Netley Abbey Junior School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.1

Mrs Shirley Nicholas-Bond Headteacher Netley Abbey Junior School Westwood Road Netley Abbey Southampton Hampshire SO31 5EL

p.1

Short inspection of Netley Abbey Junior School

Following my visit to the school on 6 February 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in January 2013.

p.1

Short inspection of Netley Abbey Junior School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You and your senior team have worked hard to ensure that pupils have a more consistent learning experience across the school. Together, you have successfully improved the teaching of English and mathematics. You have also established high expectations of behaviour through a positive system that pupils appreciate. You are highly ambitious for the pupils, and have an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Your successful track record of improvement shows your determination to continue to improve the school.

p.1

Short inspection of Netley Abbey Junior School

Since the last inspection, the way that English and mathematics are planned, taught and assessed has been strengthened. Teachers have been given the training and support they need to enthusiastically take on new ways of working. As a result, pupils are making considerably better progress. The standards pupils reach by the end of Year 6 are consistently higher than the national average. You rightly identify that the most able disadvantaged pupils are not yet making the same very strong progress as other pupils in the school.

p.1

Short inspection of Netley Abbey Junior School

The school’s approach to behaviour management was revised two years ago and is working well. Pupils understand the system and strive to behave well. As a result, disruptions in classrooms are rare and pupils work hard in their lessons. The school provides effective support for the small number of pupils who display challenging behaviour as a result of their complex needs. The governing body is ambitious for the success of pupils in the school and gives all aspects of safeguarding and pupils’ welfare appropriate scrutiny. Governors are proud of the school and rightly proud, also, of the work of leaders and staff. However, they do not make good enough use of information about the school to hold leaders to account or to guide strategic improvement.

p.1

Short inspection of Netley Abbey Junior School

The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. Systems to ensure that staff and visitors have the necessary checks made are very thorough. The school successfully ensures that all staff have the knowledge and training they need to keep pupils safe. Members of the governing body have a good understanding of this aspect of the school and carry out regular checks.

p.2

Short inspection of Netley Abbey Junior School

Lessons and other activities make a good contribution to pupils’ ability to keep themselves safe. Pupils say that bullying is rare and that teachers always tackle any unkindness that takes place. The school’s curriculum provides regular opportunities for pupils to develop their understanding of how to keep themselves safe, for example through the recent internet safety week. The school council has identified health and safety councillors who regularly check that the school is a safe and happy place to be.

p.2

Inspection findings

 The improvements to teaching, learning and assessment have raised the attainment of all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils. However, the most able disadvantaged pupils do not yet make the same progress as other pupils. Leaders and governors are determined to further improve outcomes for these pupils. A good example of this determination is the creation of a new leadership role to focus more attention on these pupils.  Support for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is strong. The school responds well to the changing needs of pupils. It provides a range of significant additional packages of support to meet the needs of the pupils in the school. Leaders work closely with teachers to ensure that all additional support enables pupils to make rapid progress.  During this inspection, a small number of parents said that they did not feel that the school tackled bullying effectively. Many parents, on the other hand, reported

p.2

Inspection findings

the very effective support they and their children received. Having spoken to pupils, observed them at play, talked to teachers and examined the school’s data and record keeping, it is clear that leaders take bullying extremely seriously. They act swiftly and reduce the likelihood of bullying occurring. A good example of this is the recent work of leaders to significantly improve pupils’ behaviour in and around the school. Pupils are clear that, when staff are informed about issues or concerns, they deal with them immediately. Consequently, parents should be reassured that leaders and staff do deal effectively with poor behaviour and bullying.

p.2

Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

p.3

Next steps for the school

 the most able disadvantaged pupils make the same rates of progress as other pupils in the school  governors fully understand all aspects of the school’s performance and use this information to set and monitor school improvement activities.

p.3

Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Hampshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.3

Information about the inspection

During this inspection, I met with you to discuss a range of issues, including safeguarding, pupils’ progress, and the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. I visited classrooms with you and one of the deputy headteachers. During these visits, I saw pupils during lessons and looked at their work. I spoke to parents at the start of the day and met with a group of pupils to gather their views. I observed the behaviour of pupils at breaktimes and spoke to them about the school. I reviewed school documentation, including the school’s policies and procedures for safeguarding. I took account of 75 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 45 written comments. I also considered 29 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and 21 responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

p.3