Springwood Infant School

Springwood Infant School Springwood Avenue, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 8ED

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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 Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Leadership is superb. The exceptional partnership between the headteachers of the infant and junior schools has helped to transform this school.  Teaching is exciting and engaging and ensures that pupils make good progress and achieve well.  During lessons, teachers regularly check up on how pupils are progressing. Marking is supportive and the targets set help pupils to make good progress.  Improvements in teaching and use of rigorous tracking and assessment have led to above average standards especially in reading and writing.  Teachers and teaching assistants plan lessons that are exciting and full of interest. As a result, pupils enjoy school and take part in lessons with enthusiasm.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs achieve highly and make good progress in all areas of learning.  Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding, both inside and outside the classroom. Pupils thoroughly

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

enjoy school and are very respectful to each other and to their teachers. They have extremely positive attitudes to their learning.  Pupils say they feel safe in school, that bullying is rare and that any incidents are dealt with quickly and effectively.  Governors have successfully supported and challenged the school to improve and have a clear vision to develop the school further.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make a good start to their education.  Parents and carers agree that the school leaders are effective and report their children like coming to school, they feel safe and behaviour is good.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 There is not yet enough outstanding teaching in the school to ensure that achievement is also outstanding.  In some lessons, pupils have too few opportunities to think for themselves and assess their progress and next steps.  In mathematics, teachers do not always provide further opportunities for more-able pupils to develop their skills.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed eight lessons, of which one was a joint observation with the headteacher. In addition, several short visits were made to lessons including a number of small groups of pupils being taught by teaching assistants. The inspector also conducted two learning walks, one with the headteacher, and observed an assembly.  Pupils from Year 2 were heard reading. Lunch and break times were used to talk to pupils around the school and a meeting was also held with school council representatives.  The inspector held meetings with governors, staff, pupils and a representative from the local authority and talked to parents and carers. These meetings included discussions about the analysis of data, documented information and records provided by the school. These included records of the monitoring of the quality of teaching, the tracking of pupils’ progress as well as documents relating to safeguarding children.

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Information about this inspection

 The start of the school day was used to meet with some parents and carers.  The inspector took account of the responses of 11 parents and carers to the online Parent View questionnaire during the inspection, a letter from a parent or carer as well as evidence collected by the school in a previous survey, and of 23 questionnaires completed by school staff.

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Inspection team

Sarah Jones, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Springwood Infant School is smaller than average.  The school has federated with the junior school on the same site since the previous inspection and has used the opportunity to share expertise and improve the quality of education for its pupils.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average and the proportion supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is slightly above average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which is additional government funding for specific groups including those known to be eligible for free school meals, is above average.  The headteacher works with a number of other schools to help raise achievement and share the success of the model at Springwood Infant School.  The school is very proud of its sporting achievement in the local Olympic competition, which they won in 2012.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the proportion of outstanding teaching and raise pupils’ achievement to outstanding by:  providing more opportunities in lessons for pupils to think for themselves, to assess their progress and plan the next steps in their learning  ensuring that in mathematics lessons, more-able pupils always have opportunities to extend their learning  making use of extra questions to probe pupils’ thinking further and increase the level of challenge in lessons.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Standards have been rising steadily in reading and writing and were above average in 2012. Pupils make good progress and this is reflected in the quality of work in their books. Progress has rapidly improved in writing as this is where the school has been directing its work. Progress is good because teaching is good and pupils enjoy learning and engaging with new, challenging work.  Learning in lessons is typically good. Pupils work together well; they treat each other’s views with respect, help each other and discuss ideas with their ‘talk partner’.  Pupils have opportunities to develop good literacy skills because writing, reading and speaking activities are included in most subjects.  Pupils read well. They use phonic approaches (linking sounds to letters) effectively and like the fact that this helps them read difficult words.  Pupils have some good mathematics skills and there is support for pupils who have gaps in their

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The achievement of pupils is good

understanding of mathematical concepts, so they are able to calculate accurately and show their working for mathematical problems accurately in their books. More-able pupils would benefit from additional support to develop these skills further within lessons.  The more-able pupils make good progress because teachers and teaching assistants usually make sure work is demanding and tailored to their particular needs.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress because support is tailored precisely to their needs; almost all reach nationally expected levels of attainment for pupils without special educational needs.  The school uses its pupil premium funding to provide intensive individual and small-group support for those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals. The success of this strategy means that there is no attainment gap between these pupils and the others. A sensitive

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The achievement of pupils is good

approach helps pupils gain in confidence in their own ability and promotes their learning well. Teachers create a stimulating learning environment and the pupils use the resources and learning tools well to support their work.  Children join the school with skills and knowledge at below the expected levels for their age, especially in language and communication skills. The Early Years lead has collaborated closely with the independent on-site pre-school to support the transition to Reception and identify individual children’s needs. They are quick to settle into the welcoming safe environment provided and make good progress over time and meet the expected levels of development by the time they start Year 1. The emphasis is on learning through play and one parent or carer shared with the inspector that she ‘couldn’t be happier with her child’s education that she receives from the school and she has settled in very quickly to the Reception class’.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching over time is good, with some examples of outstanding teaching. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection and has been brought about by outstanding leadership and management. Teachers make sure that pupils know what they are expected to learn. Tasks and activities proceed at a brisk pace, so no time is wasted. Pupils work well on their own, with partners and in groups, they remain on task and complete work set for them.  In all lessons assessment information is used well to make sure that the work is carefully matched to pupils’ differing abilities. Teachers provide a wide range of interesting and demanding activities that motivate pupils to become involved in their learning and to achieve well.  Teamwork throughout the school is excellent. Teachers keep support staff very well informed and there is a high level of professionalism among the staff. Teachers are keen to learn from

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The quality of teaching is good

one another and the headteacher and senior leadership team are highly effective role models who have helped teachers improve their teaching to become good or better.  Teachers have very good subject knowledge and question pupils well to assess their understanding and improve their learning. However, they do not always make use of extra questions to increase the challenge or probe pupils’ deeper thinking, and this can sometimes limit progress. They teach with confidence and enthusiasm and are extremely clear about what they want pupils to learn and how they can be successful in each lesson using both the classroom and the outdoor space effectively.  Pupils’ books show that teachers have high expectations of the work they produce and support them to move onto the next steps. There are however not enough opportunities for pupils to assess their own work and that of other pupils and identify what else they could do to improve

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The quality of teaching is good

further.  Teachers regularly check the progress made by pupils with special educational needs and adjust their work so that they make good progress. Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to learning by supporting pupils in lessons and in small groups that are taught alongside the class teacher. They question, prompt and provide specific resources when required, and enable these pupils to work well by themselves and with other pupils.  Warm relationships and consistently applied routines help children settle well in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Across the school teachers encourage pupils to work with each other and to discuss their ideas. This helps pupils learn to tolerate and accept each other’s opinions and promotes their moral and social development effectively.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Parents and carers, staff and pupils are very positive about the behaviour in the school and the care and respect children have for each other.  Pupils have an exceptionally positive attitude to learning; any rare lapses in behaviour are consistently well managed by all staff. Very warm relationships underpin pupils’ considerable willingness to learn, participate in discussion and work with partners in lessons. This was observed in a Year 1 phonics lesson when pupils were hungry for the opportunity to engage and learn more, challenging and encouraging each other.  Pupils feel very safe and know who to talk to if they have any worries, including any concerns they may have about internet safety.  Pupils are aware of what constitutes bullying and all those pupils the inspector spoke with report that there is no bullying in the school.  Pupils expressed their appreciation of the play equipment and activities available at break times.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

They played and engaged with each other extremely well.  Pupils thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to take on responsibility and this includes engagement in the pupil council.  Attendance is above average. There are very good procedures for tackling absence and supporting families. Pupils’ good attendance records reflect their great enjoyment of school and learning.  Almost all parents and carers feel that their child is happy and safe in school and that behaviour is well managed. A very small minority do not consider that the school deals with bullying well. However there is clear evidence that the school has well-thought-out and very effective systems in place to deal with the rare instances of bullying.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The relentless ambition of the senior leadership team and the governing body and the drive of the highly effective headteacher have created a school with opportunities for all pupils to succeed and enjoy their learning experience. The passion and unwavering commitment to continuous improvement are clearly communicated to the wider school community, with an excellent understanding of the strengths and areas for development for the school with precise action plans to support further development.  Since the last inspection standards have continued to steadily rise year on year, teaching has improved and this is clearly evident in both the pupils’ work and their very positive attitudes to learning.  The federation provides many opportunities for collaborative working that staff appreciate; this has been extremely effective, for example in improving the range and use of teaching resources and also in the teaching of mathematics.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher regularly observes lessons, with detailed feedback to teachers as part of their professional development, to make sure that teaching is good or better with an increasing proportion that is outstanding.  Subject leaders and teachers rigorously track pupils’ progress to find out how well pupils are achieving and review interventions to suit the needs of the individual pupils.  Accurate self-evaluation means that school improvement plans tackle the right areas for further improvement and are evaluated through measurable targets that relate to how well pupils achieve both academically and personally. These plans have been produced with the support of both the governing body and the local authority.  The curriculum is vibrant, well planned to meet the needs and interests of the pupils really well, and provides pupils with rich and varied opportunities to engage, excite and encourage them to

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The leadership and management are outstanding

broaden their horizons within a secure learning environment. The school grounds provide many opportunities for children to learn in an outdoor context. Extra funding for physical education is being used to renew participation in a previously successful sports partnership.  An exciting programme of lessons provides pupils with many opportunities to explore and learn about the world. The school encourages children to investigate and find answers for themselves. Pupils enjoy this challenge and respond well. This was seen in a science lesson on mini-beasts and their habitats when the children worked outside trying to gain a better understanding of ideal habitats.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social understanding is evident in lessons, at break and in assemblies. During the inspection an assembly was observed when children had the opportunity to discuss the importance of making the right choice. Pupils played an active part in the assembly, making

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The leadership and management are outstanding

suggestions and contributing effectively to support the understanding for all.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has a clear knowledge of the school’s strengths and what it needs to do to keep improving. It provides very effective support and challenge, including setting demanding school improvement targets which are reviewed regularly at governors’ meetings. Governors make sure that statutory responsibilities are met, such as safeguarding requirements. Governors have a good understanding of the school including the management of teachers’ performance and the implementation of ‘Teachers’ Standards’ and how they affect salary progression. Governors are aware of the quality of teaching from first-hand evidence. They know what the school is doing to tackle any underperformance. Governors monitor spending carefully and are aware of how the school is using the pupil premium to improve

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The leadership and management are outstanding

pupils’ achievement. Governors make sure they are kept up to date with training to improve their effectiveness, especially when holding leaders to account.

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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 115939 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 426438

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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 Infant School category Community Age range of pupils 4–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 107 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Angela Jones Headteacher Susan Aspland Date of previous school inspection 3 November 2011 Telephone number 02392 262078 Fax number 02392 231937 Email address adminoffice@springwood-inf.hants.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, 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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