Norwood Primary & Pre-School

Norwood Primary School Chamberlayne Road, Eastleigh, Southampton, SO50 5JL

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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.  Pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has continued to rise since the last inspection and is now average. A slight dip in attainment in mathematics last year has been effectively addressed and attainment is back on track.  All groups of pupils make good progress because teaching is good, with a small amount that is outstanding.  Reception children make good progress and a confident start at school because learning is stimulating and well planned.  The school offers pupils a warm, welcoming atmosphere, successfully celebrating its many different cultures. It provides strong guidance for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and this underpins the excellent relationships between adults and pupils.  Attendance is gradually improving. Pupils enjoy school, feel safe and well cared for, and are very caring towards each other. They are well behaved and polite. This view is supported by

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

parents, pupils and other adults.  The school is successfully emerging from a time of significant turbulence and high staff turnover. The determination of the acting headteacher, whole school staff and new governing body is ensuring stability. They are fully committed to further improvement.  The school continues to benefit from a well- established partnership with the adjacent school with whom it was previously federated.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching. Teachers have not yet developed all the skills they need to help pupils learn more rapidly.  In some lessons pupils are not given enough time to practise their skills and this slows down their progress.  Attendance is not high enough. Some pupils are absent for long periods during term time so they do not make the best possible progress.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors visited 17 lessons and observed 10 teachers. They talked to pupils about their work and heard pupils from Years 2, 4, and 6 read.  A wide range of documents was scrutinised, including systems for checking progress, records relating to behaviour and attendance, safeguarding procedures, the school’s self-evaluation and planning for improvement, records of monitoring the quality of teaching and the minutes of the governing body meetings.  The inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work across a range of subjects and ages.  Meetings were held with members of the governing body, school staff and groups of pupils. Individual pupils were spoken to in lessons and around the school. A meeting took place with a school adviser from the local authority.  Questionnaires from 14 members of staff were analysed. The inspectors took account of the views expressed in 21 online responses from Parent View, comments from parents during

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Information about this inspection

informal meetings before school on both days of the inspection and a letter from a parent.

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Inspection team

Anna Sketchley, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Ramesh Kapadia Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Norwood is an average-sized primary school. Pupils attend from the local area.  All pupils are taught in single-age classes.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is above average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported by school action plus, including those with a statement of special educational needs, is below average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in local authority care, those known to be eligible for free school meals and pupils with a parent in the armed services, is above average.  The proportion of pupils from ethnic minority groups, including those who are in the very early stages of learning English, is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school provides breakfast and after-school club facilities at two nearby schools. A free bus service is provided for pupils wishing to use the after-school club.  The federation of Norwood school and another school nearby has recently been dissolved and Norwood currently has an acting headteacher. Governors are currently seeking to appoint a new headteacher.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Provide more training to improve teachers’ skills so that there is a higher amount of outstanding teaching, thus enabling pupils to make quicker progress.  In lessons, ensure that pupils have enough time to practise the skills they are taught in order to cement their learning and so improve their progress.  Improve attendance further by continuing to help some parents to understand the importance of pupils not being absent on holiday for very long periods during term time.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The levels of knowledge and skills when children join the school are below those typical for their age. This year a third of pupils in the Reception class are in the early stages of learning to speak English.  Relationships are excellent and children in Reception are warmly welcomed into a calm, but stimulating, atmosphere. Exciting and thoughtfully planned activities and routines mean that children quickly become confident in their surroundings and make good progress in their learning.  Reception children were excited and entirely engrossed when shown large, colourful photographs of familiar places in the local town on the interactive whiteboard. This provided an exciting start to the new half term, with a strong emphasis on speaking and listening, and especially benefited children in the early stages of learning English.  Last year the national screening check in Year 1 for the sounds that letters make (phonics)

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The achievement of pupils is good

showed attainment to be average. However, evidence gathered during the inspection showed that pupils’ knowledge and skills in phonics are improving strongly because of good teaching. Pupils in Year 1 quickly suggested all the different ways of spelling the sound ‘i’, giving examples such as ‘ light’, ‘pinecone’, ‘pie’ and ‘sign’.  The school attaches considerable importance to every pupil being able to read well. Pupils talked positively about the help they receive when practising reading and proudly showed their reading targets on their bookmarks. Most read aloud well, with great expression. They tell of visits to the local and school libraries and competently discuss authors and books they like best, knowing the difference between story books and information books. Less-able pupils consistently use the methods they have been taught to successfully sound out difficult or unfamiliar words.  Key Stage 1 results of national tests show attainment to be above average in Year 2. Standards

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The achievement of pupils is good

have been steadily rising in Key Stage 1 over several years; this improvement has now reached Year 4, where attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is also above average. This represents particularly good progress for all pupils from their various starting points.  Attainment by the end of Year 6 has also been rising, although more slowly. Disruption to staffing has meant that standards did not rise as much as was expected last year, but the school has quickly addressed the slight dip in attainment that occurred in mathematics.  Despite a high percentage of pupils who need extra help, standards in reading, writing and mathematics in the current Year 6 are average. Progress is good. All groups of pupils, including those from the range of minority ethnic groups, make the progress that they are capable of, and a good proportion make progress that exceeds this.  Attainment and progress for the most able pupils have increased, particularly in writing, and

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The achievement of pupils is good

they are now achieving the higher levels in Year 2, Year 4 and Year 6.  Pupils at risk of not doing so well and disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are very well supported, both by teachers and skilled teaching assistants. The quality of teaching using special programmes to help these groups of pupils to learn quickly is good and the school makes very good use of outside agencies offering extra support. As a result, they make good progress from their starting points and reach standards in writing and mathematics that are the same as those in the same group nationally. Reading standards are above average.  Pupils who are in the early stages of learning English make good progress from their starting points and reach standards that are similar to those nationally in mathematics and reading, but above average in writing.  The gap in attainment between those pupils who have extra funds to support their learning and

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The achievement of pupils is good

all other pupils has reduced over time. Results for Year 6 in 2013 showed that these pupils reached standards that were the same as those for all pupils nationally in writing and mathematics and above average in reading, indicating that the gap had closed. School information shows that pupils currently receiving funding are continuing to reach standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are the same as all pupils nationally.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils’ good behaviour means that lessons start promptly and no time is wasted.  Pupils’ interest is captured by imaginative topics and the use of the interactive whiteboard, so pupils become immediately engrossed and learn quickly. A writing task in Year 6 generated enthusiastic and immediate discussion, when pupils were asked to say whether graffiti should be considered as an artform or vandalism.  Pupils persevere well in lessons, think carefully about their work and do not give up easily. They have a variety of strategies to use when they become ‘stuck’. As a result, they develop good attitudes and skills for learning which are helping them to improve the rate of their progress.  They are very clear about what they should know and be able to do by the end of the lesson because the purpose of the learning is shared clearly with them from the beginning.  Personal targets are at the heart of pupils’ learning and teachers use them frequently when

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The quality of teaching is good

questioning pupils and marking work. Pupils respond well to teachers’ comments, using the targets in the front of their books to check their work to make sure they are meeting their targets. This means that they are constantly reminded, as they work, of how they can improve. They make good progress because targets indicate what pupils must do to reach the next level.  In the best lessons, teachers’ very good subject knowledge and questioning skills enable teachers to check pupils’ understanding correctly as the lesson progresses. A good example of this was observed in a lesson where less able pupils were helped to improve their use of descriptive words in their writing because of the discussion with, and questioning from, the teacher. As a result, they made rapid progress.  Reading, writing and mathematics are well taught; however, in some lessons, pupils are not given enough time to practise the skills they are expected to learn, so they do not make as

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Exclusions and incidents of challenging behaviour are rare. Pupils, other adults and parents support this view.  The school warmly embraces pupils from many different cultures. Sixteen different languages are spoken, but the ‘Young Interpreters’ programme and the way older pupils look after younger ones, including reading together, ensure that pupils support and care for each other and work and play together extremely well.  Behaviour in assembly and around the building during the inspection was impeccable and pupils were unfailingly polite.  Pupils say they enjoy school and most work hard in lessons, but attendance is affected by some families who take their children away on holiday for long periods during term time. This adversely affects pupils’ progress. The school has rigorous procedures to deal with non- attendance and these are beginning to make a difference. Attendance is now broadly average

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

and slowly rising.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel safe in school and this is supported by parents, both in Parent View and in informal discussions with parents during the inspection.  Pupils have a good understanding of how to deal with bullying and how to keep safe when using the internet. They know they will be listened to and who to go to if they are in any difficulty.  Behaviour and safety are not outstanding because some pupils’ attendance is not good enough.

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The leadership and management are good

 Since the last inspection the school has been through a period of substantial change and disruption. The determination of the newly appointed acting headteacher, supported by the staff and new governing body, is successfully guiding the school through this time of uncertainty.  With support from the local authority, an effective team is emerging with the drive and ambition to secure improvement as well as to preserve the strong partnership that exists between themselves and the school from the previous federation.  Competent and energetic senior and middle leaders know exactly what the school needs to do to improve and thorough plans are in place to drive this forward. Successful initiatives in raising achievement in writing and mathematics show that the school has the capacity to develop further.  Rigorous tracking of pupils’ progress and half termly meetings to discuss this are ensuring that

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The leadership and management are good

pupils receive the help they need to achieve well.  Teachers’ performance is checked regularly and measured against the national Teachers’ Standards, and teachers have appropriate targets to meet. Training needs have been correctly identified and some teachers have received expert help to work alongside them to improve the quality of teaching and learning. However, skills are not yet good enough to secure the outstanding teaching that would enable pupils to make even quicker progress.  Different subjects are well organised and carefully planned to provide stimulating learning for pupils. New topics often begin with an exciting launch day. Pupils spoke enthusiastically, for example, about a visit to a local activity centre, Superheroes Day and the school’s Science Week.  A valuable and wide range of after-school clubs enrich pupils’ learning and introduce pupils to activities such as choir, cross country, dance, photography and German, to name but a few.

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The leadership and management are good

 New primary school sport funding is being used effectively to provide a wide range of after- school activities. This is helping to improve pupils’ physical skills and their understanding of how to lead a healthy lifestyle.  Strong partnerships exist between other schools, the local community and external agencies. Experiences such as the exchange visit with a school in the local countryside enable pupils to learn about differences of town and country. Pupils’ learning is further enhanced through, for example, links with local churches, the university science department, and a local theatre.  Parents are very well supported through a weekly parent advice session, a parent forum, parent workshops, regular newsletters and external agencies.  All of these, together with strong provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, support pupils’ achievement particularly well.  Equal opportunities for different groups of pupils are promoted well and the school does not

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The leadership and management are good

tolerate any form of discrimination. The governing body and the local school staff make sure that the safeguarding procedures are followed rigorously.  The governance of the school:  The new governing body brings significant skills from the world of work that are helping them in the important task of appointing a new headteacher. Some governors were previously members of the joint governing body for the federated schools, enabling them to bring with them valuable knowledge of the school’s performance. Leaders and governors have systems in place for monitoring the school’s work so that governors are well informed and able to ask challenging questions. They have a robust knowledge of the spending and impact of funding for the pupil premium and primary school sport. Governors have previously received comprehensive information about teachers’ performance, pay and progression, but arrangements have yet to be made for setting the new headteacher’s annual objectives. Some

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The leadership and management are good

previous governors have specific responsibilities and new governors are already committed to training for induction and other roles. Governors carry out their statutory duties diligently.

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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 116078 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 432430

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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 230 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jinty Williamson Headteacher Rosemary Diskin Date of previous school inspection 19–20 January 2011 Telephone number 02380 322582 Fax number 02380 653223 Email address rdiskin@norwood.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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