Smannell and Enham Church of England (Aided) Primary School

Smannell and Enham Church of England Primary School Smanell, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 6JJ

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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.  All groups of pupils make good progress and achieve well because teaching is good and, at times, outstanding.  Learning is well planned and exciting tasks enthuse and interest pupils so that they are eager to learn.  Teaching assistants are well trained and provide good support for pupils with particular needs.  Children get off to a good start in the Reception class owing to the high quality care and support they receive, and they are well prepared for Year 1.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted exceptionally well in all aspects of school life.  Behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. There are strong relationships between adults and pupils.  Pupils feel safe and enjoy coming to school, which is reflected in their above-average attendance.  Decisive action by the headteacher, ably supported by senior leaders, has brought about considerable improvements to the quality of

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

teaching and pupils’ achievement. All staff are ambitious for the school to improve further.  Governors are knowledgeable about the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They effectively hold the school to account and are clear what the school needs to do to improve further.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching. Marking does not always help pupils improve their work and teachers do not check often enough that pupils act upon the advice given.  Not all teachers set work that challenges pupils, particularly the most able, to achieve as well as they could.  Leaders in charge of subjects do not yet have a thorough understanding of pupils’ learning and progress in relation to national expectations.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 10 lessons or parts of lessons. Several lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher. The inspector also listened to pupils from different year groups reading.  Discussions were held with a range of pupils, the headteacher and other senior leaders, members of the governing body and the local authority adviser.  The inspectors took account of 42 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire (Parent View) and responses to the staff questionnaire.  Discussions were held with a small number of parents at the beginning of the school day.  The inspectors looked at a number of documents, including the school’s data about pupils’ current progress. In addition, the inspectors looked at documents relating to safeguarding, governance, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors looked at a range of other evidence, including displays, the school’s website and evidence representing the school’s wider achievements beyond the classroom.

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Inspection team

Sonja Joseph, Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is average, as is the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils supported by pupil premium funding (additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those looked after by the local authority and children of service families) is lower than that usually found and varies from year to year.  The number of pupils, of varying ages, who join the school at different points in the year is higher than in most schools.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is above average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is lower than average. This fluctuates from year to year

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Information about this school

The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by ensuring that:  teachers set work at the right level of difficulty so that all pupils, especially the more able, make the best progress possible  all marking is of consistently high quality so that pupils understand clearly what they need to do to improve their work  teachers regularly check that pupils act on their advice so that they make rapid gains in their learning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen further the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that subject leaders use all information about the progress of pupils in relation to typical expectations so that they can develop their understanding and further drive improvements in their areas of work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skill levels that are generally lower than those typical for their age. Some children have very low levels of communication, literacy and language skills. Good teaching and exciting activities, which capture children’s interests, ensure that all children make good progress and are well prepared for learning in Year 1.  This good progress is maintained across the school so that by the time they leave Year 6, pupils reach standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are broadly average.  In 2013, few pupils made more than the expected progress in writing and mathematics. A key reason for this was the change in the school’s intake pattern, with new pupils arriving in the school late in the academic year.  School records and checks of pupils learning in lessons and books confirm that pupils in all classes are on track to reach nationally expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

An increasing number are now reaching the higher levels. However, although the more able pupils make good progress, there is more to do to ensure that all of this group do as well as they possibly can. This is because some teachers do not always set work that challenges them and really stretches their thinking.  Pupils enjoy reading and achievement is good. Daily reading, spelling, grammar and punctuation lessons in all classes are helping all pupils to read with accuracy, expression and enthusiasm.  Checks against the Year 1 national screening test in phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) show that slightly fewer pupils achieved the expected level in 2013 compared to national figures. However, by the end of Years 1 and 6, attainment in reading is higher than in writing or mathematics. Changes to the organisation of phonics teaching are rapidly improving pupils’ progress.  In mathematics, pupils make good progress through the focus on practical activities, which

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The achievement of pupils is good

encourages them to solve problems and use their understanding of numbers in real-life situations, for example, when developing their understanding of fractions through making shapes. As a result, the proportion of pupils achieving the highest level (Level 6) is above average.  Pupils write effectively, and at length, for a variety of purposes and audiences and use a good range of vocabulary. Consequently, their attainment in grammar, punctuation and spelling is above that found nationally.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress because of the quality of the additional support provided, particularly in the small-group learning sessions.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve well because the school places great emphasis on developing pupils’ vocabulary and insists upon correct grammatical usage. Pupils from all ethnic groups make equally good progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress in physical education because of specialist teaching. Pupils enjoy taking part in sporting activities and have a good understanding of how sport contributes to a healthy lifestyle.  There are too few pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium to make a comparison of their performance without potentially identifying individuals. Eligible pupils are given targeted small-group activities to improve their skills in English and mathematics. The school’s records show that currently their achievement is similar to that of others in the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is consistently good, with some outstanding practice. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Checks of pupils’ work over time provide clear evidence of good progress in their learning.  Where learning is at least good and achievement the greatest:  teachers have the highest expectations of what pupils can achieve  pupils receive clear and concise explanations about the intended learning so that they know exactly what is expected of them  tasks are clearly set out, always building on what pupils know and can do, so that they learn at a brisk pace  positive and constructive marking makes sure pupils know how well they have done and what they need to do to improve  skilled questioning constantly checks pupils’ thinking and encourages them to find out more.  These strengths could clearly be seen in an English lesson where the pupils knew exactly what they were learning and what was expected of them. Skilful questioning by the teacher enabled

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The quality of teaching is good

pupils to make rapid progress in their knowledge and understanding of persuasive language so that they produced high-quality writing expressing a particular point of view.  In reading, phonics is increasingly well taught. Younger children learn to link letters of the alphabet to the corresponding sounds correctly, so that they make good progress in blending sounds for reading and writing. Older pupils are fluent and expressive readers and are able to talk clearly about books they read.  Pupils learn well in mathematics because teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to use and apply their mathematical skills in a range of subjects to solve problems and find things out for themselves.  Teachers and teaching assistants work closely together to support those pupils who need additional help so that they make progress similar to that of other pupils.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are excited and curious learners because good

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The quality of teaching is good

teaching provides a wide range of stimulating learning activities indoors and outdoors. Adults take every opportunity to extend children’s language and numeracy skills by moving them on to new learning as soon as they are ready.  Occasionally, activities in lessons are not always hard enough to challenge pupils, particularly the more able, to reach the highest levels of which they are capable.  Marking does not always clearly show pupils how to make their work better. Teachers do not always check that pupils have responded to advice given and pupils sometimes repeat the same mistakes in their work. This limits their ability to progress even further in their learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. This is a welcoming school community where relationships between pupils and adults are strong. Pupils are typically well behaved in lessons and around the school. Playtimes are well organised so that there are plenty of activities for pupils to be involved in, and this encourages socialisation and taking turns.  Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and are keen to do well. They concentrate and persevere in completing the work set for them. Only on rare occasions, where the work set in lessons is less challenging and engaging, do pupils sometimes lose concentration.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. As a result, pupils know how to keep themselves safe, and report that they feel very safe in school. They have a good awareness of different types of bullying, including name-calling, physical and cyber bullying. They say that bullying of any kind is rare. School records confirm this.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, with its strong emphasis on care and consideration for others, is at the heart of the school’s work. Pupils raise money for a wide range of causes and have positive views on the importance of helping those less fortunate than themselves. As one parent commented, ‘This school is one big happy family.’  The breakfast club provides a good start to the school day. It is a safe, calm environment and makes sure pupils are well prepared for learning.  Attendance levels have improved since the previous inspection and are above national averages. This reflects the fact that the pupils greatly enjoy coming to school and those whose circumstances may make them more vulnerable are well supported by specialist support staff.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, ably supported by the deputy headteacher, provides perceptive and highly effective leadership. She has been instrumental in improving the quality of teaching and raising pupils’ achievement across the school.  Senior leaders have an accurate and realistic view of the school’s strengths and a clear understanding of the priorities for improvement and actions needed to achieve them. They rightly recognise that those leaders responsible for subjects need to develop their understanding of how well pupils should progress in relation to typical expectations in order to ensure that all pupils make rapid gains in their learning.  The quality of teaching closely matches teachers’ pay and the targets they are set. Regular checking of teaching by senior leaders has identified strong practice. Where teaching has been weak, this has been tackled rigorously. Staff benefit from good training to improve their practice.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum is vibrant and interesting and focuses on different themes. Pupils are enthusiastic about lessons linked to themes such as ‘Rainforests’ in Key Stage 2 and particularly enjoy the visits to local museums which help bring the subjects to life. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, the focus on real-life experiences, for example through caring for pets, enables children to develop their literacy and numeracy skills well across all areas of learning.  Exciting outdoor activities through the ‘Forest School’, residential trips, and artistic, musical and sporting opportunities with local schools encourage pupils to take risks in supportive situations. These activities and experiences promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development exceptionally well.  School leaders and governors are using primary sports funding effectively to provide specialist physical education teachers to work with the pupils and provide training for teachers.

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The leadership and management are good

Consequently, all pupils participate keenly in many sports, resulting in a positive impact on health and physical well-being.  The school promotes equality of opportunity successfully. This is reflected in the way that all groups of pupils make good progress.  The local authority has provided highly effective support and challenge over time that has supported the school to improve. Consequently, it has rightly judged that the school now requires only a light level of support.  The governance of the school:  Governors are well informed and enthusiastic. They understand well the strengths of the school and how it can improve and are aware of how the school’s performance compares to that of other schools. They visit school regularly to meet with staff and talk to pupils. They have made good use of training, particularly through the local authority, so that they know what questions to ask and what to look for when checking how well the school is doing.

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The leadership and management are good

Governors have a good understanding of the quality of teaching and make sure that teachers’ pay rises are linked to the progress their pupils make. They are not afraid to make difficult decisions in regards to underperformance. They provide a suitable balance of challenge and support. Governors know that the pupil premium is helping eligible pupils to achieve well and they understand how the new primary school sports funding is extending physical education opportunities. They set targets for the headteacher and review these regularly. Governors have made sure that national requirements for safeguarding and child protection are fully met.

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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 116370 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 431019

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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 110 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul Sexton Headteacher Julie Winning Date of previous school inspection 30–31 May 2012 Telephone number 01264 323201 Fax number 01264 338101 Email address julie.winning@smanellenham.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

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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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