Clatford Church of England Primary School

Clatford Church of England Primary School Village Street, Goodworth Clatford, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 7RE

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 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 an outstanding school.  Parents, staff and pupils are overwhelmingly positive about Clatford Primary because they rightly believe that this is a school where every child matters and everyone is valued.  Irrespective of ability or background, pupils’ achievement is outstanding, teaching is never less than consistently good and pupils invariably enjoy school.  Attainment at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 has been significantly above average for some time, and Year 6 pupils’ progress across Key Stage 2 has placed the school in the top 4% of schools nationally for the past three years.  Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning and feel extremely safe in this welcoming and nurturing school. They are courteous and socialise well together.  The headteacher 'leads by example'. She is an outstanding model for staff and pupils in her commitment and dedication and her aspiration for all pupils to succeed.  The headteacher is held in high esteem by

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

the local authority and alongside other leaders, supports local schools in sharing best practice.  Precise checks by leaders on teaching and thorough review of how well the school is doing mean that they have a complete understanding of the school.  Governors and other leaders plan carefully for development at every level, and actively pursue excellence. As a result, both teaching and achievement are now outstanding.  Subjects are extremely well planned and pupils have lots of opportunities to learn numeracy and literacy across subjects in creative, innovative and memorable ways.  Teachers have strong subject knowledge, they work hard to support pupils and provide them with regular and high-quality feedback in marked work.  Through reflection corners, assemblies, ‘sing up’ afternoons and a wide array of enrichment activities, pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted extremely well.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 One parent said, ‘While the school’s academic results stand for themselves, this is a school that develops the whole child and nurtures whatever talent can be found in each child.’

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Information about this inspection

 The school had half a day’s notice of the inspection and the inspection took place over two days.  Inspectors observed teaching in all classes. Some observations were conducted with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with pupils, leaders and managers, members of the governing body and a local authority district manager for schools.  Inspectors held informal discussions with parents. They also took account of 72 responses to the Parent View online survey and 16 questionnaire responses from staff.  They looked at pupils’ work in lessons and also separately with leaders. Inspectors heard pupils reading and observed them in class and around the school, including at informal times.  A wide range of school documentation was considered. This included: information provided by the school relating to the attainment and progress of pupils and groups of pupils across the school; the performance management of staff; evidence of checks on teaching; external

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Information about this inspection

evaluations of the school; the school’s website; action plans; minutes from governing body meetings; the school’s self-evaluation; and behaviour records and safeguarding information.  The deputy headteacher was absent for most of the inspection and Year 6 pupils were on an educational visit on the first day of the inspection.

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Inspection team

Najoud Ensaff, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Olson Davis Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Clatford Church of England Primary School is slightly smaller than the average primary school.  The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage, with very few pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds or who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is above average. The proportion of pupils supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium, which is additional funding for pupils eligible for free school meals, those in the care of the local authority or those with a parent or carer in the armed services, is well below average. There are very few pupils from each of these groups in the school.  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 in English and mathematics.  There has been a number of changes to staff recently, including a restructuring of senior leadership following the retirement of the deputy headteacher and the promotion of the Key Stage 2 leader to this position, as well as the arrival of a new member of staff who joined at the start of this academic year.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Build on the existing excellent practice in marking by providing pupils with even more opportunities to give high-quality reflective responses to comments in marked work.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Attainment at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 has been high for some time.  Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with varying skills. They generally enter with skills typically found for their age. They get off to a quick start in the Reception class and leave Reception with most children having achieved a good level of development.  Pupils continue to make at least good, and often rapid, progress across the rest of the school.  Pupils learn exceptionally well, making outstanding gains in their knowledge and understanding, so that by the time they leave the school they are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage in their education and their attainment in English and mathematics is high.  Year 6 pupils attained significantly better than other pupils nationally in English and mathematics in 2012 and in mathematics, reading, writing, spelling, punctuation and grammar in 2013. They

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

also made excellent progress across Key Stage 2, so much so that the school was placed in the top 4% of schools, nationally, for the progress that these Year 6 pupils made.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs achieve as well as their peers; in 2012 and 2013 they left the school with attainment which was better than similar pupils nationally.  School information indicates that the most able pupils also achieve as well as other pupils. The proportion of pupils who gained a higher level at the end of Key Stage 1 was above average in 2012 and 2013, and at the end of Key Stage 2 was significantly above average. The school has worked successfully to raise further the proportion of pupils gaining the highest levels. This figure is on track to be at least above, if not significantly above, average this year.  The very few pupils who speak English as an additional language make at least good progress,

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

and they attain better than similar pupils nationally, as do the very few pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds.  The very few pupils supported through pupil premium funding generally make similar progress to their peers and school data show that they usually attain as well as, if not better than, their peers in English and mathematics. In 2012 and 2013, eligible pupils in Year 6 left the school with attainment which was about two to three terms ahead of their peers in English and mathematics.  Pupils’ scores in the Year 1 linking sounds and letters (phonics) check in 2012 and 2013 were above the national average, and all Year 2 pupils achieved the expected standard in phonics. This positive trend is set to continue for current Year 1 and Year 2 pupils.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Pupils have exceptionally positive attitudes to learning. They report that they enjoy school because of the range of exciting topics that they learn, the opportunities to extend their learning through ‘theme’ days and weeks, and as a result of special projects.  Pupils said that the best thing about the school was the teachers. Inspectors found that teaching is never less than good and work in pupils’ books indicates that, over time, pupils make sustained and rapid gains in their skills and knowledge.  Learning is well planned and teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge. They set work at the right level for pupils of different abilities and needs.  A key strength at Clatford Primary is the way that learning is both fun and meaningful. For example, pupils in Year 6 enjoyed an educational visit to the D-Day museum in Portsmouth as part of their studies on the Second World War, on the first day of the inspection. They went

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

dressed as citizens from this era and spent the next day analysing information in texts linked to the subject. Similarly, other pupils in Year 2 developed mathematical and scientific knowledge during a finely-tuned lesson in physical education, centred on health.  Pupils' learning is checked very well during lessons by teachers and additional adults so that, for example, they are able to change tack and address any misconceptions as they occur.  Teachers celebrate pupils’ accomplishments through lively displays of work and celebration assemblies, where, for example, learners and citizens of the week are commended. They guide pupils well in their learning through high-quality and regular marking, which pupils often respond to. As a result, pupils know well what they need to do to move forward in their learning.  To build on this excellent practice, leaders have identified that pupils could be given even more

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

opportunities to develop extended, reflective responses to marked work. Inspectors agree.  Through regular newsletters and a useful website, parents are kept well informed about how homework complements learning in lessons, and they overwhelmingly agree that this is of benefit to pupils. Individual parents and pupils commented on how helpful the school had been in attending to the particular needs of pupils, both in school and at home.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils have exceptionally positive attitudes to learning. They are invariably absorbed in work in lessons and this love of learning enables them to make excellent progress. Pupils agreed that behaviour in lessons is usually very good.  Behaviour around the school is also of a very high standard, with pupils conducting themselves exceptionally well, supporting one another and socialising very well together, regardless of age, ability or background.  Pupils play extremely well together and line up in an organised way. They respond very quickly to instructions and are supported very well by teachers who, for example, lead them in short play activities while they wait to enter the school building. Logs of behaviour and staff and parent comments indicate that the vast majority of pupils behave extremely well and that any rare misdemeanours are effectively dealt with by the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  Pupils say that they feel very safe at school because the teachers supervise them well, the electronic gates ensure that the site is secure and they know what to do in case of a fire. Individual pupils indicated that the ‘worry box’ or ‘feeling bubbles’ in their classrooms helped them to feel even more secure. All pupils said they felt able to talk to adults or friends about anything that troubled them.  Pupils have a very clear understanding of bullying and know about different forms of bullying such as verbal, physical, emotional, racist and cyber bullying. They report that bullying is rare and that it is effectively handled by the school. Although a small number of parents who responded to the Parent View survey said they were uncertain how well bullying was handled by the school, almost all parents said that their children felt safe and were well taken care of.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

School records of bullying confirm that reported incidents are few and that rigorous and effective actions are taken. Leaders evaluate the impact of actions in order to ensure incidents do not recur.  Pupils have an excellent understanding of right and wrong. They are quick to point out if anyone misbehaves and they understand fully the consequences of such behaviour. The school manages those who have challenging behaviour well, with marked improvements in their attitudes to learning and excellent improvement in their rates of progress.  There have been no permanent exclusions of pupils in the past few years. Pupils’ attendance has been consistently above the national average for the past few years because, as pupils said, they enjoy school.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher is an outstanding role model for staff and pupils in her commitment to the school’s values that every child achieves his or her maximum potential. This pursuit of excellence is seen in the meticulous records kept by senior leaders and the carefully planned actions which, together with a regular cycle of evaluation, ensure that complacency never sets in.  This is a school where leaders have a deep and accurate understanding of school performance and where actions for improvement are planned carefully. Innovation is actively pursued and leaders continually strive to improve outcomes for pupils.  Careful checks on teaching and excellent tracking of pupils’ attainment and progress by leaders have ensured that pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching are now outstanding.  Recent changes in school staff have not adversely impacted leaders’ pursuit of improvements because staff are united behind leaders. All staff share the vision for pupils’ outstanding

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The leadership and management are outstanding

achievement and are rightly proud to work at the school. Leaders are adept at identifying best practice within the school and sharing this through coaching of staff and supporting other schools locally.  The local authority has the highest regard for the headteacher and has drawn on her expertise to support other schools. Middle leaders offer very good support to senior leaders. They effectively lead training for staff and carry out rigorous checks on teaching, modelling professional standards in all they do.  Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of school leaders and almost all would rightly recommend the school to other parents. One parent spoke for many in saying, ‘This is a great school.’  Leaders promote innovation and cultural understanding through, for example, an international project with a partner school in Malaysia, on computer coding for Year 5 and Year 6 pupils.  The school works extremely well with other local primary and secondary schools to strengthen

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The leadership and management are outstanding

assessment systems and extend opportunities for the most able. Links with external agencies are strong and these ensure that barriers to learning for some pupils are overcome.  Improvements within subjects mean that pupils love learning. They achieve outstandingly well and attain high standards, not only academically but musically and in sport. For example, pupils and parents spoke effusively of pupils’ singing success at the O2 arena and the ‘sing up’ afternoons at school, and of individual pupils’ prowess in sport. As a result of carefully planned subjects and enrichment activities, pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted exceptionally well.  Leaders promote equality very well so that, regardless of their abilities or backgrounds, pupils achieve very well. Robust policies, the school’s values of respect, love and belief alongside decisive actions, ensure that discrimination is not tolerated.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The additional sport funding is being spent on enhancing skill levels of staff, for example in gymnastics, increasing pupils’ participation in a wider range of sports, and in raising the profile of sports across the school through, for example, the introduction of ‘sports ambassadors’.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is ambitious for pupils’ achievement. It is actively involved in setting the school’s direction, in forward thinking and in evaluation. Governors set challenging targets for staff and hold senior leaders strongly to account to ensure that pupils achieve exceptionally well. Governors are very well informed by the headteacher. This, alongside governors’ expertise and additional training, ensures that they have an excellent understanding of pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching in the school. Governors ask searching questions about, for example, the achievement of pupils with special educational needs and the most

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The leadership and management are outstanding

able pupils. They ensure that pupil premium funding is used effectively so that eligible pupils achieve as well as other pupils. They ensure that sport funding is spent appropriately and have plans to measure the impact of spending on pupils’ participation rates in sport and their health and well-being. The governing body ensures that there is a very clear link between teachers’ performance and salary progression. They ensure that staff and governors have undertaken appropriate training so that safeguarding meets requirements.

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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 116373 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 431408

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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 210 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ailsa Wiggins Headteacher Angela Rice Date of previous school inspection 19−20 March 2014 Telephone number 01264 352091 Fax number 01264 729085 Email address admin.office@clatford.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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