Stockbridge Primary & Pre-School

Stockbridge Primary School Old London Road, Stockbridge, Hampshire, SO20 6EJ

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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 consistently good, and occasionally outstanding. Teachers know the pupils well and make sure that the tasks they give them challenge the pupils, whatever their ability.  Attainment has improved steadily and is now above average. From their starting points, pupils, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, make good progress in writing and mathematics. Pupils’ progress in reading is outstanding.  Feedback to pupils is particularly effective because teachers make sure that pupils have time to respond to it.  The behaviour of pupils is typically good; they like learning and get along with one another cooperatively. They enjoy coming to school, because there are interesting things to do and learn.  Pupils know how to stay safe, and feel they are well cared for. They understand the values the school promotes.  The headteacher, supported by the governors,

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

has made sure that any teaching which requires improvement is addressed quickly. Teachers are reflective about what they do, and work with senior leaders to develop their practice, thus raising standards.  The headteacher and governors have worked hard to minimise the impact of changes of staff, and ensure greater continuity of learning for all pupils.  Governors understand well their responsibilities and work effectively to fulfil their statutory duties. They accurately evaluate the performance of the school in comparison to others.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough teaching which is outstanding because teachers occasionally allow pupils to work too slowly, and some learning lacks a sense of urgency.  The most able pupils do not always reach the very highest standards of which they are capable, particularly in writing, because they do not have enough opportunities to work at these levels.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 12 lessons or parts of lessons taught by four teachers during the inspection, and looked at the work pupils were doing, as well as some of the work they have done in the past. A third of these observations were done together with the headteacher.  The inspector met with senior leaders to discuss the school’s evaluation of how well pupils are doing, and how well the school has tackled any issues that have arisen. During these meetings, the inspector reviewed documents provided by the school leaders, including teachers’ records about pupils’ progress, the procedures and policies to keep pupils safe, and plans for further improvements. Minutes from meetings, including those of the governing body, were also reviewed.  The inspector considered the 34 responses to the online survey for Ofsted, Parent View, alongside views expressed by parents in informal discussions at the start and end of the school

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Information about this inspection

day. The inspector also considered the views of staff, through discussions and their responses to the Ofsted questionnaire, returned during the inspection. The inspector met with a representative from the local authority.  The first day of the inspection was also the first day that children in Reception started staying at school for the full school day.

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Inspection team

Andrew Saunders, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a small school with three classes, each catering for a mix of age groups. The composition of these classes changes to reflect pupil numbers each year. There are currently classes for Reception and Year 1 pupils, for Year 2 and 3 pupils, and for pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6.  Almost all pupils are White British; the very few other pupils come from a range of different backgrounds.  The proportion of disabled pupils or those with special educational needs is average, although it varies widely with different year groups. The proportion of pupils supported at school action is average; the proportion supported at school action plus or with statements of special educational needs is above average.  More pupils than average join or leave the school other than at the usual times, often because they are children of families serving in the armed forces. The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium is above average. This is funding allocated by the government to

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Information about this school

support eligible pupils, including pupils from families in the services, those known to have been eligible for free school meals, or children looked after by the local authority.  After a decline, the number of pupils on the school roll has begun to increase again. There have been a number of changes in the staffing of the school; the headteacher has remained the same.  There is also a separate pre-school on the school site, run by authority private committee, which is subject to a separate inspection. There is a breakfast club run by the school.  The headteacher supports leaders of other schools when asked to do so by the local authority.  The school meets the floor standards, the minimum expectations set by the government for the attainment and progress of pupils in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the aspirations of the most able pupils to strive for the very highest standards of which they are capable, especially in their writing, by:  making clear what the very best work looks like and how pupils can accomplish this  giving pupils more opportunities to take responsibility for their learning, and measure their progress for themselves.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make sure that outstanding teaching is more frequent across the school, by:  encouraging pupils to set themselves challenging targets about the quantity and quality of work they will complete each lesson  ensuring that there is more urgency to the pace of learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment has been rising in both Key Stages 1 and 2, and is now typically above average. This reflects the good progress pupils make from their starting points.  Pupils develop great confidence in reading, and reach standards which are well above average. Pupils are excited about reading and enjoy the wide variety of books available.  Progress in writing and mathematics has improved since the last inspection and is now good. Teachers keep a close check on the standards pupils are reaching. However, pupils themselves are not always as confident about how much progress they have made.  While the more able pupils feel challenged and work well, opportunities to work at the very highest levels are not frequent enough. This means that the most able pupils are not always sure what they need to do to reach the next level, or what such work would look like.  Good links with the nursery on the school site mean that children’s needs are well understood

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The achievement of pupils is good

when they join Reception. Teaching that is often excellent, good resources and good use of information about how well they are developing mean they make at least good progress.  Attainment at the end of Year 2 rose to well above average in 2012. The provisional results for the 2013 tests indicate that it is likely to have been closer to the national average. Considering their starting points, however, these pupils made good progress. Typically, pupils’ progress during Key Stage 1 is good.  At the end of Year 6, pupils typically reach standards which are above average, particularly so in reading, and more recently in mathematics. Considering their individual starting points, this shows that pupils, including those who join the school during the course of their primary education, have made good progress while at the school.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are provided with good support and

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The achievement of pupils is good

they also make good progress in writing and mathematics. Like their peers, they make outstanding progress in reading.  Pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium are typically a little ahead of other pupils in the school, by about four months. This shows that the school is making good use of this funding.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In lessons, teachers give pupils a choice of different levels of work, which are carefully planned to challenge them. Pupils like choosing ‘medium’, ‘hot’ or ‘spicy’ work, but are most highly motivated when they reach the ‘super-spicy’ work.  While these different levels of work challenge most pupils, teachers do not always give the most able pupils the opportunity to work at the very highest levels, or to decide for themselves what they need to do next.  Lessons typically begin with a clear outline of what pupils should learn, as well as an indication of how pupils will know if they have been successful. In the very best lessons, teachers and pupils collaborate to develop these criteria. However, there are occasions when the pace of work slows and pupils do not get as much done as they could. Very occasionally, pupils are content with work that is not their very best.  Teachers check how well pupils have understood what they are learning, or how well they have

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The quality of teaching is good

mastered the intended skills. Teachers adapt their explanations or the tasks pupils are doing in the light of this assessment, and often use pupils’ specific interests to engage their enthusiasm.  Teachers work well with other adults to make sure pupils of different ages and abilities benefit from the support and resources they need. For example, children in Reception made rapid progress in developing their reading because they had a good range of opportunities to learn and play, which fitted well with the overall learning aims for the rest of the class.  Teachers and teaching assistants give pupils helpful feedback to improve their work. The use of colour-coded comments in pupils’ books means they know exactly what they need to do to improve. Pupils have frequent opportunities to respond to these comments, and are keen to do so.  There are excellent links between the school and home, to help parents understand how the

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The quality of teaching is good

school teaches letters and the sounds they make (phonics) and to encourage reading. Together with volunteers and adults who listen to pupils read and share an enthusiasm for books, this accounts for the strength in reading across the school.  Homework is well planned to make sure pupils have securely grasped the basic skills they need to support their work in lessons. The school makes good use of technology and online resources to make these accessible to pupils and keep track of what they have done.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils like being at school and enjoy the wide variety of opportunities available. They say it is like being part of a big family and they readily help one another. Behaviour is almost always very good.  Pupils, staff and parents agree that behaviour is typically good. Pupils feel very safe at school, because they are well cared for and have lots of opportunities to talk about how they are feeling or what they think about issues.  Very occasionally, the behaviour of a very few pupils becomes too lively and they need reminders from adults about what is expected for good learning. They usually respond very well to such reminders. The ‘ladder of consequences’ helps to ensure that all pupils know exactly what will happen if their behaviour is not as expected. Pupils say very few pupils have to go very far up the ladder.  The school values are frequently referred to, in assemblies and lessons. The pupils themselves

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

understand how these values help them to develop into confident young people, with the resilience to overcome issues they may face. They are well prepared for life in the wider community and a democratic United Kingdom.  Pupils have a very good grasp of how they can help to keep themselves safe. For example, they know how to use the internet safely, and get the chance to do this in a guided environment. They are also trained to understand fire safety and road safety.  Pupils who join the school at different times of the school year are quickly made to feel very welcome, and parents said how much they appreciate this. Any form of bullying is exceptionally rare, and pupils feel confident any issues are dealt with quickly. The peer mentors help any pupils who may fall out to patch up their differences.  Attendance is typically well above average. In the autumn term of 2012, attendance was below average because a very high proportion of pupils were struck by a virulent sickness; at one

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

point, two thirds of pupils were away ill. Attendance has since recovered to above average.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has ensured that her strong vision for the school has continued the improvements begun at the last inspection. She models what she expects of others, and makes sure that any agreed changes are implemented and followed up to evaluate their effectiveness.  Together with the governors, she has made sure that teachers know exactly what needs to improve and receive support to bring this about. Consequently, improved teaching has accelerated the progress pupils make and continued the rise in standards.  Action plans to improve the teaching of mathematics have been effective. The emphasis on developing confidence in mental mathematics has helped to improve pupils’ performance overall. Similarly, an emphasis on using talking to develop ideas before writing them down has particularly helped boys to improve their writing. The roles of teachers who lead aspects of learning, including the different subjects, are now well established, and, working together, these

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The leadership and management are good

teachers make sure pupils study a broad and balanced range of topics, and cover the skills they need.  Recent training has improved further the quality of teaching about physical education, particularly in gymnastics. There are also effective partnerships to give pupils high quality instruction in a range of sports. The school participates actively in team competitions, such as cross-country, which pupils say they particularly enjoy. Additional funding is also being used to give pupils from Year 2 to Year 6 more opportunity to develop their confidence in swimming.  Teachers and older pupils run a wide range of clubs, which are very popular. These include cooking and gardening, and using animation software. The produce of the gardening club, particularly from the poly-tunnel, is used by the cooking club or is sold in the community, and adds to pupils’ very positive attitudes towards being healthy.

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The leadership and management are good

 Governors and the headteacher make sure that they take into account the quality of teachers’ performance and the impact that teachers have on bringing about improvements when making decisions about levels of pay.  The school works hard to give the pupils experiences of other cultures, including musical opportunities and visiting speakers. Pupils also have the chance to write short pieces on the internet, and comment on the writing of pupils from other countries. The school are developing helpful links with another school in New Zealand, which help to widen pupils’ views of the world.  Although the nursery on the school site is run separately, there are good working links which benefit the children who go on to join the school.  The local authority has steadily decreased the level of support the school requires, as improvements have reduced the need for extra help. Currently, the school helps to support

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The leadership and management are good

leaders in other schools which have been on a similar journey but are at an earlier stage.  The changes brought about since the last inspection and the quality of teaching and learning in the school demonstrate the capacity and determination of senior leaders to continue these improvements.  The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body share the vision of the headteacher in bringing about improvements and have made sure that the strategies to do so are effective. They regularly challenge the headteacher to demonstrate the evidence of the impact this has on the outcomes for the pupils. This includes the measures the headteacher has taken to improve the quality of teaching, and the link between pay increases and teachers’ performance. They are also frequently in the school and gather their own evidence to inform their views, for example by talking to pupils about their learning. They use the training they have undertaken to help

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The leadership and management are good

them evaluate what data show about the performance of groups of pupils, and how this compares to other schools nationally and locally. This includes the achievement of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium. Governors make sure that the finances of the school are used carefully, to provide pupils with the best resources.  Governors make sure that all the statutory requirements are met, and that the health and safety of pupils is given a high priority. They ensure that procedures are followed to check that the adults working with pupils are safe to do so.

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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 115949 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 426439

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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 Maintained Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 63 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Carrie Ross Headteacher Emma Jefferies Date of previous school inspection 23–24 February 2013 Telephone number 01264 810550 Fax number 01264 811612 Email address adminoffice@stockbridge.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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