William Gilpin Church of England Primary School

School report William Gilpin Primary School Pilley Hill, Lymington, SO41 5QG

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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.  Teaching is at least good, and occasionally outstanding. Leaders have made sure that teachers know what they should do in every lesson and have helped teachers to be able to do these things.  Pupils make good progress because the work they are given to do is interesting and stretches them. They reach standards which are above average, particularly in their English; reading and writing are strong.  The Early Years Foundation Stage is a strength of the school. Children make rapid progress because of the outstanding teaching and resources available.  Pupils are proud to be part of the school, and behave very well both in lessons and around the school. They get along with one another, showing great understanding for pupils who find learning or good behaviour difficult.  Pupils particularly like the new buildings, which make them feel it is a good place to learn. They feel safe because the adults show great

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

care for them and know them well.  Leaders have successfully addressed the issues raised at the previous inspection, improved teaching and made sure that all groups of pupils are helped to make good progress.  Governors are very well informed because they visit the school and check that the agreed improvements are making a difference to raise standards. Together with the headteacher, they make sure that pupils are kept safe, and that the school does all the things it is supposed to.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 While progress in mathematics has improved, it is not yet as rapid as the progress in reading and writing. More pupils are capable of reaching the higher standards.  Pupils are not always clear what they have to do to reach the highest levels.  There is not yet enough teaching which is outstanding and which develops the independence of the pupils in deciding what they need to do next.

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection, the inspector observed 12 lessons or parts of lessons, taught by six teachers, as well as sessions led by teaching assistants. Senior leaders participated in some of these observations.  The inspector looked at a wide range of documents provided by the school, including records of checks on the quality of teaching, school policies, teachers’ records about how well pupils are doing, the school’s records for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, and minutes from meetings.  The inspector also looked at policies and records to ensure that pupils are kept safe and that any incidents are dealt with appropriately. He reviewed the school’s procedures to check adults working with the pupils are appropriate to do so.  The inspector met with leaders, staff and pupils from the school, and met with a representative from the local authority as well as with governors. He spoke with pupils about their work during

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Information about this inspection

lessons, and looked at their work over time in their books.  The views of parents and carers were considered, through the 42 responses to the on-line survey for Ofsted, Parent View, through correspondence received, and through informal discussions with parents and carers before and after school.

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Inspection team

Andrew Saunders, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is smaller than average. All classes include two year groups. During some lessons the two year groups are taught separately.  Almost all pupils are White British; a very few pupils come from a range of other ethnic heritages.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, including those supported at school action, or those at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs, is below average.  More pupils than is usual join or leave the school other than at the expected times.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium, additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children of service families, is below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  There is no alternative provision for pupils at the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Enable all groups of pupils to make as rapid progress in their mathematics as they do in their English, by:  making sure that pupils are given more opportunities and encouragement to respond to the high quality comments teachers make in their books  giving the more able pupils work that stretches them further, so that they reach the highest levels they are capable of.  Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching and raise expectations further, by:  helping pupils to understand how they can improve their learning for themselves and increasing their independence in doing so  giving pupils a clear idea of what is expected to reach the highest levels, and the encouragement to aim for these.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children make an excellent start to their learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage because teaching is outstanding for these children and they have access to excellent resources, both inside and outdoors. Adults work exceptionally well together, observing children’s learning, probing how well the children understand, and setting them new and interesting challenges which move their learning on quickly.  Pupils, including those who join the school part way through their education, continue to make good progress throughout the school and, by the end of Year 6, reach standards which are above average. Their progress in English is impressive, particularly so in writing. Pupils also make good progress in mathematics, but it is not quite as rapid as in English.  Lesson observations, teachers’ records and the work in pupils’ books show that good progress is typical for all year groups. Teaching year groups separately at times helps make sure of this.

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The achievement of pupils is good

Overall, pupils’ achievement is good.  Reading is a strength of the school because of the consistent use of phonics (linking sounds and letters), and extra support where pupils need it. This means that pupils tackle challenging texts with confidence, and develop a love of reading.  Recently, all pupils have reached the expected levels in English and mathematics, bettering the national average. The proportion of pupils who exceed the expected levels is not as strong and is average. This is because the more able pupils are, at times, too dependent on the teachers to tell them what they need to do next, and are not always aware of what work would look like at an even higher level.  The support for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is considered carefully and a wide range of approaches is used to suit the specific needs of each pupil. Consequently, most of them make good progress and are helped to catch up with other pupils. Where the

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The achievement of pupils is good

needs of pupils are more complex, they are helped to make the best progress they are capable of.  Together with governors, the headteacher keeps track of how the funds to help pupils who are eligible, the pupil premium, are used. This provides extra training for teaching assistants to understand the issues these pupils face, additional support and time with appropriate adults or professionals, for example to provide speech therapy. It is also used to give pupils access to extra opportunities they might not otherwise have. As a result, the average point scores show that these pupils reach standards which are above the average for all pupils nationally, and in line with pupils in the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers use the accurate information they have about pupils’ knowledge and skills to plan lessons thoroughly, so that teaching is consistently good, and occasionally outstanding. Teachers make sure that different groups of pupils have work which meets their needs and that pupils have opportunities to think about their learning.  A new approach to planning, which starts by looking at what the most able pupils need to be able to do, is helping to raise the expectations of all pupils. However, this is not yet fully established. More able pupils are given work which is usually challenging for them, although some of these pupils could sometimes manage even more difficult work.  Teachers frequently check that pupils know what they should be doing and are making progress towards this. Together with the teaching assistants, they give pupils feedback during lessons so that misunderstandings are not allowed to continue.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Comments in pupils’ books by the teacher, teaching assistants, or by other pupils’ giving feedback, are very helpful and show where pupils have succeeded, and what they need to do next. However, pupils do not get enough opportunities to respond to these comments, so they are not always as effective as they could be.  The use of targets to help pupils know what they need to be aiming for is well established and used consistently by all the teachers. Pupils refer to these regularly and this helps ensure they make good progress.  Recent training about how to use ideas from philosophy to enrich the work that pupils are doing has given staff the confidence to try these ideas in lessons. There are good opportunities for pupils to think about philosophical, spiritual and moral issues. These help them to develop their thinking skills, to talk about their views, and to respect that others may have different views.

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The quality of teaching is good

This is also helping them to reflect on their own work and how they are making progress.  Teaching assistants are well trained to understand the needs of the particular groups of pupils they support. They help teachers to make sure lesson plans are well focused on the needs of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. They use good questions to check pupils have understood and make sure that these pupils work independently, asking for support when they need it.  Teachers read interesting stories to the class at the end of the day; pupils look forward to this and love reading as a result.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are keen to work to a high standard; they like that they get extra time to finish their work if they need it. Timetabled opportunities for writing longer pieces of work help pupils because these set the right sort of atmosphere for them to do their best work. However, pupils are too reliant on the adults to make sure they know what they need to do next and, at times, wait for this rather than deciding for themselves.  Pupils say that they feel particularly safe because they know everyone at the school, and are helped to know how they can keep themselves safe, for example around water or when they are cycling.  Bullying is very rare in pupils’ views; pupils say it may have happened occasionally in the past, but they feel that any pupils who may fall out are helped to sort this out quickly. They are aware of different forms bullying may take, but would be surprised if this happened in their school, as

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

they are taught to be kind. If they are worried, they are confident they can talk to an adult at the school. The buddy club helps pupils to get along well.  There are good relationships between adults and the pupils, and the ethos of the school promotes equality well. Consequently, pupils encourage one another, and are very understanding of those who find learning difficult, or find it more difficult to always live up to the high expectations of behaviour. Pupils readily accept extra help if they need it, and will help each other wherever they can. They are quick to say what other pupils are good at, or encourage each other.  There are excellent strategies to support a very few pupils who have behavioural difficulties and this has led to great improvements in their attitudes and contribution to the community.  Most parents feel that behaviour is managed well. However, a very few do not agree. Pupils’

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

views are very positive; pupils say that behaviour is never allowed to interrupt their learning, and that behaviour is ‘eight- or nine-out-of-ten’. The inspector’s observations, alongside the school’s records, show that this good behaviour is typical over time.  Parents say that there are plenty of opportunities to find out about how well their children are doing, and that their children enjoy being at the school because it is so friendly.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has made sure that all the teachers take on some of the responsibility for planning the work for pupils in different subjects. Together, they have brought about the necessary improvements to tackle the key issues from the previous inspection robustly. As a result, teaching has improved, progress has increased and attainment has risen. However, whilst the numbers reaching the highest levels has also risen, leaders are focusing on making sure more teaching is outstanding in order to stretch the most able pupils and accelerate their achievement further.  Teachers who lead different subjects make sure that interesting topics are chosen for pupils to study, to develop the skills and knowledge they need. They ensure that teachers check what the pupils already know before planning the next series of lessons. The headteacher works with them to check on the quality of teaching and learning, giving each teacher helpful feedback

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The leadership and management are good

about what they need to do to improve learning in their lessons.  The introduction of specific lessons about philosophy has further strengthened the school’s ethos. Pupils think deeply about the ideas brought up, and have great respect for the beliefs of those who may be different to themselves. The strong curriculum, links with the church and community, alongside many sporting, musical and theatrical opportunities, makes a good contribution to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils.  The school has worked well with the local authority, selecting appropriate support to improve key issues. As a result, senior leaders have a very accurate view of how well pupils are doing, compared to pupils elsewhere, and have improved the outcomes for pupils. The local authority views the school as requiring only a light touch, so that the school knows support is there when it wants it.  The school is part of a group of schools who helps to train student teachers, because of its good

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The leadership and management are good

record of improving teaching. School leaders at all levels show great determination and capacity to continue the improvements.  The governance of the school:  Governors have an accurate view of the strengths of the school, and how well pupils are doing, because they check these things for themselves, alongside the information they get from the school. Informed by the regular training they have done, governors challenge the school and make sure that plans for improvement are effective. Together with the headteacher, they have ensured that teachers’ performance is taken into account when considering pay increases. The recent building programme has been carefully managed to make the best use of the school’s finances. Governors work with senior leaders to check that all statutory requirements are met, particularly with regard to keeping pupils safe, and that staff are trained to understand their roles and responsibilities in these areas.

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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 116353 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 401593

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 115 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Barbara Loweth Headteacher Joy Forrest Date of previous school inspection 15–16 June 2010 Telephone number 01590 673460 Fax number 01590 674207 Email address adminoffice@williamgilpin.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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