Liphook Infant School

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

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Michele Frost Executive Headteacher Liphook Infant School Avenue Close Liphook Hampshire GU30 7QE

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Short inspection of Liphook Infant School

Following my visit to the school on 4 October 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 November 2014.

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Short inspection of Liphook Infant 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 specific areas. This may indicate that the school has improved significantly overall. Therefore, I am recommending that the school’s next inspection be a section 5 inspection.

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Short inspection of Liphook Infant School

Together with the head of school, and well supported by a highly effective team of staff and governors, you have created a culture of aspiration in which staff and pupils reach for the highest possible standards. You have empowered staff at all levels to play their part in providing a high quality of education for all pupils regardless of circumstance. Staff and governors share your belief that all pupils have unique talents and that they can grow and excel within a climate of trust and respect. Parents appreciate the high standard of care and teaching that you and your staff provide. This is reflected in the comment by one parent who wrote, ‘All the members of staff make the school a happy and safe learning environment with many different experiences that enrich my daughter’s learning.’

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Short inspection of Liphook Infant School

Pupils love their school and say that there is nothing they would like to change. They say that they feel safe in school because adults care for and listen to them. Pupils enjoy learning because teachers make lessons fun by providing ‘magical’ experiences for them. Pupils appreciate the exciting playground equipment that includes the fitness trail, the woodland area and the beach. These provide opportunities for pupils to stretch their imaginations as well as helping to keep them fit and healthy. Pupils have developed a curiosity about the world as a result of teaching that is typically lively and engaging. Pupils told me that most of them behave very well and that they get on well together. In classrooms, they work cooperatively and listen respectfully to teachers and to each other. Pupils demonstrate highly positive attitudes towards learning and this is reflected in their attendance, which is above the national average for primary schools.

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Short inspection of Liphook Infant School

You have a highly accurate view of the school’s performance. You make methodical use of all available information to pinpoint precisely what needs to be done, and so are well placed to bring about further improvements. You have successfully addressed the areas for improvement from the previous inspection. You have developed comprehensive systems to record and track pupils’ progress. You have used coaching and mentoring very successfully to improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently strong across the school.

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Short inspection of Liphook Infant School

One of the strengths of your leadership is the way in which you develop the skills and talents of staff at all levels. This enables them to grow and flourish in their roles to become future leaders, providing the school with strong capacity to improve further. Staff warmly welcome the guidance and support you provide. This was reflected in the comment made by one member of staff who wrote, ‘I feel fortunate to work at Liphook Infant School with such a wonderful team led by excellent leaders.’

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Short inspection of Liphook Infant School

Despite this, there is no complacency. You recognise that some children enter school with poor literacy, language and communication skills, and to improve this is one of your key priorities. In order to maintain the high standards achieved by pupils, you have developed an enriching curriculum that inspires them to learn. However, you know that a small number of pupils do not always take enough care with their work and this can lead to inaccuracies, particularly in spelling and mathematics.

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Short inspection of Liphook Infant School

There are highly effective systems in place to ensure that pupils are safe at school. All records are thorough and fit for purpose. You make sure that all staff attend appropriate training so that they know exactly what to do should they have a concern that a child may be at risk from harm. Governors oversee this aspect of the school’s work diligently, and regularly visit school to check that records are well maintained. There is a strong culture of safeguarding and an open channel of communication so that any concerns can be tackled early. All safeguarding policies are up to date and cover a wide range of issues, including child protection.

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Short inspection of Liphook Infant School

Pupils say that they feel safe in school. They say that there is always someone that they can talk to and that adults take their concerns seriously. They are confident in classrooms and in the playground and say that there are very few incidents of unkindness, name-calling or bullying. They are taught to keep themselves safe when using modern technology. All of the parents who responded to the online survey, Parent View, strongly agreed or agreed that their children are happy and safe in school and that they are well cared for.

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Inspection findings

 At the start of the inspection, we agreed to focus on how you are helping pupils across the school to improve their speech, language and communication skills. To support children who enter school with literacy and language difficulties, early years staff benefited from appropriate training and carried out some research of their own. Consequently, staff are skilled in identifying and providing targeted support for children who have specific language difficulties. Similar training has since been provided to all staff, and there is a very strong and effective programme of language development across the school. The English leader ensures that all staff follow guidance to help pupils develop into confident and articulate communicators.  In all classrooms and areas around the school pupils are exposed to a broad range of vocabulary and language structures. In classrooms, teachers use a wide variety of resources to capture pupils’ interest and to help develop their

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Inspection findings

vocabulary and understanding. This improves pupils’ language skills and gives them the confidence to speak clearly in class. School leaders have reviewed the texts and topics taught to ensure that language skills are at the core of new learning.  Following the last inspection, school leaders were asked to improve the tracking and recording of pupils’ learning and progress in the curriculum. There is now a comprehensive system in place that records and tracks pupils’ progress in all subjects. School leaders use the information to check the progress of different groups of pupils, so they know that all groups are achieving equally as well as each other.  Staff have an accurate understanding of what pupils know and can do and what pupils’ need to do next. Teachers are highly skilled at checking pupils’ learning and moving them on to more difficult tasks when they are ready. Consequently, pupils enjoy work that both motivates and challenges them.

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Inspection findings

 Assessment information is also used to identify those pupils who are at risk of falling behind so that staff can provide timely interventions to help get them back on track. As a result, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities progress at similar rates to their classmates. School leaders also keep a very close eye on the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and ensure that they are provided with effective support in class. Consequently, disadvantaged pupils make similar rates of progress to other pupils in the school.  Pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has been above national averages for several years because of an exciting curriculum that is enriched with inspiring experiences. Subject leaders check that the topics taught build on each other in a logical sequence. Teachers skilfully weave subjects together so that pupils gain a deeper understanding of what they are learning. There is a strong

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Inspection findings

focus on language development. Teachers insist that pupils use subject-specific vocabulary, for example in science, art and history. Consequently, the quality of pupils’ writing has improved, enabling them to reach high standards. In mathematics, pupils explain their answers both verbally and in their writing, which reinforces their vocabulary as well as their mathematical understanding. Just occasionally, some pupils do not take enough care with their work, and this sometimes leads to errors in their calculations and in their spelling.

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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

 pupils take care with their work and present it to a high standard.

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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

Together with school leaders, I visited the early years, and four classrooms in key stage 1. I spoke to pupils about their work and looked at work in their books. I held meetings with school leaders and with six governors. I scrutinised various documents, including the school development plan, records relating to pupils’ learning and progress, and minutes from governors’ meetings. I also looked at documentation regarding the school’s arrangements for safeguarding. I took the views of parents into account by analysing the 109 responses to the online survey and numerous free-text responses. I considered the views of staff by reviewing the 20 responses to the staff survey.

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