positive relationships between staff and pupils ensure that lessons are rarely interrupted and pupils willingly work hard. However, staff do not always capitalise on this, rarely setting time limits for pupils’ individual or group tasks so that

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The quality of teaching is good

some pupils complete less work than they could, limiting their progress.  In the past 18 months more comprehensive and rigorous assessment and target-setting procedures have helped improve achievement. However, there is still some inconsistency in their use across year groups and subjects and addressing this is a current improvement priority.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ enthusiasm for learning, good behaviour in lessons and around the school, their politeness and ability to reflect on their learning are strengths.  Pupils are mature and thoughtful, exhibiting a strong empathy for others, traits which prepare them well for the future, including as citizens in a multicultural society.  The strong rewards and sanction systems help ensure that, although pupils report that a small minority of pupils do find good behaviour difficult and they occasionally misbehave, this is always dealt with swiftly and successfully.  This is also the case in respect of the small amount of bullying, mainly associated with unkind behaviour, and fixed-term exclusions which rarely re-occur because they are dealt with well.  Pupils feel safe in school, confident that adults always respond to their concerns, and enjoy their learning, which most parents validate. Consequently, attendance levels are above average.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ good knowledge of how to keep safe means they move around school courteously, play well together in the playground and are vigilant about their own safety, including when using the internet.  Pupils’ good attitudes keep them strongly focused in lessons although some younger pupils lack confidence and independence skills and, when working in groups or independently, older pupils do not always work as swiftly as they could.  A positive start to the school day in the well-run breakfast club, partly funded by the pupils premium, helps ensure the good attendance and readiness to learn of pupils in receipt of this.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, ably supported by senior and subject leaders, provides strong leadership. As a result, teaching and achievement have improved, including in science – a weakness identified at the last inspection.  Evidence from regular checks of pupils’ progress, scrutiny of their work and teachers’ planning, in which governors are involved, and lesson observations is used well to improve teacher performance and its impact on achievement. This provides a clear picture of what still needs to be done and there is a strong commitment among staff and governors to improve further.  Weaknesses or inconsistencies in teaching and slowing pupil progress are swiftly and successfully targeted, with emerging patterns addressed as priorities in improvement planning, performance management targets and staff training. This has already helped to improve teaching quality and pupils’ achievement, with strategies already in place to tackle the

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The leadership and management are good

weaknesses that remain.  The curriculum meets the needs and interests of Reception children and older pupils well, providing good guidance on developing important literacy and numeracy skills. Pupils greatly enjoy special activities, for example the opportunity to debate conservation issues related to Chichester Harbour in the West Sussex Council Chamber.  Parents’ and pupils’ views are regularly sought and effectively acted on. Parents are appreciative of the school, and most support homework well.  The local authority provided good support during a time of lengthy staff absences and changes, particularly for the monitoring and development of teaching. The level of support is decreasing due to current strengths in leadership.  Very good policies and procedures for safeguarding pupils, including through regular checks, the vetting of staff and child protection arrangements, ensure pupils are well cared for.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  A major strength is the quality of teamwork among staff and governors and the way they work determinedly together to bring about improvement. Governors are strongly committed to training, including in the use of data, so they effectively compare the school’s performance with that of schools nationally, holding leaders to account and supporting them well. Their good knowledge of teaching quality and pupils’ achievement helps ensure they make effective decisions regarding salary increases. Good monitoring of pupil premium funding, currently allocated to providing extra staff, special learning activities and the work of the home-school liaison officer and breakfast club, helps ensure pupils receiving it make the best of their education.

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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 is

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Grade Judgement Description

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 116260 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 401584

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 161 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Steve Leniston Headteacher Kate Fripp Date of previous school inspection 4–5 May 2010 Telephone number 01243 375750 Fax number 01243 379011 Email address admin@emsworth.hants.sch.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, please

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School details

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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