Norwood Primary & Pre-School

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

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Mrs Rosemary Diskin Headteacher Norwood Primary School Chamberlayne Road Eastleigh Hampshire SO50 5JL

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Short inspection of Norwood Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 20 March 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 February 2014.

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Short inspection of Norwood Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Based on the evidence gathered during this short inspection, I am of the opinion that the school has demonstrated strong practice and marked improvement in certain areas. This may indicate that the school is improving towards being outstanding. Therefore, I am recommending that the school’s next inspection be a section 5 inspection.

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Short inspection of Norwood Primary School

Your leadership is making a significant difference to the life chances of pupils in the school. You put the needs of pupils first. With other leaders and governors, you share a solid commitment to improving outcomes for pupils. Together you demonstrate individual expertise and a shared commitment to doing what is right for the pupils.

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Short inspection of Norwood Primary School

Pupils are very happy. They feel safe and well looked after. Pupils enjoy their lessons and breaktimes. They have fun together. Pupils behave impeccably in lessons and are extremely sensible in the limited space available to them outside. While pupils recognise that those in Year 6 provide good role models, they are right when they say that all pupils are well behaved. They enjoy the wide range of subjects and after-school clubs available to them. Pupils are clear that the school offers something for every one of them.

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Short inspection of Norwood Primary School

Parents and carers say that their children are well cared for, are happy and are making good progress. They value the support their children receive. Parents are proud of the caring community atmosphere. Several parents commented on the excellent care and support they receive when facing difficult situations.

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Short inspection of Norwood Primary School

The school has made exceptional progress. Leaders have meticulously tackled each area for improvement identified at the last inspection. All pupils now make rapid progress. Teaching continually provides pupils with time to practise new learning. Rates of pupil absence have significantly decreased. Consequently, from their starting points, pupils make first-rate progress.

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Short inspection of Norwood Primary School

Teaching is methodical and gives every child the opportunity to succeed. Pupils acquire skills well and are given frequent opportunities to practise them, so that their knowledge becomes very secure and they have very few gaps in their learning. For example, pupils say that the support they get in mathematics is helping them to really understand what they are learning. They say that the school’s approach helps them to slow down and not rush their work. The regular opportunities to practise their skills are leading to them having very secure knowledge. As a result, greater numbers of pupils are able to achieve greater depth in their learning.

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Short inspection of Norwood Primary School

Leaders have been diligent in their efforts to reduce pupils’ absences from school. Pupils have been encouraged to take ownership of their own attendance and there is stiff competition between classes to achieve the best attendance. As a result, absences have reduced and attendance is now above the national average for both regular and persistent absence.

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Short inspection of Norwood Primary School

The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. Leaders and governors ensure that the correct checks and training are undertaken to ensure that staff and volunteers keep pupils safe. Leaders are not afraid to confront difficult situations and put the needs of the pupils first. They take decisive action when they believe that children may be at risk of harm.

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Short inspection of Norwood Primary School

The governing body is extremely thorough in its monitoring of safeguarding. The safety and well-being of pupils is given a high priority. Governors rightly focus on pupils’ welfare when making every decision. They are keen to continually improve what they do. For example, they have recently included pupils in the risk- assessment processes.

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Inspection findings

 Since the last inspection, the school has focused on increasing rates of progress for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils. Detailed analysis of what pupils know and can do has led to very effective improvements to teaching, learning and assessment. A good example of this is the greater focus on children’s physical development in the early years. This came about because leaders identified that some pupils found writing difficult as they got older. This type of development work is very successful and is leading to more pupils making very good progress. Disadvantaged pupils make at least the same good progress as others in the school. In 2017, disadvantaged pupils in both Year 2 and Year 6 did better than other pupils in reading, writing and mathematics.  Over the past few years, the number of pupils attending the school has significantly increased. There are now two classes in most year groups. Also, a

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Inspection findings

new pre-school class has been opened. Leaders and governors have successfully managed this expansion. Clear and consistent approaches to teaching are evident across the school. Teaching is reflective and aimed at ensuring that every child makes maximum progress. Teachers feel well supported to improve their work. Self-evaluation and opportunities to watch other teachers at work enable teachers to reflect on their own practice and improve what they do.  Governors are ambitious and focused on improving outcomes for pupils. They know the school well and take every opportunity to understand the impact of the school’s work. They have a detailed knowledge of the school’s performance and a clear understanding of what leaders are doing to further improve outcomes for pupils. Governors are rightly proud of the improvements in the school.  Leaders ensure that all pupils have the chance to achieve greater depth in their

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Inspection findings

learning. Pupils develop their knowledge at pace, and teachers use regular problem-solving activities to check what pupils know and can do. The accuracy of teachers’ judgements is regularly checked to ensure that the judgements are watertight. Work in pupils’ books clearly demonstrates the very good progress that pupils make.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 outcomes at the end of key stage 2 are consistently strong in all subjects.

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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.

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Information about the inspection

During this inspection I met with you and the interim deputy headteacher to discuss a range of topics, including safeguarding and pupils’ progress. Together, we also met with your three key-stage leaders to discuss the progress of the school since the last inspection. I also met with members of the governing body and two recently qualified teachers. I spoke on the telephone to a representative of the local authority. With the key-stage leaders, I visited classrooms and looked at pupils’ work. I spoke to parents at the start of the day and met a group of older 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 63 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 35 written comments. I also considered 27 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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